What are mattress Pocket Springs made from?
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What are the springs in your mattresses made of please? …do they all have springs?
Hi Gillian,
Thanks for getting in touch with your question about mattresses.
Pocket springs in mattresses are usually made from steel which is twisted into a spiral to create the rudimentary spring. These springs are then encased usually in a synthetic polyester called 'spunbond' that creates the pockets. You can tell a spunbond pocket spring as the encasements are nearly always white.
So if you see a cutaway with a white case it is usually an entry-level spunbond pocket spring. See below.
Then you get higher-end vanadium coated pocket springs. Still made from steel but coated in vanadium that prevents rust and is often used in sports car suspension coatings to ensure longevity.
These are nearly always encased in natural cotton or calico. You can spot a calico spring as it has a more natural beige colour to them and a machine stitch rather than a 'heat sealed' or glued edge. See the calico pocket spring below.
Not all mattresses have springs.
We would argue that nearly all high end mattresses such as Vispring, Savoir, Hastens and John Ryan by Design contain calico pocket springs. This is because pocket springs offer the most progressive support and tailored comfort.
There are 5 main types of mattress:
- Open Coil / Traditional Bonnell Spring Mattress
- Memory Foam / Mattress in a box Mattress
- Hybrid Foam Mattresses
- Latex Foam Mattresses
- Pocket Spring Mattresses
Mattresses without springs such as foam, memory foam or latex offer (number 1,2 or 3 above) a different type of support and with the exception of 100% Natural Solid Core Latex (which is 2 sided) only last for a fraction of the time of a Natural Fibre Pocket Sprung mattress.
So it can be a false economy to save a small amount of money on one of these cheaper one-sided mattresses when you have to replace it nearly twice as often compared to a 2-sided calico pocket spring model.
Also a open coil or cage sprung mattress should always be avoided - you can read more on that here. If you want to know how much to spend on a new mattress the table and info graphic below should help you see what you can get for your money.
| How much to spend on a double mattress? | What can I expect for my money? |
|---|---|
| Under £500 | Will not get you much at best a 13.5 gauge open coil/cage sprung with a thin polyester layer or a solid foam mattress. |
| £500 | Entry level spunbond springs with some form of synthetic upholstery. Usually one sided mattresses. |
| £750 | The beginnings of a basic pocket springs unit with 800 – 1000 count. No substantial amount of filling other than foams and synthetic materials. Two sided models. |
| £1000 | Should get you away from most low ranges and into the mid-range pocket spring models. |
| £1250 | Should get you a decent pocket sprung mattress with some Natural Fibre content. |
| £1500 | Should get you many manufacturers mid-range models with Natural Fibres |
| £1500-£2000 | Should get you a Hand Made primarily Natural Fibre Quality Mattress |
| £2000+ | You should expect 100% Natural Fibres and Traditional Hand Made Construction Method. |
| £5000+ | A Bespoke Hand Made Sleep System, High-end Spring Units & Featuring the Worlds Most Luxurious Natural Fibres. |
If you have any more questions please get back in touch with us on 0161 437 4419.
All the best John & Ryan
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