Mattress Startup Aims to Disrupt the Disruptors
Marketplace volatility hit a new plateau this month when a direct-to-consumer startup Kloudes vowed to disrupt the first wave of disruptors that have already driven the traditional mattress category online.
The disruption begins with the launch of the Kloudes Topper, the first in a new line of bedding products designed to restore and extend the life expectancy and enhance the comfort level of existing mattresses. The goal is to extend the current typical need to replace mattresses within five to seven years.
”Developing products like mattresses or mattress toppers isn’t rocket science,” said company founder Omar Alchaboun. “Our main efforts revolved around research of the materials, the combination of materials, and a whole lot of sleeping. “The goal … was to develop a mattress topper that can improve any existing mattress,” said Alchaboun.
The mattress topper utilizes a patented air foam technology, eco-friendly memory foam, and a convection-cooled sleep system. It also includes perforated layers for airflow with a channel-stitched, organic cotton cover. This new product retails for approximately one-fifth the cost of a mattress of comparable quality ($149 for a twin size; $249 for a king).
During the R&D process, the company also discovered an expanded use for their new product.
“We realized that the Kloudes topper can be utilized for more than just a topper on top of a mattress. It’s great on top of an air bed, for camping, in an RV, and even on just the floor,” he said.
Kloudes plans on launching additional alternative bedding products later this year. A Kickstarter campaign launched in January has raised roughly $18,000 from 145 backers. A pledge of $119 earns a free twin topper.
The company's reference to mattress disruptors refers to a number of e-commerce-only players that have made substantial inroads in a category that was seemingly immune to remote, no-touch ordering. Kloudes' marketing materials also refer to the "lie" that "mattresses with more layers, cool names and flashy technology are worth the high cost."