|
March 19, 2009 - The
Specialty Sleep Association
(SSA) announced that it has
joined the
Sustainable Furnishings Council
(SFC) according to Dale T. Read,
president, SSA.
“As the SSA undertakes its
step-by-step ‘green initiative”
to identify existing terms,
standards and certifications,
and to define and set standards
for how mattress manufacturers
and retailers as well as natural
sleep products label “green,’
creating a relationship with the
SFC is an important step in
achieving our goals,” said Read.
The ultimate goal of the SSA
will be to create a
certification program based on
existing legitimate standards
and programs as well as sleep
industry specific terms and
standards for mattresses and
bedding. This initiative will be
the first time any North
American national sleep products
industry group has created a
uniform standard.
 The SFC is a non-profit
coalition of suppliers,
manufacturers, retailers and
designers that has become the
top organization in green home
furnishings. “Seeing
Green/Selling Green” is a new
training program offered by SFC
to train the staff of its
members and their dealers. The
goal of the program is to
empower sales staff to sell
based on members’ commitment,
emphasizing facts and
discouraging “green washing.” In
turn, retail staff can educate
the consumer, helping the
purchaser understand that they
are getting not only a great
home furnishings item, but also
contributing to the greater
good.
“We’re delighted to have the SSA
as our newest member,” notes
Susan Inglis, Executive
Director, Sustainable
Furnishings Council. “This gives
the SFC a mattress/bedding
specific angle to further
promote our green efforts.”
“While we laud the overall
movement towards
environmentally-friendly sleep
products, we are aware that
there are degrees of green
washing taking place at retail,
with every manufacturer and
supplier using its own
definitions of what is green,
sustainable or natural. This is
causing a tremendous amount of
confusion with consumers and we
as an industry must take a
leadership role in creating a
uniform set of standards and
definitions,” said Read.
The SSA green standards
initiative will kick-off with an
industry wide conference in May
8, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point,
Bonita Springs, FL that is
expected to identify and define
a set of standards which are
expected to be ratified by the
summer of 2009.
The SSA will be working closely
with the extensive information
the SFC has developed for
sustainable and green standards.
Among other challenges, the SSA
will define such terms as
“green,” “natural,”
“all-natural” and “organic."
Memory foam, latex, air, gel,
water, adjustable, new spring
technology, natural and organic
bedding products continue to
fuel the growth of the bedding
industry.
Founded in 1995, the Specialty
Sleep Association (SSA) is a
national not-for-profit
organization created to
facilitate the growth and
positive awareness of the
specialty sleep category. Its
members develop and/or sell
specialty sleep products,
including air, flotation, latex,
foam and adjustable sleep
surfaces, and related
merchandise. SSA membership is
comprised of more than 100
manufacturers and retailers
ranging from small, family-owned
businesses to large
corporations.
Companies interested in
learning more about air, water,
memory foam, latex, gel,
adjustable beds and green or all
natural sleep products should
contact SSA Executive Director
Tambra Jones,
tambra@sleepinformation.org.
|
