National Sleep Foundation, My Pillow Inc. Forge New Relationship

Furniture World News Desk on 7/1/2014

Trusted sleep authority the National Sleep Foundation and fast-growing bedding producer My Pillow Inc. announced that the My Pillow Bed Pillow, My Pillow Mattress Topper and Go Anywhere Travel Pillow have been selected as Official Products of the National Sleep Foundation. The new relationship was announced nationally on the Imus In The Morning show by iconic broadcasting personality Don Imus.

“The National Sleep Foundation has chosen to work with My Pillow Inc., because we admire their passion and dedication to helping consumers get a quality night’s sleep, and because of their broad national distribution,” explains David M. Cloud, chief executive officer of the National Sleep Foundation, a leading charitable, educational and scientific not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving sleep health and safety. “This is why we have selected My Pillow’s bed pillows, mattress toppers and travel Pillows as Official Products of the National Sleep Foundation.

“The executive team at My Pillow Inc. understands the value of partnering with the National Sleep Foundation to educate consumers about sleep health,” Cloud continues. “The National Sleep Foundation believes we have chosen the right partner to help get the word out to consumers about the importance of a good night’s sleep. The National Sleep Foundation is pleased to be associated with the My Pillow family of bedding products.”

My Pillow founder, inventor and chief executive officer Michael Lindell says he is delighted to work with the National Sleep Foundation. “The National Sleep Foundation is the ‘gold standard’ in the industry when it comes to providing sleep-related educational content for consumers,” Lindell asserts, “And their philosophy fits perfectly with My Pillow’s mission, which is to provide each and every consumer with the most restful, comfortable, deep, and healing sleep of their lives.

“We could not be happier to have the affiliation we have with the National Sleep Foundation and couldn’t be more pleased to become the Official Pillow and Mattress Topper of the National Sleep Foundation,” Lindell adds. “We look forward to longstanding and beneficial relationship for years to come.”

Cloud points out that the My Pillow line “fits in well with the National Sleep Foundation’s other Official Product offerings that help consumers build better bedroom environments that are conducive to a good night’s sleep.

“The products that are selected as Official Products of the National Sleep Foundation are recognized by consumers as healthy choices that can assist them in achieving the great night’s sleep that they desire and deserve,” Cloud notes. “We build on that consumer trust by working with exceptional companies producing quality products.”

Based in Chanhassen, Minnesota, My Pillow Inc., manufactures and markets bed pillows, mattress toppers, travel pillows, pet beds and accessories, all completely made in the United States with domestic components. My Pillow Inc. has estimated annual sales in excess of $60 million, and has sold more than 4 million bed pillows in the U.S. alone since the company was formed 10 years ago.

The foundation of the My Pillow line is a collection of bed pillows that are constructed of a three-piece patented foam filling and are offered in four different support levels, allowing consumers to choose the right density for their individual sleeping position and preference. The bed pillow line consists of the Classic style, finished in a standard knife edge construction; and a Premium style, which features a two-inch gusseted border; suggested retail prices range from $59.98 to 109.98. All My Pillow bed pillows are machine-washable and dryable, and come with the company’s exclusive 10 Year Warranty.

The patented interlocking foam filling played a key role in the invention of the product, creating an innovative customizable support system that won’t flatten out or “push back” on a sleeper’s head, according to Lindell.

“Years ago, I found myself extremely frustrated with my pillow going flat; I would wake up in the morning with a sore arm, my neck would hurt, my fingers would be numb, and I would toss and turn all night not knowing why,” Lindell recalls. “I tried many different pillows on the market and none of them worked. So, I started to research pillows and study sleep.

“I was adamant about creating the world’s healthiest, most comfortable and most durable pillow,” Lindell continues. “I developed the three-piece interlocking patented foam fill that allows consumers to have their pillow now conform to them instead of the other way around; constructed the pillows to allow consumers to wash and dry them just like their favorite pair of blue jeans, and backed the product with an unheard of 10 year warranty. Today, I truly believe My Pillow is the best pillow in the world, and that if everyone had one, they would get better sleep, and the world would be a better place.”

My Pillow has experienced tremendous sales growth over the last few years through the use of a direct-to-consumer marketing model, which employs television infomercials, print advertisements, radio programming and home shopping channels to sell directly to the public; the wide exposure also helps drive retail sales at leading national chains including Wal-mart and Bed, Bath & Beyond. The company has had well-documented success selling on television—last year, for example, My Pillow sold nearly one million units on QVC and received the retailer's Q-Star Award for Product Concept of the Year.

Based on the success of the bed pillow line, My Pillow earlier this year expanded its product portfolio to include My Pillow Toppers, a line of mattress toppers that employ the same interlocking foam fill used in the company's signature pillow, which is designed to conform to the body and align the spine naturally. 

The company also added the Go Anywhere Travel Pillow, which features two attached elastic straps that allow the pillow to be rolled up and inserted into a small, compact travel bag so that consumers can take their comfort with them. The Go Anywhere pillow is constructed with the same patented foam fill, is machine-washable and dryable and also comes with a 10 year warranty; the travel pillow is priced at $29.95.

“Sleep is the most important thing to your health,” Lindell points out. “A good night’s sleep has many invaluable benefits to your overall health and well being. This is why we are very pleased to have our bed pillow, mattress topper and travel pillow designated as the Official Products of the National Sleep Foundation. I think this affiliation gives the consumer peace of mind that we aren’t just in the pillow or topper business, we’re in the sleep business…and that’s a good thing.”

The National Sleep Foundation logo will be prominently featured on the selected products in all of My Pillow’s distribution channels, including television infomercials, home shopping channels, print and radio advertising, as well as in retail stores.

The partnership between the National Sleep Foundation and My Pillow Inc., will also allow a wide variety of information about sleep health information to be disseminated to consumers, according to the NSF’s Cloud. “We think it is great that My Pillow customers will have access to these quality products bearing our name, logo and sleep health information,” Cloud points out. “The National Sleep Foundation appeals to practical, intelligent consumers who recognize quality and value, and our mission is dedicated to helping people create bedrooms that contain all of the right components to create an optimal sleep environment.”

Indeed, having comfortable bed pillows is one of the essential elements to creating a bedroom environment conducive to a good night’s sleep, according to findings from the National Sleep Foundation’s annual Sleep In America Poll. Overall, about nine in 10 survey respondents—91%—rated comfortable pillows as important to getting a good night’s sleep; and more than eight in 10—85%—rated the comfortable feel of sheets and bedding as important.

“The goal of the National Sleep Foundation’s Official Licensed Products program is to provide Americans with useful sleep health information and the best sleep products on the market,” Cloud points out. “This new partnership with My Pillow Inc. provides a great platform for the National Sleep Foundation to talk to consumers about sleep health and the bedroom environment.”

Official Products of the National Sleep Foundation include Perfect Sleeper mattresses by Serta; Sound Asleep room darkening curtains by Ellery Homestyles; Pure Care mattress, box spring and pillow protectors by Pure Care; Dohm sound conditioners by Marpac; Febreze Sleep Serenity scents and Always feminine care products.

The National Sleep Foundation and its Official Licensed Product partners work together to disseminate information about better sleep through a series of consumer brochures, marketing and merchandising programs, all of which offer consumers a wide variety of sleep informational tips designed to help achieve a better night’s sleep. Brochures offering sleep tips and information are distributed to consumers in Official Licensed Products packages sold through leading retailers.

In addition, the National Sleep Foundation’s website, http://sleepfoundation.org, is the Internet’s top destination for sleep health information and includes a sub-site centered on the bedroom environment, “Inside Your Bedroom” (http://sleepfoundation.org/bedroom) to help consumers get the information they need about sleep.

“This informational website looks at how the five senses can impact and influence sleep,” Cloud remarks. “The website is designed to pair information about sleep with practical advice on how to create the optimal bedroom environment for a healthy and restful night’s sleep. The website contains a wide variety of informational tools and tips designed to help people learn about sleep and sleep health.”

About The National Sleep Foundation: The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving health and well-being through sleep education and advocacy. It is well-known for its annual Sleep in America® poll. The Foundation is a charitable, educational and scientific not-for-profit organization located in Washington, DC. Its membership includes researchers and clinicians focused on sleep medicine, health professionals, patients, families affected by drowsy driving and more than 900 healthcare facilities. To find out more about the National Sleep Foundation, visit www.sleepfoundation.org.

About My Pillow Inc.: My Pillow, Inc. is Minnesota based company that manufactures and markets the My PIllow line of sleep products. With sales estimated at more than $60 million annually, My Pillow brand sleep products are proudly made in the USA and feature a three-piece patented fill and fourdifferent support levels, allowing customers to choose the right fit for their particular shape and size. My Pillow has sold more than 4 million pillows in the U.S. alone, with expansion into international markets expected in early 2015. The company directly employs more than 600 people while also supporting other American owned companies.