Mattress industry executives and management will get to see and learn about the environmental, manufacturing and sleep comfort benefits of mattresses made with BiOH polyols when they visit the Latexco booth at the upcoming ISPA Industry Conference, to be held March 6-7 at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida.
Latexco will feature its BiOH Gel Latex, a non-toxic latex foam, which was introduced during last year’s ISPA EXPO. The Latexco product is available in a wave pattern to provide pressure-point relief and back support. The high density of the gel evenly distributes pressure, while pinholes in the surface allow balanced ventilation. Cooler sleep is an advantage of BiOH polyol technology.
“BiOH Gel Latex has clear benefits for the environment, but it also has other features, such zoning and load-spreading flexibilities,” comments Kevin Callinan, vice president of sales for Latexco, which has worldwide headquarters in Tielt, Belgium. “Since all of our bio gel toppers are open-cell products, we can adjust the zoning to maximize air flow and enhance thermal-regulation properties.”
Today’s environmentally conscious consumers are increasingly seeking green products for their homes. BiOH Gel is produced with BiOH polyols which completely replaces 100 percent of the petroleum based Polyols used in most urethane gels. Preliminary life cycle analysis indicated that manufacturing BiOH polyols requires 60 percent less non-renewable energy and results in less global warming emissions than manufacturing the petroleum polyols we replace.
For every one million pounds of BiOH polyols used, more than 2200 barrels of crude oil are saved. Considering that the industry uses billions of pounds of petroleum polyols, BiOH polyols can have an impact on using less petroleum.
Savvy sales people understand that the more they help their customers resolve a need, the higher their sales will climb. While you may not get a lot of people walking into your store and specifically asking for products made with soy-based BiOH® polyols, you probably do get a large percentage seeking better quality sleep and/or more environmentally responsible home furnishings. Once you’ve educated them about the benefits of BiOH® polyols, it will be easier to close the sale.
Here are some tips for talking with your customers about BiOH
• Become a cool-sleep expert. Exhausted people stumbling into your showroom may blame everything but the temperature of their mattress while sleeping. Explain that:
o Many people overlook some of the most obvious components to a good night’s sleep simply because they don’t know about them.
o Temperature regulation is important to sleep quality.
o Mattresses, mattress foam toppers and pillows made with BiOH® visco polyol provide a cooler, more comfortable sleep. Studies show memory foams produced with this new product dissipate heat more quickly, cooling off 15-40 percent faster than memory foams using infused gel technology. Foams made with BiOH® polyols are also less sensitive to temperature overall, so they stay softer at cooler temperatures.
• Give them tools for living a more responsible lifestyle.Surveys have found that 70 percent of shoppers would be interested in buying eco-friendly furnishings. The stumbling block? An estimated 55 percent say they are unaware that these products exist! People want to do their part for the planet, providing it’s not too difficult or expensive. So make it easier for them!
o Explain that BiOH® polyols are made from a renewable product: soybean oil.
o Teach consumers how to read the Specialty Sleep Association’s new ‘green’ mattress labels, which help them identify what is green, natural and sustainable.
o Explain that manufacturers who use BiOH polyols are reducing America’s dependence on petroleum. For every one million pounds of BiOH polyols used, more than 2000 barrels of petroleum can be saved.
o Point out that by choosing products made with BiOH polyols, they are buying excellent products that leave smaller environmental footprints.
o Assume the sale. There is a growing interest in buying green. Plus, consumers are generally willing to pay a little more for green furnishings.
Selling mattresses and home furnishings made with soy-based BiOH® polyols can be as simple as educating your customers. Once they learn that products made with BiOH® offer them the possibility of consistently better rest, and are an eco-friendly, sustainable way for them to contribute to the health of our planet, they will feel good about making this choice.
If you plan to attend the ISPA Expo this month, be sure to stop by booth #733, where Latexco will feature its new mattress made with BiOH® polyols. You’ll definitely want to pick up a handout to share with co-workers and customers because better/cooler sleep and environmental sustainability are two of the hottest trends in today’s mattress industry. We expect this mattress to create quite a buzz at the show.
Cargill has developed a new BiOH® polyol, with greater than 90 percent renewable content, that can be formulated into urethane gel products. It is made from renewable raw materials and can be incorporated into foam. This new BiOH® polyol can replace 100 percent of the petroleum polyols in gel products today, reducing the dependency on oil and increasing the renewable content in finished foam products. The urethane gel made from this new BiOH® polyol can be used in mattresses, mattress toppers, pillows, upholstered furniture, carpet cushion, automotive seats & more.
In addition to the expo, we’re also running a full-page ad in the March, April and May editions of Bed Times, which features both of our cool new products: our next generation “cool” memory foam and our renewable urethane gel. (Turn to page 67 in this month’s issue.)
About ISPA Expo
ISPA Expo is the world’s only trade show devoted exclusively to the mattress industry. This year’s event takes place March 14-17 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. In addition to previewing all of the newest products, you’ll have the opportunity to make valuable connections and learn profit-building sales techniques.
Members of the Cargill BiOH team will be there on opening day, and we look forward to meeting as many of you as possible!
Companies are making it easier than ever for Americans to embrace the concept of sustainability and energy conservation. The selection of products and services has never been greater – and it just keeps expanding!
One of the newest initiatives is Zero Energy America, a project focused on using eco-friendly materials and new building techniques to design Zero Energy Homes. A Zero Energy Home is one in which the net average energy consumption, and carbon dioxide emission, are both zero over the course of a year.
In the U.S. and Europe, our homes account for about 40 percent of the total national energy consumption. But even if an entirely new, energy efficient home is not in your future this year, there’s another way you can become part of the solution. The next time you’re in the market for future, shop for pieces that contribute to a zero-energy lifestyle.
Here is a checklist to help you determine if that furniture you’ve been considering is also good for the environment:
1. Is it made of wood? Ask if the wood is sustainably harvested for domestic, replenished forests. Or, look for reclaimed wood, bamboo or other environmentally safe materials. Products made with Smart Wood certifies that you are supporting a global effort for responsible forest management.
2. Is it made with leather? Ask if the tanning chemicals used are either biodegradable or recycled?
3. Is the furniture upholstered or does it have foam cushions? Look for the green and white hang tag indicating that the foam is made with BiOH® polyols. Traditional foam and carpet cushion ingredients are made from petroleum-based chemicals. BiOH polyols are made from a renewable resource – soybean oil. Manufacturing BiOH polyols requires 60% less non-renewable energy and results in less global warming emissions than manufacturing the petroleum polyols we replace. Additionally, for every one million lbs of BiOH polyols used, over 2200 barrels of crude oil are saved.
4. Where is it made? Furniture made in America cuts energy consumption and emissions associated with transportation.
Good news! We now have an amazing interactive training video to help you and your employees quickly grasp how to talk with your customers about sustainability and buying green furnishings, including a simple ways to explain the BiOH® polyols difference. It’s a great resource that’s fast and fun to use. After just a few minutes, you and your employees will be sounding like sustainability experts.
Hesitant to try it? Check out this training video testimonial from Furnitureland South’s Cameron Lindsay as he talks about the importance of sales training for sustainable products made with BiOH polyols and how it can increase your sales today!
Try it out! It’s more than just a video. With a few clicks of your mouse, you’ll be immersed in short Q&As, and you’ll also discover how consumers responded to a sustainability and home furnishing survey. Most important: you’ll learn the key messages that will resonate with your customers: comfort, durability and environmentally friendly benefits.
Watching this retail training video could easily differentiate your store from your competition. Most consumers want to buy green home furnishings. They want to do their part for the environment but they need your help finding and choosing the right sustainable products.
As more people become aware of sustainable furniture, it’s important to educate them about their options including the significance and value of foams and mattresses made with BiOH® Polyols. In some cases, you may be the only one who knows about this option! That will make you the subject matter expert and it may be the tipping point that could lead to more sales.
After viewing our new interactive retail training video, you will be ready to help your customers make an informed purchase decision that’s right for them and their families.
If you are a retailer and you carry these furniture brands, contact us about co-branding opportunities. We can provide you with retail resources. Or, ask your manufacturer if they have resources to help you promote BiOH in your store.
Feeling drowsy this morning? Maybe you need to chill out. Experts agree: cooler temperatures help you sleep deeper and longer. That advice applies not only to room temperature but also to your bedding.
A mild drop in body temperature induces sleep
Mother Nature has put your body on a 24-hour cycle, called the circadian rhythm. Time, light and temperature all factor into how your body clock functions.
Every night, your body temperature automatically lowers by just a couple of degrees, signaling your tissues and organs to become less active. Even a slight increase in external temperatures can become so uncomfortable that it causes you to awaken. The closer you can stay to your body’s natural ‘set point’, the more rested you will feel in the morning.
Sleep experts typically recommend keeping bedroom temperatures between 65 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. In reality, you should set your thermostat at whatever temperature comfortably helps you fall asleep and stay asleep.
New BiOH® soy-based polyols help memory foam achieve better temperature regulation
Your mattress is, of course, another part of the sleep equation. Memory foam mattresses are popular because they conform to your body’s shape, giving you maximum support, and helping to prevent tossing and turning
throughout the night. But foam is notorious for absorbing and holding onto body heat. In fact, some memory foams rely on heat to stay soft.
Now there is a way to enjoy the benefits of memory foam mattresses while also sleeping cooler. Studies show memory foams produced with a revolutionary new BiOH® Polyol dissipate heat more quickly, cooling off 15-40 percent faster than memory foams using infused gel technology. Foams made with BiOH® Polyols are also less sensitive to temperature overall, so they stay softer at cooler temperatures.
Concerned about durability? Memory foam toppers with BiOH® Polyols are resistant to rips and tears.
And, as a bonus, initial findings show that these new vegetable-based foams are 51 percent renewable, so you also are helping the environment when you purchase BiOH®-based foams.
The result is a memory foam that provides a cooler, more comfortable sleep. Stay tuned for more information about this exciting new development.
New BiOH foam does not heat up as much.
After eight hours in an oven at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the new BiOH memory foam was not as hot as the gel-infused material.
Posted by Nicole, BiOH Polyols Marketing Manager on March 14, 2011
Welcome to the BiOH® revolution, a quiet revolution where small steps can lead to a big impact.
If you have ever wondered who we are and what we are all about then wait no longer. We have just launched a new video that simplifies the BiOH® polyols story.
We have removed the complicated chemical lingo and added a snazzy new tune. Just watch our quick one minute video to learn more and share your thoughts.
Posted by Nicole, BiOH Polyols Marketing Manager on March 4, 2011
If you have been keeping up with the news lately, you might have noticed a new challenge by ABC World News called Made in America. Part of the feature challanged one Texas family to empty their home of all foreign made products and replace them by purchasing products “Made in America.”
This feature gave exposure to many furniture and bedding industry partners who manufacture American made products every day and who also use BiOH® polyols in their cushioning. One company, Harden Furniture was featured in a video segment talking about how they are responsibly managing the forests that they obtain for their wood products.
Bedding manufactures Sealy and Simmons were listed as well.
Apartment Sofa by LEE
One common mistake consumers can often make is thinking that domestically made furniture and appliances cost more money. This segment shows consumers where to purchase products “Made in America” and how they could even save money by doing so! For more information, you can also visit the Made in the USA Foundation.
Posted by Nicole, BiOH Polyols Marketing Manager on January 24, 2011
This week the BiOH® polyols team heads out to the real city that never sleeps to uncover the latest and greatest trends in the furniture and bedding marketplace at the annual Las Vegas Market . World Market Center is the place to see “everything that’s new and unexpected in the world of home furnishings, all in one inspiring venue.”
If you want to be ahead of the curve and know new industry trends before everyone else, just like I do, this market is the place to be. Another great place to trend-spot is by flipping through the pages of Bedroom Magazine, the “Sleep Retailers Magazine.” Pick up a copy of the Winter 2011 issue or visit their website to read a new and exciting article titled Cargill provides Insights on Marketing “Green” featuring Cargill’s BiOH® Business Unit Leader, Yusuf Wazirzada.
Before heading out to Las Vegas, make sure to cast your vote online for the One Good Chair People’s Choice competition sponsored by the Sustainable Furnishings Council and World Market Center Las Vegas. This competition is similar to BiOH® polyols Project Udesign because the designs use sustainable materials but are not upholstered furniture like BiOH® soy-based foam ingredients.
Fingers crossed for a successful market visit that we learn a lot from the bedding industry leaders and maybe we’ll even get a little bit of sleep along the way!
Posted by Nicole, BiOH Polyols Marketing Manager on December 23, 2010
As the Cargill offices wind down for the holiday break, I snuck over to our research lab to see what the BiOH® polyols team was up to while their boss was away for the next few weeks. Much to my surprise, the skeleton crew was collaborating back in the “heavy lab” making some fun holiday decorations out of soy-based foam. Watch our video to see what interesting things you can make out of eco-friendly, soy-based BiOH® polyols this holiday season! Feel free to share other soy-based foam ideas that you might have.
Here is what they made:
Holiday tree: cutout form of recycled cardboard topped with soy-based spray foam, spray paint for coloring and a flexible soy-based foam star.
Candy canes: cutout form of recycled cardboard topped with soy-based spray foam and spray paint for coloring.
A special thanks to our lab team for allowing us to sneak up on them. Let’s hope they don’t get into any trouble for having a little holiday fun.
The BiOH experience offers resources for you to learn and participate in helping communities and the environment. It is brought to you by the BiOH polyols business — a maker of soy-based ingredients for foam. Please explore our site and then share your thoughts with us. We want to hear from you!
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