Mattress History

The word mattress derives from the Arabic word maṭraḥ which means "something thrown down" or "place where something is thrown down"*.

To date the oldest form of mattress was recorded to be approx. 77,000 years ago during the Crusaudes in Europe. Many mattresses were made using more natural materials such as straw, feathers and horse hair. As the years went on cotton mattress gained in popularity. Through the early 20th Century the manufacture of innerspring units (Bonnell, Continuous, Offset and Marshall Coils) were a big game changer. Then the cotton, horsehair, coconut fibre was used as comfort layers. These natural fibres and the spring unites were usually hand tufted. The mattresses were quite heavy, so the emergence of foam entered the industry. Foam and fiberfill were used in the mattresses top upholstery layers to create a luxury so mattress that was easier to flip and rotate.

As the decades rolled on there have been many trends that have entered the market. From bladder mattresses (with air or water), no turn mattresses, one size fits all, mattress in a box and 100% synthetic foam mattresses. Although they have not stood the test of time.

At Rockdale Mattress Factory we use the lasting knowledge of natural fibres that was once used many years ago with the newest technologies of pocket springs to create bespoke models made to order using finest craftmanship and engineering.

*source Wikipedia 2017.