HS2, LLC (HS2) a joint venture between HS Manufacturing, LLC (Hickory Springs) and Harrison Spinks US Inc. (Spinks), has earned UL Greenguard Gold Certification for its Micro Advanced Comfort Technology comfort layer systems and its Flexecore mattress component system. The glue-free, high-density fabric-encased coil systems give manufacturers a healthier option when specifying components for mattresses.
Recognized and referenced by over 400 codes, rating systems and procurement policies worldwide, UL’s Greenguard Certification Program requires that products meet some of the world's most rigorous standards for low emissions of volatile organic compounds into indoor environments.
Using dynamic environmental chamber testing, Micro and Flexecore were tested for total VOCs, formaldehyde, and over 300 VOCs with health-based limits. The Greenguard Gold label validates and evidences that these materials are low-emitting and support healthy indoor environments.
“As individual industry-leaders in pioneering advancements in mattress component technologies, through the HS2 joint venture, HSM and Spinks have been focused on developing a healthier alternative to traditional foam and fabric encased coil-based mattress constructions and are now proud to offer both of these products with the trusted and proven Greenguard label,” said Tim Witherell, vice president and general manager of Hickory Springs’ bedding unit. “In this age of increasing eco-consciousness, Micro and Flexecore help to create healthier indoor environments by releasing fewer pollutants into consumers’ homes that can contribute to health issues including asthma and other respiratory issues.
“Nearly 70 percent of consumers in the U.S. and Canada think it is important that a brand is sustainable or eco-friendly, according to a new study by IBM and the National Retail Federation,” he continued. “In addition to emitting low VOCs, Flexecore is also potentially up to 100 percent recyclable, making the product well-positioned to help eliminate waste to landfills.”
The Micro product line includes four micro-coil systems that are designed to enhance durability, comfort, air flow and pressure relief. Featuring coil counts as high as 5,000 for a queen-size mattress – setting a new standard for micro-coil layers in the industry – the new products are ideal for use in e-commerce and hybrid mattresses.
Flexecore uses fine gauge wire and sonically welded fabric in a concertina construction pattern eliminating up to a half-pound of adhesives used in the manufacturing of fabric encased coils as well as additional adhesives that are used to bond the mattress layers together. The ground-breaking technology can be applied to all sectors of the mattress industry and has crossover application in furniture.
HSM has partnered with Spinks since 2012 via the HS2 joint venture, when it began producing microcoil springs in North America. HS2 has the exclusive rights to produce and distribute Micro and Flexecore in North America and Mexico. Micro is currently available nationwide and the new Flexecore spring system will be available for shipment to mattress producers later this year. Both products can be found on UL’s SPOT product database that connects purchasers with sustainably produced products: www.SPOT.UL.com.