If anyone could be called the “Guru” of latex in the US market, especially 100 percent all natural latex, it would be Dick Gurian (pardon the play on spelling), who is the President of Columbus, Ohio-based Natural Rubber USA and a long time supplier and strategic partner with Englander. Retail dealers and buyers who regularly read BEDROOM Magazine will recall that in the Autumn 2001 issue, we presented the story of the introduction into the US in 1995 of 100 percent pure, natural foam rubber mattresses by Englander, also of Columbus, Ohio. In that article, we gave an overview of how Gurian, representing Richard Pieris Natural Foams Limited of Sri Lanka, worked closely with Englander to create and market a full line of natural latex foam rubber mattresses. We also discussed the statistics at the time for the future growth of latex as a category, and specifically highlighted Gurian’s enthusiasm and commitment to the future growth potential for 100 percent pure latex mattresses in the US.

Gurian feels so strongly about the features and benefits offered by 100 percent, all natural latex foam rubber that he believes bedding retailers all over North America should learn as much as possible about the product and the potential that natural latex bedding offers both dealers and consumers. The company, which Gurian’s Natural Rubber USA represents, (the parent Richard Pieris Natural Foams Limited in Sri Lanka), is so bullish on the growth potential in the North American market that they have created a new corporate entity to work with Gurian and various bedding clients. In recent months, Mithra Weerasinghe has been appointed Vice President of Marketing for the new ARPICO Rubber (USA) Inc., with telephone numbers in both the US and Canada.

Gurian and Weerasinghe have provided BEDROOM Magazine with numerous reports, statistics, and histories to help educate bedding dealers on the attributes and benefits of latex. While the history of the development of latex is interesting, for the purposes of this article, we will focus on key points that may help the retailer sell latex beds.

The first latex mattress was produced in 1931 using the Sodium Silicoflouride process (known as the Dunlop® process). Richard Pieris and Co., Ltd., (which, by the way, owns a plantation in Sri Lanka with 5.5 million rubber trees — a substantial source of the Hevea Brasiliensis rubber tree gum), commenced its manufacturing of latex foam in 1952 using the Dunlop process. Using this process, latex foam is made from the natural latex, which is the indigenous milky juice of rubber trees. In its finished form, this foam is tough yet can be made into a soft or harder honeycombed material with innumerable, interconnected air cells that give the mattress and pillow foam true, sponge-like qualities. Since the 1950’s, the company has taken huge strides in exporting 100 percent all natural rubber foam around the world. The company’s modern export oriented plant has a capacity of 2,500 metric tons per year and reaches markets in Western Europe, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The company has captured significant market share world wide, which Gurian attributes to the use of the inherently superior quality of highly resilient natural Sri Lankan rubber and state-of-the-art technological developments. Gurian notes that Pieris’ process is subject to strict quality control at every stage, assuring precise quality standards in keeping with meeting ISO specifications.

So what are some of the critical points that Gurian and ARPICO believe retail sales associates should know about all natural latex and how to sell it? Latex foam is durable. It will last! Gurian tells stories of customers who have owned 100 percent natural rubber mattresses that have lasted over 20 years without any undue deterioration to the mattress core. As opposed to the vast majority of spring beds, there is no noise when one partner moves in the bed during sleep nor is there disturbance to the sleeping partner. Latex beds are hygienic and have medicinal properties. Sleepers having eczema, hay fever, asthma, and respiratory problems are recommended to use natural rubber foam as opposed to synthetics of the foam, quilting, and materials in inner spring beds. Gurian notes that the bactericidal properties of natural foam are “unmatched”. Research has also shown that natural latex foam does not harbor insects, such as dust mites, that cause problems with diseases brought on by these mites.

Gurian’s people at ARPICO see that there are really two categories of possible competition, the first being the traditional innerspring market and the other being synthetic forms of latex and non-latex foam. Compared with traditional innerspring, Gurian notes that latex foam is supremely comfortable. The flexibility of latex foam allows it to conform itself to the contours of the human shape supporting the body firmly. The cell structure of latex with millions of interconnecting cells provides self-ventilation, providing the sleeper with luxurious comfort. Latex retains shape and does not sag; and, most importantly, retailers will not experience high return rates from products that have compression and mattress sag. Latex also was one of the first “no flip” concept; its foam structure means that consumers do not have to “flip” throughout the life of the mattress. The specified, unique, pinhole cavitation construction per square foot on both sides allows for specific hardness or softness throughout, thus ensuring uniformity and absolute comfort. Latex foam can be molded in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and sections with predetermined firmness for both mattresses and pillows in the bedding category. Gurian stresses that the recovery properties of natural latex are “excellent and unmatched, owing to the inherent property of high resilience found only in Natural Rubber”. Another point for retailers to consider: latex foam does not go damp and it will remain ventilated even when not in use. Body perspiration is quickly dissipated and passed out of the mattress, so wide ranges of humidity do not cause damage to a latex mattress.

Within the options of foam beds there are two synthetic foams in the market today. They are Styrene Butadienee Rubber (SBR), which us a type of foam manufactured from petroleum based chemicals. The other type is Polyurethane manufactured by reacting Polyol and tolunes disocuanate, which ARPICO says is an unfriendly environmental procedure. Gurian takes a very bullish position here stating firmly that the synthetic alternatives to all natural latex foam “could never match the flexibility, elasticity, resilience, and purity that are inherent properties of 100 percent natural rubber.”

ARPICO provided BEDROOM Magazine with two and one-half pages of advantages offered by 100 percent natural latex over SBR Foam and Polyurethane Foam. Retailers might want to note a few of these advantages. To start, 100 percent natural latex rubber is derived from the milky juice of rubber trees; it is extremely durable, non-toxic, and environmentally safe — unlike the synthetic or artificial rubber found in some foam mattresses. SBR is produced foam petrochemical products blended with latex and, according to ARPICO, does not have the inherent everlasting resilience of natural foam rubber. Polyurethane foam is all chemicals and apparently discharges toxic fumes. ARPICO says that natural latex recovers in a very lively and quick manner dampening movement in the bed. Both SBR and Poly foam do not recover as quickly and do not dampen the vibrations due to its porosity and plastic cell structure. Whether the subject is ventilation, porosity, durability, moisture and heat dissipation resilience, long lasting performance, comfort, or support, ARPICO makes strong claims that its all natural latex foam rubber far out performs the other foams.

Both ARPICO and Natural Rubber USA are true believers in the benefits of all natural rubber, and they want retailers to know that research and testing back up their claims. Dick Gurian notes that LGA, a leading German testing institute, tested their natural latex core with a thickness of 100mm for durability and evaluation of resilience according to strict LGA guidelines, ARPICO’s all natural rubber scored 96 out of 100 points. (As a side note, Germany retails high-end latex luxury mattresses very successfully with some estimates as high as 80 percent of all luxury mattresses being foam rubber.) The test was for 60,000 cycles and at the end the results were 96 points including:

* Change in height after test: 25 points

* Change in hardness after 30,000 strokes: 25 points

* Change in hardness after total test: 25 points

* Resilience loss factor after test: 21 points

The bottom line for retailers: these all natural foam rubber mattresses do not sag, compress, dissipate their hardness, or lose their resilience and conformity to any degree after 60,000 test cycles.

Dr. Theo Lammers and his team at the Institute of Hygiene in Mainz, Germany also examined hygiene tests, which looked at the bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal properties of natural latex. In a report prepared by Dr. Lammers, he stated that under normal conditions the tested latex foam mattresses did not need to be disinfected, even in hospital wards for various contagious diseases. Apparently these mattresses were very effective in remaining bacteria resistant with scarlet fever, diphtheria, and dysentery to name a few of many diseases.

Dick Gurian reminds BEDROOM that the manufacturing process of natural foam rubber mattresses “requires tremendous technical knowhow to get it right. Very few producers worldwide have succeeded in developing a price competitive product due to excessive waste. The Richard Pieris Natural Foams Ltd., is one of the very few who have really licked the production problems. As a result we are the premium 100 percent natural rubber operation with few peers in the industry.” Backed up by a plantation with 5.5 million rubber trees, a manufacturing facility that produces 2500 metric tons per annum, along with worldwide presence, there can be no doubt that ARPICO will play a major role in the continued emergence of latex bedding and pillows as a profitable and rewarding category for retailers.

Natural Rubber USA: 1-800-837-5337
ARPICO Rubber USA, Inc: 614-834-3741 USA, 905-840-0864, Canada