A History & Overview of a Double-Sided Mattress

The history of the double-sided mattress is interesting, but often overlooked. People would rather like to know how to turn a mattress, who the best maker of double-sided mattresses is, and why everyone says flippable mattresses are incredible.

And although these questions sound more important, and they might be, you can never truly learn to appreciate any product without knowing the full story behind it. We’re here to remedy that, and you will see why every turnable mattress is a great choice, not only the double-sided mattress queen size.

When was the first double-sided mattress made?

So, you’d like a bit of history? You’d like to know just how long the mattress of your dreams has been in existence? And, moreover, you’re interested to see the development of the flippable mattress through the ages?

Well, it’s more difficult than it sounds. While the history of the mattress in general is a topic thoroughly researched, that of double-sided mattresses is rather unknown. Unfortunately, we cannot give you an exact date of the creation of the first double-sided mattress.

This is a matter which even the Stanford Center for Sleep Medicine is still debating. But, this type of mattress originated approximately some 100 years ago and has continued improving to this day and age.

The story of double-sided mattresses

In the beginning, flippable mattresses consisted of coils. And that’s not today’s modern coils, but the old-school heavy coils. This made these mattresses extremely cumbersome to flip, instigating the need for design and material improvement.

Which brings us to present day and modern double-sided mattresses. No more heavy coils, no more old materials. Modern flippable mattresses have a wrapped edge-to-edge coil system, which decreases weight, but improves comfort and durability.

However, contemporary double-sided mattresses are still manufactured with the same underlying idea in mind – to provide increased durability, longevity, and sleeping comfort, while eliminating all the drawbacks of their single-sided brethren. 

What is the history of mattresses?

Although information on double-sided mattresses is sparse, we still have enough information on them to conclude the reasons behind their creation. But, if you still need more history, here’s a brief overview of the history of mattresses.

• Ancient Egypt – Egyptian commoners used to sleeping on palm leaves, while pharaohs, Tutankhamun most notably, had gold and ebony beds. Palms leaves were still used as mattresses though.
• Ancient Rome – Romans liked it lavish. It is no surprise, then, that the Romans were among the first civilizations to stuff their mattresses with wool, hay, reed, or feathers, and place them on silver, gold, or bronze beds. 
• The Middle Ages – Not much in terms of innovation, but there is a novelty to be found in Medieval sleeping accommodations – beds were positioned at a 45-degree angle so the sleeper would be able to quickly fend off incoming attackers. Talk about sleeping with one eye open.the Renaissance 
• The Renaissance – Perhaps the most extravagant of epochs, brought opulence into sleeping. Affluent individuals had their beds adorned with silk, velvet, and brocade, and their mattresses stuffed with straw, pea shucks, or the most comfortable variant – feathers.
• The 17th century – Imagine French kings and their life of luxury, and you’ll get an idea of just how lavish the beds were for the richer population. Ostentatious, you betcha! 
• The 18th century – This is when people started to perceive vermin and insects in their beds as a big no no. Up to here, bugs were OK. That is why the 18th century notes the invention of cotton mattresses and cast iron beds.
• The 19th century – This one’s a biggie as the 19th century is the time of the invention of the first coil spring mattress. This happened in 1865, and the mattress world would forever feel the ripples of this event.
• The 20th century – We won’t waste your time about numerous inventions in the art of mattress making in the 20th century. This century brought about pocketed coils, futons, rubber mattresses, water beds, airbeds… Basically, everything we know today, or most of it, originated in the 20th century.

Who sells a double-sided mattresses?

Regrettably, for some unknown reason, the popularity of the double-sided mattress continues to decline. However, it should not be so as flippable mattresses only offer additional benefits when compared to regular mattresses, without any of the drawbacks.

You’d think that an increased lifespan, better comfort, great durability, as well as better resistance to wear and tear would make this type of mattress more prominent now than ever before. But it is not so!

However, if you still want the best mattress the market has to offer, you can get one, you just have to do a bit of research beforehand. The Kensington is the finest flippable mattress currently in production, and all you need to do is a bit of Googling to find a retailer.

“Where can I buy the Kensington double-sided mattress?”

There is only one place to buy the finest queen size double-sided mattress currently on the market and that place is called Mattress Makers! We do make them in other sizes too! We are not just retailers, but we manufacture every single mattress in our inventory, and we do so with great dedication, expertise, and years of experience. 

We are a family of mattress makers, and proud of it. So, if you want to be well-rested for your trips to Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, stop by our store, and check out our stock! We’ll find you the perfect mattress, no worries!