Cradles of Comfort
Heralding a century of comfort, Vispring master craftsman Matthew Evans shares on the process of craftsmanship
Sleep doesn’t just end a day, but prepares for the next one, too. As such, where one sleeps on goes a long way in optimal wellness. In helping his wife recover from illness, engineer James Marshall took the need for sleep to heart when he patented the nested spring mattress in 1901. From this, Vispring bespoke beds were established as a marque of comfort.
Today, master craftsman Matthew Evans demonstrates that Vispring’s experts continue to create and craft mattresses to suit the specifications of individual clients from personal quirks to longstanding habits. Honoured with the patronage of no less than the British Royal Family, Vispring now brings regal comfort to the Philippines through its exclusive partnership with Luxeroom.
IN GOOD HANDS
In the midst of hand-finishing his latest mattress, Evans runs us through the process. For 20 years, Evans has learned every process in creating these fine beds where each mattress is especially designed around each user’s needs, meeting those seeking a softer feel as well as those who find comfort in tougher, firmer beds.
Throughout crafting, a dedicated team aids Evans from nesting to stitching. The heart of each mattress lies in careful attention to detail and innovation. Before Vispring beds, chairs and divans utilised spring pockets for the dual purpose of maintaining form while providing support and comfort. Realizing the advantage of this spring set-up inspired the first custom-built bed. This design was promoted in England by Vispring’s founders even when others shunned the innovation. This would eventually exclusively equate Vispring with luxury and comfort through coming decades.
This signature comfort starts with specialised compression springs. Each one is coiled six times to strike the chord of optimal pitch between durability and comfort, and is nested into pockets enclosed in Cotton Calico. One may choose from 80 spring combinations making softer or firmer beds. As Evans gives the mattress a confident pat, he adds that each spring nest acts independently, adjusting to any sleeping position, contouring the mattress as a whole to the person’s body.
Down the line, we meet another craftsman working on another key element: the mattress edge side stitching. Without relying on steel, Evans explains, each mattress edge maintains “a robust strength without compromising comfort.” Designed with ventilation in mind, it features client-specified materials that hold moisture as well as spaces between nests and stitching made so that moisture evaporates at daytime, reducing the need to keep washing the mattress thus prolonging its life.
A GUILD OF EXCELLENCE
Vispring combines efficient, quality controlled measures afforded by modern production lines and old-fashioned handmade craftsmanship. While machines handle more repetitive aspects such as spring coiling, many skilled hands go into the making of each mattress, from the spring nesters to edge stitchers as each team is guided by the expert eyes and hands of Vispring’s master craftsmen, who take five intensive years of training to earn the title. Ultimately, “everyone in Vispring is their own craftsman,” concludes Evans.
Clients may tailor their bed’s finishing touches from natural fibres ranging from silk or cotton to horsetail or wool, all ethically and sustainably sourced from the best growing locations the world over. Now in the Philippines, Vispring bespoke beds are made-to-order and exclusively available with accompanying accessories such as divans and duvets alongside a wide selection of premium home supplies at Luxeroom.