The Mattress finish falls in five main categories and does have a relative impact on the mattress you buy;
Tufted / Deep Quilted / Light Quilted / Tack and Jump / Microquilted
Tufted: Often described as Traditional Hand Tufted. This finish involves a ‘tuft’ being completely passed through the mattress with the benefit being that all the fillings will be securely held in place. Cheaper mattresses will have have nylon jiffy ties used with felt washers (the button looking thing) whilst high end mattresses will generally use twine ties with woollen washers or buttons. This finish, because the fillings are further compressed when tufted, will usually give the mattress a firmer feel.
Deep Quilted: This (machine) process gives you a flatter mattress surface. The outer fabric is quilted to the underlying layer(s) of wadding to create ‘finished pads’ ready to go on to the mattress prior to being stitched up. These finishes can be be a myriad of designs as the machines used are computer controlled and can keep churning out these pads ready for assembly.
Light Quilted: This (machine) process is used for budget or economy models. The outer fabric is stitched to the underlying layer of wadding as well as to the insulator pad. The quilting pattern is the giveaway as it will usually be basic diamond shaped or heart shaped – using the least amount of thread to speed up the process.
Tack and Jump: This is another machine process used to create pads ready for mattress assembly. The ‘branded mattress’ on the opening video on this site shows a mattress that utilises this method. You will see that when the layers are peeled back the whole section is in one piece held together by the “tacks”. The ‘benefit‘ of this type of finish is that there are literally hundreds of design combinations which is why it is a popular method of construction by nearly all major mattress manufacturers. It enables them to be able to sell ‘exclusive’ models to a variety of retailers – The difference is only in the fabric and the design of the Tack and Jump. The insides will [usually] be the same!
Microquilted: This is really a reference to a type of fabric, one that would be usually used as a covering for memory foam or latex. Generally the fabric will be quilted to a thin sheet of polyester for added comfort. This finish is mostly done by the fabric manufacturer and not the mattress manufacturer. Again it can come in various designs even embroidered.
The finish and look of the mattress is a retailers best friend, knowing that it is this look that will sway you towards a particular model without giving too much thought as to what is actually on the inside! Be careful out there.
Hello
Thank you for such and informative and interesting site. I want to buy a replacement mattress for our double divan bed but as I live in the Isle of Man I have limited choice so wonder if you could advise me on what to look for locally. I see you only deliver to UK mainland but maybe know of internet suppliers who could deliver here. Both my husband and I have arthritis so ‘medium soft’ comfort but ‘medium’ support necessary (I think!). Requirements:
Double 4ft 6″, pocket sprung, quilt top, (possibly latex on top but other material if possible).
I have been to one shop who have a (Dream, I think)Pocket Quilt 1000 matress costing £395.
Thanks for you help,
Kind regards
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth. Sorry for the delay in replying. I am sure our courier firm can deliver to Isle of Man, but leave this with me for a day or two and let me see what I can do. Looking at the mattress you mention I would put our Origins Reflex 1000 in your list for consideration at £345. See Here. John and Ryan.
i want to know what type of thread is used in sewing bed mattresses throughout uk.how much tkt thread is used,what ply?i would be very thankful if you give me a proper understanding with the approximate price.i do have knowledge of thread,but i want to make it sure.thanks
Hi Azhar, There aren’t many thread manufacturers and so I imagine that the mattress industry will be using the same threads from only a handful of suppliers. As for prices, you should be contacting the suppliers direct and I’m sure they will be able to assist you better than I. I would be grateful if you could mail me if you find out anything about mattress threads. Thanks for your comment. John.
I think tufting looks very uncomfortable and feel that quilting might be smoother to lie on, but am I right? Does one actually feel the relatively large undulations in a tufted mattress when one lies on it?
Hi Lily, good point. Some people are really oversensitive to tufts in a mattress and therefore a quilted mattress may well be more suitable. Generally the tufting on a mid range mattress will be using soft felts or buttons and the undulations should be cushioning your weight with the springs doing the support. Over time these do settle down and a visual sign of a well padded mattress is the depth of the undulations along with how tight the tufts actually are. When I check a mattress I do feel if the tension on the tufts are tght which indicates that there was no further room to compress the wadding into the mattress. This indicates a good lifespan. A cheap mattress by comparison will have relatively loose felts and little undulation because of economy wadding. Tufting also goes a good way towards a firmer feel mattress.
There should also never be the occasion where your bottom sheet is directly on the mattress for you to actually feel the tufts. . Once you have your mattress, you should spend about two weeks deciding what kind of topper/protector would suit the comfort best. Feather and Down toppers would give a luxurious feel while a mattress pad would make it feel firmer – but anything will be better than nothing and you will be protecting the mattress to the full. When the topper/protector needs replacing this will be more economical then trying to revive/replace a worn mattress.
With ANY mattress, it is the wadding that fails (dies – tech) first hence you needing a replacement. In many cases, the springs will always have considerable life left in them long after the wadding has lived out its useful lfe. When choosing a mattress always be conscious of what detailing and finish may help towards the longevity. In my opinion I always think tufting is far better than quilting (I acknowledge that there are numerous exceptions to this). As it seems to keep the mattress more stable for a longer period of tme. Thanks for your comment and the simple answer is; you should be questioning a tufted mattress with little or no undulations. Indicating that there is relatively little padding in the mattress. Very good point, John.