What is hand tufting?
Hand tufting is a finishing technique where a craftsperson passes a length of strong twine through the mattress from top to bottom (and back through), securing the cover, the fillings and the springs as one solid unit at regular points across the surface. The visible result is the small disc-shaped buttons or tassels you see on the top of a tufted mattress. Hidden inside is the network of ties that hold everything in place.
Why does it matter?
Without tufting, the soft fillings that sit between the cover and the springs (wool, cotton, hair, fibre) are free to shift around inside the mattress as you sleep on it. Over months and years that means uneven patches: the centre feels softer than the edges, or one side feels lower than the other. Tufting holds everything in place, so the mattress retains its shape and feel for the full life of the product.
Which mattresses come hand tufted?
Hand tufting is associated with traditional British mattress makers like Relyon, Hypnos and Harrison Spinks, all of whom still use the technique on their higher-specification mattresses. It's also found on most of the British Bed Company's contract-hotel range, where the durability matters because the mattresses are turned and re-occupied frequently. Hand tufted mattresses are almost always pocket sprung rather than memory foam, because the technique works with sprung mattresses where the cover and fillings can be pulled tight against a firm spring base.
How does it feel?
A hand tufted mattress has a slightly textured surface where the tufts sit. Some sleepers find this barely noticeable through bedding; others say they prefer the smoothness of a quilted or flat-topped mattress. The feel of the bed overall depends much more on the springs and fillings than the tufting itself.
Is it worth the extra cost?
Hand tufted mattresses tend to sit higher in the price range because the technique is labour-intensive and the mattresses are usually built with better-quality components throughout. If you're looking for a mattress that will hold its shape for ten years or more, hand tufting is a good marker that the rest of the mattress has been built to the same standard.
Delivery and trial
Many of our hand tufted mattresses are made to order and have a slightly longer lead time, typically two to four weeks. In-stock models qualify for free next-working-day delivery on orders placed before 4pm. Every mattress is eligible for our 60-night sleep trial when purchased with a mattress protector.
