August 2005

TIETEX DEVELOPS PROPRIETARY BARRIER CLOTH FOR BEDDING INDUSTRY.

Ticking Division To Market New Fabric Under SleepFree Brand Name.

SPARTANBURG, SC –– Tietex International, the world's largest stitch-bond filler cloth maker, has announced immediate production of a proprietary barrier filler cloth that meets or exceeds the bedding industry's fire retardant and environmental standards.

Beth Hunt, general manager of the corporation's Ticking Division, said the new fabric is being marketed under the brand name SleepFree.

The SleepFree introduction follows over three years of research and development, during which time the company tracked the industry's evolving barrier specifications, Hunt said. "It's true enough that we were deliberate in coming to market to assure our compliance with continuously emerging standards, but we also wanted to offer other product attributes our customers value," she said.

In recent tests, Hunt said, Tietex demonstrated that SleepFree technology could assist mattress manufacturers in constructing products that comply with TB-603 and ever-present environmental criteria. "Of course," she added, "as important as it is, barrier filler cloth is only one of many variables that manufacturers have to consider as they address TB-603."

Hunt noted that major bedding manufacturers have conducted tests and have agreed to include SleepFree in their programs.  "On the practical side, they saw a lot more to our story than FR issues.  We claim, for instance, that SleepFree is the softest and therefore most ‘sew-able' barrier fabric out there, giving it a decided advantage on the manufacturing floor.

"What we're hearing is that our product is durable, lightweight, pliable and better looking from a color perspective than the typical filler cloth," she said, adding that "the ease and speed of fabrication will equate to other efficiencies as well, not the least of which is cost control."

The SleepFree brand will be available to manufacturers and retailers who may see an added marketing value at point of sale. "We chose a brand name and logo design that we believe have an instant impact. The brand immediately tells our customers and their customers that they can have total peace of mind about fire retardant and environmental issues. Being able to "sleep free" means sleeping safely, and being carefree and confident."

She noted that company R&D efforts are underway to extend SleepFree technology to explore concepts for the entire mattress. "We're actually looking at a family of bedding products and solutions to meet our customers' needs."

As a mattress component, SleepFree is UL certified for open flame ignition resistance. It is the latest in a succession of proprietary fabrics introduced by Tietex International since the corporation's founding in 1974.

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