What mattresses are made in Canada?
One of the classic sales pitches of all time is that if we spend ⅓ of our life sleeping on mattresses, it’s a worthwhile investment. While this is a bit cliche, having a good bed is a critical part of everyday health and wellbeing. What we may not know is that there is quite a robust mattress manufacturing industry here in Canada. So not only can we get a good night’s sleep, we can do it while supporting the Canadian economy. So let’s take a look at what mattresses are made in Canada and what goes into them.
Endy is one of the original boxed mattress offerings produced in Canada. Made in Ontario and Quebec, they are a genuinely Canadian offering. Sleep country holdings wholly own Endy, so it’s a modern entry produced by a classic player in the Canadian mattress scene.
Endy uses proprietary foam technologies to provide a comfortable, cool, quality mattress. Three different foams are layered together to make their mattresses. At the bottom is a firm high-density foam that supports the mattress. Next comes a “transition foam,” which helps prevent movement on one side of the bed from moving to the other. Third is their proprietary comfort foam that allows for excellent temperature control and shapes your body. Finally, the mattress is topped with a custom quilted cover.
Key points:
- Made in Canada, part of sleep country
- Uses proprietary foams for a unique mix of functionality
- It comes shipped in a box
- Starting at $675
Predominantly made in Toronto, Silk and Snow are one of several upstart mattress manufacturers in Canada. They focus on total transparency regarding their materials and manufacturing processes. Starting on a successful Kickstarter campaign, they have since grown to be one of the fastest-growing mattress companies in Canada.
Much like other manufacturers Silk and Snow use a three layers system. Their top layer consists of a 4lb memory foam, one of the densest foams available in Canada. This dramatically helps with the long term durability of the mattress as form can lose cushioning over time. The density helps to counteract this. Another helpful feature is a removable mattress cover that allows it to be washed. Silk and Snow makes a solid product at a very reasonable price.
Key points:
- Made in Toronto, Canada of domestic and international materials
- A high-density durable memory foam topper
- Strong focus on transparency and sustainability
- It starts at $650
Douglas mattresses are owned wholly by Goodmorning.com. They started in 2009 and were one of the first producers of online-only mattresses in Canada. While goodmorning.com sells a wide variety of different mattress options, the Douglas is their mainstay.
Using the standard three-layer design, the Douglas mattress uses low impact foams that require less energy to produce. They also use synthetic foams that mimic natural latex foam.
Key points:
- 120-night trial
- Carefully sourced foams
- Start at $599
Black Sheep Mattress
Calgary-based Black Sheep mattresses do things differently. They use almost entirely natural materials in their mattresses. Instead of synthetic foams and petroleum-derived textiles, Black Sheep use wool, cotton and natural latex rubber for their products. This is particularly good for those who may be concerned with possible chemical leaching or just care about the impact of their mattress down the road.
Black Sheep makes three main styles of Mattress. The first is a latex foam mattress with an organic cotton and foam casing. Next is a hybrid foam-spring mattress. This provides an excellent bed for people who want to choose the firmness of each side of the mattress and reduce motion transfer between sides. Finally is their full spring mattress, which uses coil springs and thick layers of cotton and wool to provide a classic and traditional sleeping experience.
Key points:
- All-natural materials
- Handcrafted with traditional techniques in Calgary
- Custom options available
- Start at $2180
Hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Polysleep is another excellent offering in the online foam mattress category. Polysleep uses a proprietary antimicrobial foam that they say should feel the same after five years of use. This foam is their main differentiator, and they’ve put a lot of thought and research into it.
Key points:
- Anti-microbial
- Ten-year warranty
- Made in Montreal
- Start at $925
Things to consider when choosing a mattress
Mattress Type
You have a few different options when it comes to mattress type. Most of the mattresses listed above are all-foam mattresses. They are affordable, easy to ship, and highly comfortable. More traditional spring mattresses use steel springs for support and have a very long lifespan.
Temperature
Think about if you prefer sleeping hot or cold. Many mattress manufacturers offer different foam types that may be more or less suitable for your sleeping preferences.
Motion isolation
If you sleep next to someone who moves a lot at night, you may find it helpful to have a mattress that doesn’t transmit vibration from one side of the bed to the other. Some mattresses isolate movement so well that you can place a glass of water on one side and sit on the other without spillage.
So why buy a mattress made in Canada?
Shipping Costs
Because these mattresses are manufactured closer to home, the manufacturers can often offer free shipping that simply wouldn’t be possible if you were shipping from overseas or even the United States.
Social Responsibility/ Sustainability
Canadian mattress manufacturers - and most manufacturers in Canada for that matter, enjoy a basic level of social responsibility and sustainability that simply isn’t possible in many regions of the world. With strict working conditions and high minimum wages, you can count on the fact that Candian-made goods are being made with fair and willing labour. Likewise, a vast majority of energy in Canada comes from non-emitting sources. In contrast, it predominantly comes from fossil fuels in many international manufacturing centres.
Support local businesses and labour
Buying Canadian is much more than the “made in Canada” label. Your dollars are going straight back into the local economy. Money from your purchase of a Canadian-made mattress goes straight back into the economy. We’ve all heard stories of factories shutting down and moving overseas. Buying Canadian-made mattresses is one way we can reverse that trend and bring back well-paying manufacturing jobs to Canada.
Conclusions
Canadian mattresses are a success story of domestic manufacturing. The Canadian mattress has held firm in a world where so much is produced overseas. It continues to be a reliable source of jobs and many a good night’s sleep for people across the country.