AMSTERDAM—A new bed, designed to deter bed bugs, has been created. And, according to FreshBed, based here, it kills those nasty pests within four hours—all without the use of harsh chemicals.
Barry van Doornewaard, founder of the Dutch company, has been studying the science of sleep for more than two decades. “I’ve spent 25 years of my life getting to know sleep. I never thought of it as simply providing a product, a bed. I thought of the bigger picture. I wanted to provide a better experience of sleep,” said van Doornewaard.
But not only did the executive study sleep and beds, he also sold them at one of Amsterdam’s bedding retail stores. “It was there, in my discussions with bed manufacturers, mattress suppliers and, of course, customers, that I learned everything there is to know about beds and mattresses. I came to understand the key factors that create a perfect night’s sleep—temperature, humidity and hygiene,” he said.
But while van Doornewaard was deep into the study of sleep, he never thought of bed bugs. In fact, he said, they were the furthest things from his mind. Through his meetings with hoteliers, he discovered they, of course, shared the common goal of a sound sleep for guests, but he also learned something else: From owners to operators to front-of-house staff to the housekeepers, the issue of eradicating bed bugs weighed heavily on all. After doing more research, van Doornewaard found that no one had ever made an actual bed to prevent bed bugs, he said. “Many of the aspects that contribute to a perfect sleep also help in the prevention of bed bugs, such as temperature, ventilation and design,” he said.
FreshBed is on legs, which create a physical barrier for bed bugs and make it impossible for them to get into the bed on their own, according to van Doornewaard. The headboard is attached to the bed in a suspended manner—away from the floor and wall. And normally, bed bugs seek body odor and warmth. The active ventilation system built into a FreshBed makes that difficult.
The most powerful technology found in a FreshBed is its Heat Treatment Device, said van Doornewaard. This incubates the bed, mattress, pillows, duvet and bed linen. It heats the FreshBed from the inside out to over 122 degrees Fahrenheit, ending the lives of bed bugs within four hours, said the founder.
“We created a FreshBed prototype for myself and my team. We measured our own body temperature and humidity during the entire night. Moreover, we had an independent institute in the U.K. evaluate the influence of FreshBed’s climate control system on the mattress’ microclimate. The FreshBed stood up to the test,” said van Doornewaard, who added he believes FreshBed is a better choice than other beds in the industry because other brands have “passive” beds while his is “active.” In other words: The bed actively contributes to improving sleep quality by climate control, active ventilation and hygiene. “A FreshBed focuses on improving the microclimate of the bed and the bed’s immediate surroundings by purifying the air that you are sleeping in, filtering the air inside the mattress and, of course, regulating the temperature, so you have the deepest, most perfect sleep possible,” said van Doornewaard. The mattresses are made with a unique pocket-spring technology that supports the body in its natural position. It reduces pressure and helps the body turn over during sleep—allowing the muscles and joints to relax.
Ventilation is very important to the FreshBed mattress. A badly vented mattress can cause an accumulation of moisture, which leads to unpleasant odors and health problems such as headaches, sore throats, allergies and asthma, said van Doornewaard. The layers of the mattress are made of 100% Vita Talalay Nautral latex, which provides elasticity, durability and ventilation, according to the company. It is 100% natural latex with no additives. It is also eco-friendly because the latex comes straight from the Hevea Brasiliensis latex tree, which grows in Southeast Asia. The Dutch company, Innofa, created the cover for the top mattress— the AirVent stretch.
“We searched Europe for the best ventilating mattress fabric and eventually found it close to home—right here in the Netherlands,” said van Doornewaard. Currently, FreshBed comes in standard European sizes: single or two double option.
FreshBed has been introduced to test hotels in Amsterdam including the InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam Hotel and the Hotel Merlet in Schoorl. The hotels are a soft launch for the FreshBed, but the company aims to be the norm at five-star hotels, said van Doornewaard. By the end of this month, FreshBed is expected to be in 10 properties across Western Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
The company is in talks with the United States and hopes to expand there soon, said van Doornewaard. HB
