Do You Really Know Exactly What Goes Into Your Mattress?

Deciding on a new mattress isn’t just about physically going somewhere to lie down on one for a few minutes. Because this doesn’t really tell you anything about what you’re looking at, or how it’s meant to feel. In reality there’s really no need to physically try out a mattress if you already know exactly what’s inside it.

Once you understand the essence of a mattress, from the grams per square meter (GSM) of fillings, to the way the spring unit is constructed, everything else ends up being superfluous. So, let’s break down what makes up a high-quality, well constructed, Luxury Mattress.

Why does knowing what’s inside matter?

It can be incredibly confusing and frustrating when mattress retailers and manufacturers don’t tell you the details that you need to know, when you’re buying a new mattress. Knowing all the details will help you to understand how the mattress can provide you with all the comfort and support you need, and it can also ensure that you don’t regret your purchase. Plus, you’ll be able to better tweak the mattress to make it more suitable for you and your budget, once you understand what’s inside.

It’s all about the balance

At John Ryan, we are always aiming for that perfect balance of gradual support when making a mattress. We know how essential it is that there’s a direct correlation between you, the upholstery and the spring unit.   

The spring unit of a high-quality Luxury Mattress needs to have an element of movement that adjusts itself to the twists and turns your body makes. These adjustments from the spring unit need to be so fractional and subtle that you shouldn’t even be aware of them.

The layers of upholstery

Speaking of balance, the upholstery layers in our mattresses also have to balance each other, and they are used in three parts:

1. Support layer – This layer of material is used on top of the spring unit, and is known as the ‘insulating layer’ because it insulates the springs from the materials.
2. Bridging layer – This is the most complex layer, because it can’t be too firm or too soft when compared to the material layers beneath or above it. It has to be exactly right.
3. Comfort layer – This is the simplest layer, consisting of soft materials. It has to perfectly cushion you before the supporting bridging layer of the mattress kicks in.

The weight of upholstery

When it comes to the actual weight of a particular upholstery component that’s used within the mattress, you need to look at the GSM. This measurement is hugely important because it can be used as the basis to establish the quality of the mattress that you’re considering purchasing.

Knowing this figure is essential, but unfortunately many manufacturers and retailers often don’t divulge this to you. Making an informed decision and comparison of other mattress models without knowing the GSM figures is almost impossible. So, when you’re checking out a mattress that mentions what luxurious materials it’s filled with, you need to always ask – how much?

For our Artisan Luxury for example, we have a combined upholstery weight of 4600 GSM, which provides more overall tension. The depth of the mattress is 24cm, when tufted this allows for a greater degree of upholstery to be contained within it. All this upholstery would be more suitable for a heavier sleeper.

The essential spring unit

Of course the foundation of a mattress is the spring unit itself, and we use the highest quality pocket springs for our pocket sprung mattresses. Each pocket acts as a case, which wraps around the wire spring, creating a pocket of material. The cases are then stitched together, creating a length of connected springs that aren’t directly attached, and therefore can still work independently.

The gauge of the wire used to create the individual pocket springs determines the tension of the spring. Your body weight then determines the tension of the spring that is most suited to you, so that the springs are able to move every time you move, giving you the correct support.

You can then be supported independently by each pocket spring, as each one can effectively absorb all of your movements. It’s as if the mattress can then react and constantly adjust itself to the pressure the shape of your body makes. The science of our pocket sprung mattresses also works to prevent movement between sleepers as well, while offering greater support and comfort to your whole body as it works to distribute your weight evenly.

Our Artisan collection has springs constructed with a corrosion resistant Vanadium coating, which makes them extremely durable. Other models in the range come with an even more breathable and supportive, Natural Calico covering, which also prevents heat build up.

We’re here to help

Knowing what goes into your mattress can allow you to change the support elements, from the springs to the bridging layers, to make it perfectly suited to you.   

We like to keep things simple and completely transparent at John Ryan, giving you all the details you need to make the most informed decision. If you have any questions about our mattresses, please get in touch with us on 0161 437 4419.

Everything we put into our mattresses is designed to give you the best night’s sleep possible.