We spend roughly a third of our lives in bed. Yet for something we use every single day, how often do we stop to consider what actually goes into making a good one?
Beyond the mattress, the right support and a comfortable night’s sleep lies an extraordinary amount of thought, material knowledge and craftsmanship. For British bedmaker Vispring, perfecting that experience has been a pursuit spanning 125 years.
And while much has changed since the company first introduced the pocket sprung mattress in 1901, its philosophy remains remarkably consistent: exceptional comfort begins with how a bed is made.
As Vispring marks its 125th anniversary in 2026, the brand is looking both backwards and forwards, celebrating generations of traditional British craftsmanship while exploring new possibilities through an unexpected creative partnership with designer Tom Dixon.
A Legacy Built on Better Sleep
Vispring’s story begins with a simple idea: a mattress should respond to the body, rather than the other way around.
In 1899, English engineer James Marshall developed a mattress using individually pocketed springs to improve his wife’s comfort during illness. Unlike conventional spring systems, each spring could move independently, responding to the body’s contours and distributing support more precisely.
Two years later, the innovation made its way to London, where Vispring introduced the pocket sprung mattress in 1901.
It was an idea that would transform mattress design, and one that continues to form the foundation of every Vispring bed today.
Over the decades, the company’s reputation for comfort and craftsmanship would take its mattresses well beyond the bedroom. From the first-class cabins of the Titanic and Queen Elizabeth 2 to prestigious hotels such as The Dorchester, The Beverly Hills Hotel and The Lana in Dubai, Vispring became associated with some of the world’s most luxurious sleeping experiences.
Yet what makes its story particularly interesting is how little the fundamental process has changed.
Why Craftsmanship Still Matters
Since 1971, Vispring’s beds have been handcrafted at its factory in Plymouth, Devon, where almost 200 skilled craftspeople continue to practise techniques passed down through generations.
In an industry increasingly shaped by automated manufacturing and faster production cycles, Vispring’s approach is deliberately meticulous.
The company remains one of the few UK bed manufacturers to produce its own springs. Each is individually sewn into a calico pocket before being hand nested with natural twine, allowing the mattress to respond to movement while maintaining its structure.
Even the finishing requires considerable patience. Traditional hand side stitching, which reinforces the mattress edges and improves support, can take up to eight hours for a single mattress.
Then there are the materials.
Rather than relying solely on synthetic fillings, Vispring uses natural fibres such as British wool, Real Shetland wool, cashmere, horsehair and bamboo. Each is selected for its particular qualities, from breathability and moisture regulation to resilience and comfort.
Individually, these details might seem small. Together, they help explain why a well-made mattress is about more than how soft or firm it feels during a brief showroom visit.
It is about creating a sleeping environment that supports the body, regulates comfort and is made to perform over time.
When British Heritage Meets Contemporary Design
Of course, celebrating 125 years is not simply about preserving the past.
To mark its anniversary, Vispring has partnered with British designer Tom Dixon on a permanent collection that brings an entirely different visual language to the bedroom.
First unveiled at Salone del Mobile 2026 in Milan, the Vispring x Tom Dixon collection explores an interesting question: what happens when a bedmaker known for traditional craftsmanship collaborates with a designer celebrated for bold, sculptural forms?
“The bed is the piece of furniture we spend the most time in contact with throughout our lives,” says Dixon. “It is a primary refuge that deserves more celebration.”
That thinking is reflected in a collection that treats the bed as something more than a functional necessity.
At its centre is the sculptural Fat Bed, accompanied by four distinctive headboard designs: Wingback, Heart, Groove and Rainbow.
Each brings a different personality to the bedroom, introducing expressive proportions, architectural silhouettes and a more playful approach to furniture design.
Rather than allowing the bed to quietly disappear into the background, Dixon gives it a stronger presence within the interior.
Yet beneath the contemporary forms, the collection remains unmistakably Vispring. Designed by Dixon and handcrafted in Plymouth, the pieces bring together the designer’s experimental approach with the bedmaker’s longstanding expertise in comfort and construction.
Explore how Vispring and Tom Dixon bring together timeless craftsmanship and contemporary design at vispring.com.
