1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,560 Whether you're a night owl or an early riser, 2 00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:07,120 we've all got one thing in common - sleep. 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:08,920 Which helps explain why we spend 4 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,400 nearly £2 billion a year on mattresses. 5 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:15,800 Soft, medium or firm, 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:20,240 we all spend around 26 years of our lives lying on one. 7 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:23,320 And surprisingly, for something SO comfy, 8 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:28,480 most of them start off life as this - cold, hard steel. 9 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,720 The transformation happens in here, 10 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:35,200 in one of the largest mattress factories in the country. 11 00:00:37,680 --> 00:00:38,800 Ha-ha-ha! 12 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:40,800 I'm Gregg Wallace, 13 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,520 and I'm springing into action, 14 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,360 discovering the astonishing engineering 15 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,560 that goes into delivering a good night's sleep. 16 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:49,720 It's a bed of nails! 17 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:52,280 Wow! 18 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:53,440 I'm Cherry Healey... 19 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:55,560 No bedtime story, though, we don't have time. 20 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,760 ..and I'm investigating whether brainpower can be boosted 21 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:00,080 by an afternoon snooze. 22 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:01,400 Go! 23 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:04,440 And historian Ruth Goodman... 24 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:05,560 Oof! 25 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:07,520 ..draws the short straw, 26 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:09,000 checking out some ancient bedding. 27 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,040 It's better than lying on the floor, isn't it? 28 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:14,800 Here, in the factory that never sleeps, 29 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:18,520 they produce 600 handmade mattresses 30 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:20,400 in just 24 hours. 31 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,720 Welcome to Inside the Factory. 32 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,880 This is the Harrison Spinks factory, in Leeds. 33 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:53,560 They've been helping us catch 40 winks for nearly 180 years. 34 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,240 Here, more than 600 people sew together 35 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,480 465 different styles of mattress. 36 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,400 And there's a lot more to them than you might think. 37 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:14,320 Whether it's a single or a super king, each one contains 38 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:18,240 more than 5,000 individual components! 39 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:21,600 From springs, vents and tufts 40 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,680 to frames, fabrics and fleece. 41 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:28,320 All prepared on this 6.5-acre site. 42 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:32,840 Today, we're following production of their king-size, 43 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:35,600 pocket-sprung Emerald mattresses. 44 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:40,000 It all starts 45 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,240 not with the soft bouncy filling... 46 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,480 ..but with a delivery of heavy-duty steel. 47 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:52,680 Four lorries arrive here every week, 48 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,400 each one laden with 24 tonnes of steel rod, 49 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,200 destined to become mattress springs. 50 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:04,400 Seeing in today's delivery is Manufacturing Director 51 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:06,560 Darren Rhodes. 52 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:07,880 Morning, sir. Morning, Gregg. 53 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,440 Right... How are you? ..what have you got in there? 54 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:12,160 There's 12 coils of two-tonne steel. 55 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:14,400 That's heavy, heavy-duty. 56 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:16,680 You are making beds, right? That's correct. 57 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,320 And they're going to become the springs? That's correct. 58 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:24,400 Each coil contains 10.7 km of steel rod 59 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,080 and the factory gets through 48 of them every single week! 60 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,320 That's over 500 km of steel. 61 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,200 Why do you use steel? Because that can't be cheap. 62 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:39,280 It's abundant, it's resilient, it's strong, it's a perfect material 63 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,480 for making springs. When you were a kid, did you have 64 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,120 a Slinky? Yeah, that was my favourite toy. It wasn't, was it?! 65 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:47,800 It was! Brilliant! Right, this has got to get unloaded, 66 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,600 how long to unload this? About 30 minutes. Right, come on. 67 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,840 Our mattress production begins. 68 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,680 The 128 km of steel rod on this lorry 69 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,680 will make the springs for 600 mattresses. 70 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,800 Turning this lot into springs looks like it's going to be a challenge, 71 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,040 but getting it to this stage is no easy ride, 72 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:19,880 as Cherry's finding out. 73 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:23,840 Our steel rod is manufactured 74 00:04:23,840 --> 00:04:25,960 55 miles away, at this 75 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,080 huge site in Scunthorpe. 76 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:37,560 It produces a staggering 2.8 million tonnes of steel every year... 77 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:41,480 ..and 5,000 tonnes of that 78 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,760 head to our mattress factory. 79 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,520 Plant manager Jim Worsley is showing me around. 80 00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:54,440 I seem to have found myself in the fiery pits of Mordor! 81 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,040 What is going on inside that massive cauldron? 82 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,600 This is the process where we turn liquid iron into liquid steel. 83 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,040 It's a little bit like a big chemistry set, 84 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:05,560 or making a cake. CHERRY LAUGHS 85 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:10,960 Steel is one of the most widely used alloys in the world. 86 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,360 A mix of iron and carbon. 87 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:16,880 The recipe they work to here 88 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,400 requires 260 tonnes of molten iron, 89 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:22,040 bulked up with 90 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:24,800 50 tonnes of scrap steel, 91 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,120 which is blasted with oxygen 92 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:29,960 to remove impurities. 93 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:33,040 The final ingredient is carbon. 94 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,720 A high carbon content produces steel 95 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,360 that's both strong and bendy. 96 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:42,240 At 1,300 degrees Celsius, 97 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:45,520 our molten steel is cast. 98 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,760 Well, Jim, I thought it couldn't get any more impressive, 99 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,760 and you've brought me to a river of steel. 100 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:53,800 In this process, we take 101 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:57,640 the 300-tonne batch of finished liquid steel 102 00:05:57,640 --> 00:05:59,560 and we turn it into a bloom. 103 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,040 Each of these rectangular blocks 104 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:05,600 known as blooms, weighs four tonnes. 105 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:07,080 It's hard to imagine 106 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,320 that those red-hot rectangles 107 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:12,880 are going to become springs for 108 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:14,040 a lovely, comfy bed. 109 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:17,360 I certainly wouldn't want to lie on one of those. No. 110 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,280 But first, these eight metre-long blooms 111 00:06:20,280 --> 00:06:23,720 need to be squashed down into five and a half millimetre-thick 112 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,160 round steel rod, 113 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,040 which involves a 32-step process 114 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:31,080 known as hot rolling. 115 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:33,960 It begins with reheating the blooms 116 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,840 to 1,200 degrees C. 117 00:06:36,840 --> 00:06:40,200 Gail Raeburn oversees this operation. 118 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,960 Oh, the door of the furnace is opening... 119 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,640 and out comes a red hot-bloom! 120 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:47,960 The steel is pushed through 121 00:06:47,960 --> 00:06:49,720 seven sets of rollers, 122 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:51,040 in what's called 123 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:52,680 the breakdown mill. 124 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:55,440 As we go into these mill stands, we're getting smaller and smaller. 125 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:57,440 The bloom gets longer and faster, 126 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,200 as it goes through the mill. 127 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,960 So, I can see it's got a lot smaller, it's almost half the size. 128 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:04,440 And then, when does it actually become circle? 129 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:05,960 Where does the magic happen? 130 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,440 So here, at stand six, that's when it finally gets 131 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,280 its true circular shape. 132 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:12,040 So, after all of that, 133 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,000 it's thinner and round, 134 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,840 and it's starting to look a little bit more like a wire. It is. 135 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,880 Now 123 millimetre in diameter, 136 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,800 our steel is chopped down into shorter lengths. 137 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:28,280 Then it trundles on to 138 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:30,160 the roughing mill, to meet 139 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:32,760 another 13 sets of rollers, 140 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:36,200 which eventually reduce it down 141 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,280 to 23 millimetres. 142 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,120 The important thing is that as we reduce it down gradually, 143 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,480 we keep the right properties of the steel. 144 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:45,840 So, if you did it all at once, it might become brittle, 145 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:49,280 it might not be the best quality wire? Absolutely. 146 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:53,160 The final set of ten rollers take it right down 147 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:55,760 to the required 5.5 mm. 148 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:58,240 It's coiled onto 149 00:07:58,240 --> 00:07:59,960 a fan-cooled conveyor. 150 00:07:59,960 --> 00:08:01,600 Each eight metre-long bloom 151 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,680 has produced 22 km of rod! 152 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,840 That's nearly 3,000 times longer! 153 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,480 Oh, that is absolutely beautiful! 154 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:15,920 It comes out at about 900 degrees. 155 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:18,840 And this coil pattern will tailor the cooling, 156 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,280 so we get the exact combination of strength 157 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,440 and bendiness in the final rods. 158 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:25,840 So, for the springs in the mattress, 159 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,600 it needs to be quite malleable, quite springy? 160 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:32,520 Yes. They want a lot of tensile strength, so that it'll withstand 161 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:34,480 the squash of a person lying on it, 162 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,280 but they also need it to be coilable. 163 00:08:37,280 --> 00:08:39,320 Once cooled, 164 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:43,880 our freshly-made steel rod is formed into coils - 165 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:48,400 all ready to become a multitude of mattress springs. 166 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:01,400 Back at the factory, the delivery of 167 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,320 our steel rod is complete, 168 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:06,760 but, while it would make excellent 169 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,240 bed springs for a giant, for us mortals, 170 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,240 it needs to be slimmed down even more. 171 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:16,480 To do that, it's squeezed into shape. 172 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:21,680 It travels into this 14 metre-long wire drawing machine, 173 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:24,680 which will take its diameter from 5.5 mm 174 00:09:24,680 --> 00:09:27,000 to just 1.5. 175 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,160 How exactly does it work? 176 00:09:30,160 --> 00:09:32,760 Well, effectively, we're pulling the wire through a dye. 177 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:34,560 You draw that through that hole, 178 00:09:34,560 --> 00:09:36,320 and that makes it 1.5 mm? Correct. 179 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,840 The steel heads into a tungsten carbide dye, 180 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,520 the diameter of which is slightly smaller than the wire. 181 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:50,480 It's pulled through with 182 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:54,200 a force of 2,500 newtons, 183 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,800 emerging 1 mm thinner. 184 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:00,080 It's then squeezed through another 185 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:03,120 nine increasingly smaller dyes, 186 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,200 finally emerging at 187 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,280 the required 1.5 mm diameter. 188 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:11,800 Why don't you just put it through 189 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:13,480 the shape that you want straight away? 190 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,360 Because the wire would snap. 191 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,320 Do you know what it reminds me of? 192 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,640 It's like a pasta machine. Exactly. 193 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:22,480 You keep on tightening the size of the hole you want. Yeah. 194 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:23,960 Same principle. 195 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:25,720 And just like with pasta, 196 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:27,840 as our steel gets thinner, 197 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:30,400 it also gets longer. 198 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:32,240 By the end of the drawing process, 199 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,560 each 10.7 km coil 200 00:10:35,560 --> 00:10:39,760 is now a whopping 144 km long! 201 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,680 All this engineering, so that boys and girls can jump up and down on 202 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:46,440 their mum's bed when their mum and dad aren't looking? 203 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:47,800 Yep, it's all very technical. 204 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:53,080 Now drawn out, the wire is coiled into drums. 205 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:54,880 Wow! And that's what we use 206 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:56,440 for making the springs. 207 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,160 So now, at the end of all this engineering, 208 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,440 are we finally ready to make springs? We are. 209 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:08,440 From wire drawing, the drums 210 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:10,440 head over to spring production... 211 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:15,520 ..where the 144 km coils 212 00:11:15,520 --> 00:11:18,000 are loaded into what's known as 213 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,000 a pocket coiler machine. 214 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,040 I'm meeting Managing Director Richard Essery, 215 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:27,280 a man with a real spring in his step. 216 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:31,640 So, tell me, how exactly are you taking the straight wire I saw 217 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:33,920 and making it into the curly pigtail? 218 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:36,920 What we're doing, we're actually engineering memory 219 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:38,760 into that straight wire. 220 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:43,080 Steel has a remarkable ability to retain its shape, 221 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:47,200 and this machine engineers springy memory by forcing the wire 222 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,600 into a spinning wheel. 223 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:51,440 The tight coil that is made 224 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:53,960 is then opened out and evenly spaced 225 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:55,600 by a spreader bar. 226 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:58,920 Because it's high-tensile wire, 227 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,040 that memory stays, 228 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:03,040 and that's your convolution. 229 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,200 A convolution is a... It's a ring in a spring. 230 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,720 Convolution's a ring in a spring? Absolutely. 231 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:12,880 The springs for our king-size mattresses 232 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:15,960 are each made from 120 cm of wire, 233 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:17,160 which is spiralled into 234 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:20,480 7.5 convolutions. 235 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,840 The whole process takes just half a second. 236 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:27,400 How many of these springs, 237 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:29,360 these complicated springs, 238 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,600 would be in each one of the mattresses? 239 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,640 1,054. 240 00:12:33,640 --> 00:12:37,440 1,054 in each mattress? That's correct. 241 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:39,880 What's the length of the wire, do you know? 242 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:43,120 It's 1,554 metres. 243 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:45,960 That's just short of a mile. That's correct, yeah. 244 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:48,800 A mile of wire? A mile of wire. 245 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:50,600 In a mattress? 246 00:12:55,000 --> 00:13:00,200 This hardware will form the internal skeleton of our mattresses. 247 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:03,240 But when did we start sleeping on springs? 248 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:05,640 Ruth is getting into bed with the history. 249 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,320 The quest for a comfortable night's sleep 250 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,840 is one that has dogged mankind for tens of thousands of years, 251 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:16,480 but it was the invention of this, 252 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:18,960 the pocket-sprung mattress, 253 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:20,920 that was the real game changer. 254 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:23,160 It made the mattress modern. 255 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:28,280 But to find out how we got here, 256 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,800 I'm meeting Deborah Sugg Ryan, Professor of Design History 257 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:34,120 at the University of Portsmouth, 258 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:36,840 to sample the rudimentary mattresses 259 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:38,960 our ancestors would have slept on. 260 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,760 Deborah! Hello. Come on in! 261 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,560 Almost 3,000 years ago, we know that the Romans 262 00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:49,840 were filling simple cloth sacks 263 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:51,640 with wool and feathers. 264 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:55,160 So, what about back here in Britain? 265 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,400 What were mattresses like before there were springs? 266 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:59,520 In the Middle Ages, around the 1200s, 267 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:02,640 people would have been making their mattresses out of sacks, 268 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:04,520 which they called ticks. 269 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,000 They were very strong 270 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,320 and densely woven together. 271 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:11,960 And even today, we still call the fabric that we use 272 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,040 around a mattress ticking. 273 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,440 These simple sacks would have been stuffed with straw. 274 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:21,080 It doesn't look all that comfy, does it? 275 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,960 So, if I had my sacks of straw, 276 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:26,440 I was a medieval peasant... Oof! 277 00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:28,160 ..how do I feel about this? 278 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:29,360 Huh... 279 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:31,040 Oh, well, it's all right. 280 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,080 It's better than lying on the floor, isn't it? 281 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:36,440 A more familiar shape emerged 282 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,680 in the 1700s, but mattresses 283 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,120 continued to be stuffed with natural fillings 284 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:43,640 throughout the 19th century. 285 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:45,880 Despite offering some comfort, 286 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:49,040 this basic stuffing soon got lumpy. 287 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:50,400 Luckily, the solution 288 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:52,960 to a sound night's sleep arrived - 289 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,480 in the form of steel. 290 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,440 Specifically, the steel spring. 291 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,520 This is a sprung mattress. OK. So, springs, 292 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:03,440 I should be hoping for... 293 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,040 Oof! Ha! It's quite bouncy, isn't it? 294 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,680 So, this was developed by a man called Heinrich Westphal, 295 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:12,040 in Germany, in 1871. 296 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,280 It was really the next big thing. 297 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:19,200 The biggest innovation for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. 298 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:21,480 This innerspring technology 299 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:24,760 was the beginning of the mattress as we know it today. 300 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,480 Although it was a big leap forward in terms of comfort, 301 00:15:27,480 --> 00:15:29,960 it wasn't without its problems. 302 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:31,600 So, you can see here, 303 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:36,200 we've got this series of steel springs connected together, 304 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:37,680 but when you move one, 305 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,560 you move a lot of them together. 306 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:42,760 Yeah, and I definitely felt that 307 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:45,000 when I was lying on it, 308 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:46,800 that the whole thing sort of... 309 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:48,000 SHE LAUGHS 310 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,400 ..moved all at once. It was a bit sort of 311 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:51,960 seasick, in a way. Yeah. 312 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,600 But this innerspring technology 313 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:58,280 was soon superseded by a newer innovation - 314 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,000 the pocket sprung mattress. 315 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:06,000 So, who do we have to thank for a comfy night's sleep, then? 316 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,400 We have this man, James Marshall, 317 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,560 born in Canada in 1840. 318 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:15,240 He was an engineer, repairing things like early automobiles, 319 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,760 trains and farm equipment. 320 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:20,520 I mean, that sounds a million miles away from 321 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:22,600 beds and mattresses! SHE LAUGHS 322 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:26,320 Well, all these vehicles use spring suspension, 323 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:28,800 and springs had started being used 324 00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:32,600 in the seating for different forms of transport. 325 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:34,880 Armed with an in-depth knowledge of 326 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:36,240 spring technology, 327 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:38,320 Marshall identified that by keeping 328 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:41,520 springs independent of one another, 329 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:44,200 a mattress would be more stable. 330 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,640 And he created the world's first 331 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:48,560 pocket sprung mattress. 332 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,000 That is it? Yes. Pocket sprung 333 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:55,080 is just a spring in a pocket. 334 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:57,280 But they're not done individually like that. 335 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:58,920 So, they're done in lines. 336 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:00,960 So, you can see on the edge here, 337 00:17:00,960 --> 00:17:03,480 these kind of strips, with all the 338 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:05,840 springs in together. Yeah. 339 00:17:05,840 --> 00:17:08,960 And then they sew the strips together? Yeah. 340 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,200 And this means that the springs can move independently, 341 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:15,080 without tangling with each other. 342 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:17,640 Ah, now, that makes enormous sense. 343 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,080 Each one has got to work on its own. Absolutely. It can't get 344 00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:23,160 caught up with any of its neighbours. And it can only go in 345 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:24,880 the directions that the pocket 346 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:26,240 allows it. Absolutely. 347 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:28,760 So, it can mould to the contours 348 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:31,560 of your body. But also, of course, 349 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:33,320 there are two of you in bed 350 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:35,320 and it means that 351 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:37,720 you can move independently. 352 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:39,360 It's really very simple, 353 00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:40,960 but very clever. So, finally, 354 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,120 after thousands of years of stuffing things in sacks, 355 00:17:44,120 --> 00:17:48,320 we are entering the modern era of comfortable mattresses? 356 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:49,920 Absolutely. 357 00:17:49,920 --> 00:17:51,320 James Marshall patented 358 00:17:51,320 --> 00:17:53,400 this game-changing invention 359 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:54,720 at the turn of 360 00:17:54,720 --> 00:17:56,240 the 20th century. 361 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:59,040 The Marshall coil set a new standard 362 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:02,000 in bedding and, 120 years later, 363 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:06,120 nearly 40% of all the mattresses sold in Britain today 364 00:18:06,120 --> 00:18:08,880 still use this technology. 365 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:13,040 I don't think that James Marshall, even after the best night's sleep, 366 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:15,240 could have imagined leaving such a legacy. 367 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:24,280 WIRES BOING 368 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:28,800 And Marshall's legacy continues today. 369 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:33,720 All of the mattresses made here at the factory are pocket sprung. 370 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:37,000 So, our mile of newly-coiled springs 371 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:39,200 need to go into their pockets. 372 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:41,560 Durable and water resistant, 373 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:43,680 polypropylene fabric is used to make 374 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:45,880 the protective casings. 375 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,680 Polypropylene is folded around the springs and 376 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,560 ultrasonically welded. It's done what?! 377 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:53,000 It's ultrasonically welded. 378 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:56,000 Like Ultrasonic the Hedgehog? Absolutely. 379 00:18:57,040 --> 00:19:00,920 This process uses high-frequency vibrations 380 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:05,360 to generate temperatures of over 160 degrees C, 381 00:19:05,360 --> 00:19:07,960 heat-sealing the polymer cases 382 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:10,480 in just 0.2 of a second. 383 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,120 But the mattresses here don't just 384 00:19:14,120 --> 00:19:16,120 contain springs. Oh, no! 385 00:19:16,120 --> 00:19:18,560 Even the springs contain springs! 386 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:21,320 So, these little springs 387 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,080 are going into... 388 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:27,480 the back of the big springs. Why? 389 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:31,440 Basically, it's for extra support for the heavier parts of your body. 390 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:35,040 So, if I put my belly on there, 391 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:36,320 it would only go that far. 392 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:38,640 But if I put my belly AND my ego... 393 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:39,840 It'll be fully compressed. 394 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:41,280 GREGG LAUGHS 395 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,640 In our mattress, every third core spring 396 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:48,360 contains a baby pocket spring. 397 00:19:50,360 --> 00:19:52,760 One hour since our steel rod arrived. 398 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:58,080 With springs made and safely tucked up in their pockets, 399 00:19:58,080 --> 00:20:00,320 they might not look much like a mattress... 400 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:04,440 ..but that's all about to change. 401 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:11,840 Wahey! It's a little train going through here, a train of springs. 402 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,480 What's happening? So, this is a glue assembler. 403 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:17,560 So, what we're doing now is assembling the pocket coils 404 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:19,400 into a mattress core. 405 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,560 For a king-size mattress, 31 strips, 406 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,480 each containing 34 springs, 407 00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:28,040 are lined up, 408 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:29,880 then glued in place, 409 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:31,480 top and bottom. 410 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:37,600 Well, that looks like a mattress to me. 411 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:39,360 Or if not, the bulk of a mattress. 412 00:20:39,360 --> 00:20:41,600 Almost. And how often does 413 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,360 one of these come out of this machine? Every three minutes. 414 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:47,200 So, that is coming off now, right? 415 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:48,760 It's coming off now, yeah. 416 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:50,400 So, we put it on the floor? Yeah. 417 00:20:52,120 --> 00:20:53,440 Can I...? Absolutely. 418 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:54,760 Have a lie on it, 419 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:56,840 have a roll on it. You lie on it first. Sure. Come on. 420 00:20:57,880 --> 00:20:59,160 I'm not coming to tuck you in! 421 00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:02,520 Now, now, now... 422 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,480 this independent spring action, right? Yeah. 423 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,320 So, if I get in beside you... 424 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:08,720 We won't roll together. 425 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:11,240 We won't roll over together? No matter how big you are. 426 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:14,200 So, it's two o'clock in the morning, I've come out of the bathroom, 427 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,720 and I'm going to sort of bounce into bed, right? 428 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:20,720 Argh...! 429 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:22,280 There you go, I didn't feel a thing. 430 00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:26,560 GREGG LAUGHS 431 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:28,920 Right... Agh... 432 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:30,120 ..have you set the alarm? 433 00:21:30,120 --> 00:21:32,320 Do you want to cuddle? No, I don't want to cuddle, no. 434 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:33,520 I'm a happily married man! 435 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:36,800 This might be a mattress factory, 436 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,760 but there's no time for sleeping on the job. 437 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:41,560 This lot are far from finished. 438 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:45,200 So, onto the next stage in production - 439 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:46,600 framing, 440 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,000 which is on a different level. 441 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:53,760 And there's a reassuringly, low-tech way of getting there. 442 00:21:53,760 --> 00:21:56,280 He's just going to chuck 'em down the slide?! Yeah. 443 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,600 It looks like a kids' slide, but that's exactly what 444 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,280 we're going to do. It's a pretty steep slide. It is. 445 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:02,440 Do you ever go down there? 446 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,760 Absolutely not. Have you ever been down there? No. 447 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:07,680 Well, I wouldn't tell you, anyway. 448 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,360 Ready? Ready. Here we go. Let's just let it drop. 449 00:22:10,360 --> 00:22:13,360 Yeah! 450 00:22:13,360 --> 00:22:15,560 GREGG LAUGHS 451 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:21,480 The chute drops the mattresses to 452 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:23,680 Mattress Assembly, just next door. 453 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:31,840 It's the central hub of the factory site, where 114 employees 454 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:36,320 work on six different stages of mattress production. 455 00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:39,760 I'm meeting Team Leader Gary Smith. 456 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:41,080 You all right, mate? All right? 457 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:43,720 Are you going to help me lift this onto the table? And I'll show you 458 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:46,720 how to frame it. Whoa! 459 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,240 We're attaching a steel frame onto each side 460 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:52,480 to support the spring core. Gives it a firm edge, 461 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,200 stops you feeling like you're going to roll off. 462 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:57,840 It also holds the structure better, the shape of the bed better. 463 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:00,960 It's a proper metal frame. Yep. 464 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,080 So, what we'll do, we'll fasten 465 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:04,880 the frame to the core unit, 466 00:23:04,880 --> 00:23:06,960 using an hog ring gun. 467 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,480 A what gun? Hog ring gun. A hog ring? Why's it...? 468 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:11,680 It must be from the time when they put a ring through 469 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:13,440 a pig's nose. Ring through a pig's nose. 470 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:15,360 So, what we're doing is 471 00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:18,200 just fastening the nearest ring to the corner... 472 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:19,520 to the frame. 473 00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:22,240 The galvanised steel rings are fired 474 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,800 out of the hog ring gun with compressed air, 475 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:28,200 looping through the frame and mattress structure. 476 00:23:29,320 --> 00:23:32,480 If you fix the corners, can I have a go at the straight bits? Yes. 477 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,920 Has anyone ever come and said, can you do their ear? 478 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:37,440 Er, no, but I have offered. 479 00:23:40,120 --> 00:23:41,600 That's it. Woah-ho! 480 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:43,640 Fire it in... Whoa! You know what? 481 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:46,840 It's pretty heavy-duty, this bed making, isn't it? 482 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:48,680 It takes two people just 483 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:50,720 three minutes to frame each side of 484 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,440 a king-size mattress. 485 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:56,080 I think I'm slowing things down! 486 00:23:58,400 --> 00:23:59,760 Gary, Gary, Gary, 487 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:01,360 pack it in, son, all right? Ha-ha! 488 00:24:01,360 --> 00:24:02,600 It's not clever, all right? 489 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:05,120 You're just making me look stupid, all right? 490 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,440 We all know the benefits of getting a good night's sleep, 491 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:16,440 but what about grabbing 40 winks during the day? 492 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,800 Cherry's finding out whether we should be making time for a nap. 493 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,040 We all know the feeling - 494 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:26,120 the afternoon slump, when you 495 00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:28,440 just can't keep your eyes open. 496 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:32,760 In many cultures around the world, 497 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:34,680 an afternoon nap is considered to be 498 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:37,760 a valuable way to recharge your batteries... 499 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:43,000 ..but how many of us here in the UK manage to indulge? 500 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,760 I'm hitting the streets to find out. 501 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:50,000 Would you ever nap at work? 502 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,240 No. 503 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:53,160 No. No. 504 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:55,880 I work in a retail shop, so I can't really 505 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:58,520 sleep at the tills, or anything. 506 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:02,720 If I could, I would. Why do you think we don't nap in the UK? 507 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:05,000 Because it's not the tradition. 508 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:08,360 So, it seems like no-one is getting 509 00:25:08,360 --> 00:25:11,160 any afternoon kip, but should they be? 510 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,280 To find out if there are any benefits to a daytime nap, 511 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:17,680 I'm meeting Dr Neil Stanley... 512 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,400 Hello. Hi. Lovely to meet you. Lovely to meet you. 513 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,680 ..who specialises in the science of sleep. 514 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:26,320 Should we be making time for naps? 515 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:29,880 I think we should. A nap is great for boosting your performance, 516 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:33,240 and the effects of the nap will last three or for hours. 517 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:36,480 Whereas many people go for caffeine - 518 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:40,040 coffee, tea - the effects of those are very short, 519 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:42,160 they may only last for 30 minutes. 520 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:44,800 So, less flat white and more lie flat? 521 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:46,480 Absolutely, yes. 522 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:48,440 37% of people in the UK say 523 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,280 they're not getting the right amount of sleep for them. 524 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:54,440 And, you know, we know the effects of poor sleep 525 00:25:54,440 --> 00:25:57,440 are as bad as being over the drink-driving limit. 526 00:25:57,440 --> 00:26:00,440 To get the most out of a nap, 527 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:03,080 it has to be the right duration. 528 00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:04,640 20 minutes is optimum. 529 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:08,440 Any longer and we fall into deep sleep, 530 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:13,120 and it's waking prematurely from this that makes us feel groggy. 531 00:26:13,120 --> 00:26:16,920 Timing is everything. So, a 20-minute nap - which requires about 532 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:19,200 a 30 to 40-minute window, 533 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:21,400 giving you that time to fall asleep - 534 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:23,200 means that you get the benefit of sleep, 535 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:25,000 without heading into that deep sleep. 536 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:28,960 To demonstrate just how beneficial a siesta can be, 537 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:33,040 we're heading to a drop-in sleep centre in East London. 538 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:37,760 Here, worn-out city folk can pay £8 for 40 winks. 539 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:40,720 Neil has set up an experiment 540 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:43,480 in what he's calling his reaction room. 541 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:46,560 Er, so, Neil, how on Earth 542 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:48,320 are we going to test napping 543 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,760 with something that looks like it belongs in the gym? 544 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:53,480 What we have here is a reaction timer. 545 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:55,640 These individual lights will light up, 546 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:58,480 and the subject's got 30 seconds to cancel 547 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,560 as many as they can in that time. And then, after they've done that, 548 00:27:01,560 --> 00:27:04,240 they'll go upstairs for a 20-minute nap, come down 549 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:06,600 and repeat it. And hopefully, we'll see an improvement in 550 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:09,320 their reaction time score. All right, let the games begin! 551 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:12,440 Our weary volunteers arrive... 552 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:14,360 AUTOMATED VOICE: Get ready. 553 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:16,320 ..and they begin cancelling those lights. 554 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:17,720 Go! 555 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:32,720 Time's up. 556 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:34,360 First test done, 557 00:27:34,360 --> 00:27:36,960 now it's nap time. 558 00:27:36,960 --> 00:27:38,880 I've made it nice and cosy for you. 559 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,640 No bedtime story, though, we don't have time. 560 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,440 To get the best out of your nap, you need a quiet, 561 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:50,280 dark room, with a temperature between 16 and 18 degrees C. 562 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:54,120 The best time is between two and three in the afternoon, 563 00:27:54,120 --> 00:27:57,280 when our bodies naturally have a dip in energy levels. 564 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:01,520 But don't stress if you don't fall asleep straight away, 565 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:05,960 even closing your eyes to rest is proven to have a restorative effect. 566 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:11,160 20 minutes later, how do our volunteers feel? 567 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,320 I feel more relaxed. I didn't actually go to sleep. 568 00:28:13,320 --> 00:28:15,960 Did you fall asleep quite quickly? It took me about five minutes. 569 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,360 That was a good 20-minute nap, I feel brilliant. 570 00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:19,600 I feel good, I feel refreshed. 571 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:21,600 They report feeling better... 572 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:23,880 Get ready. ..but are their reactions better? 573 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:25,000 Go! 574 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,960 On average, our volunteers recorded an 11% improvement 575 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:32,520 in reaction times. 576 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:34,120 Time up. 577 00:28:34,120 --> 00:28:37,600 But some individuals improved by as much as a third. 578 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:40,680 This is something that people can do 579 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:44,920 that really does have an effect on the way they perform. So, 580 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:48,160 it is an important thing that we should be doing each and every day. 581 00:28:49,480 --> 00:28:52,080 So, our results show that a power nap 582 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:55,880 really is a powerful way to brighten up your day. 583 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:57,560 Wake me up in 20 minutes! 584 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,520 Back in Leeds, our mattresses are taking shape, 585 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:17,440 but no-one's getting a good night's sleep on these steel skeletons. 586 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:20,040 They need some comfy coverings. 587 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:24,640 Every mattress made at the factory is covered in tightly woven cloth 588 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:28,200 known as ticking, and this is also made on site. 589 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:30,800 Production Manager Matt Butler 590 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:33,920 is giving me a tour of the Weaving Room. 591 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:36,960 This is one of our weaving looms. 592 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:41,240 We've got six of them in the business and, er, we're producing 593 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:44,560 over 10,000 metres of tick a week. 594 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:46,760 This, to someone who's never seen it before, 595 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:48,880 is almost unbelievable. 596 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:53,640 The looms weave fire-retardant, viscous fibres together 597 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:58,560 to create the perfect outer casing for the mattresses. 598 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:00,640 Well, what this is, it's an air-jet loom. 599 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:03,080 It fires a jet of air straight across the cloth 600 00:30:03,080 --> 00:30:07,120 and takes one of the cotton strands and fires it across. 601 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:08,560 And then when it's coming back, 602 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:12,480 it just reverses, and then shoots back with another jet of air. 603 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:17,840 These air-jet looms weave 30% faster than conventional machines, 604 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,080 producing the eight square metres of ticking 605 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:23,760 needed to cover a king-size mattress 606 00:30:23,760 --> 00:30:25,280 in under 30 minutes. 607 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:32,320 Once woven, the ticking moves to the sewing building, 608 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:36,520 where it's cut to size to make the top and bottom panels 609 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:38,800 of the mattresses, and the borders. 610 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:42,560 Eight handles are attached, 611 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:46,800 and 16 nickel-plated air vents are punched in. 612 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:49,080 These little vents on the side, right, do you know what 613 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:51,560 I thought they were for? Like, when you bounce on the bed, 614 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:54,000 to let the air out. They are in the mattress 615 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:56,560 to let the air through and to let the mattress breathe. 616 00:30:56,560 --> 00:30:59,720 Can I have a go at this? You can, yeah. Of course you can. Right. 617 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,160 This... This is a job I can do. 618 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:05,680 MACHINE HISSES 619 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,480 Oh... I didn't line up this line 620 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:11,640 with that line there, look. Yeah. 621 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:15,040 I've messed up my bit. 622 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:16,920 Although I haven't necessarily messed it up. 623 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:21,640 This could be like a limited edition. Exactly. 624 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:22,800 Every cloud! 625 00:31:28,560 --> 00:31:31,960 Two hours and 34 minutes since we began, 626 00:31:31,960 --> 00:31:33,320 back on the assembly line, 627 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:37,400 I'm catching up with mattress master Gary. 628 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,120 I've got all of these borders, right? 629 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:44,480 OK. Now, are you going to show me what to do with it? 630 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:47,600 Right. See these? Yes. 631 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:49,520 I put some of these on. Did you? 632 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,000 Vents. Look at that craftsmanship, look at that. Beautiful. 633 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:53,720 Hey, there you are! 634 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:56,160 A layer of polyester padding is fitted 635 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,160 to soften the edges of the mattress. 636 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:01,120 Ready for the border. 637 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:05,920 Now, we're going to slide this over the top of the spring unit. 638 00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:08,040 We're just throwing it all the way over, 639 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:10,640 putting it round us corners. 640 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:12,560 That's it, nice and tight. 641 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:14,880 And then you'll put yours round the bottom end. 642 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:17,440 I'll put mine on the top. 643 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:19,080 Border in position, 644 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:22,000 it's now attached to the springs in the core unit, 645 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:25,520 using a surprisingly traditional method. 646 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:28,840 Now we're going to hand-stitch the bed. Hand-stitch?! Yes. 647 00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:33,280 Using a 12-inch needle that is razor sharp on both sides. 648 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:35,040 Show me how to do it, boss. 649 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:36,760 Right, so, what we do... 650 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:38,600 is pull off three arm's lengths 651 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:41,960 of string. Thread us needle... 652 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:44,560 Using a super-strong nylon thread, 653 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:46,600 the hand sewn-seam is an additional 654 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:49,080 measure to hold the border firmly 655 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:51,320 in place and secure the springs. 656 00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:53,840 That's going to take forever! Why not do it by machine, 657 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:57,560 why hand-stitch it? Because hand-stitching fastens the border 658 00:32:57,560 --> 00:32:59,760 through the strings, wraps round the strings 659 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:01,280 and holds the border firm to it. 660 00:33:01,280 --> 00:33:04,640 You can't get a machine that'll do that. Wow! 661 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:09,200 So, this company's been making beds for nearly 200 years and you still, 662 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:11,400 in the 21st century, have to hand-stitch it? 663 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:13,480 Gary pushes the foot-long needle 664 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:16,000 in through three core springs, 665 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:17,800 bringing it back out through the top. 666 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:19,560 He then threads it back through 667 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:21,280 the side and around the frame. 668 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:23,520 Right, I'm going to back off, stop talking to you, 669 00:33:23,520 --> 00:33:26,920 show me the speed you should go at, please. Right. 670 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:29,680 This is sort of the speed 671 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,160 that we'd have to go at. 672 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:33,760 Remarkable! 673 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:36,480 Are you proud of the job you do? 674 00:33:36,480 --> 00:33:39,800 Er, I've always taken pride in all the work I do. 675 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:44,520 A job worth doing is worth doing right. Do you think people that buy 676 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:47,320 these mattresses are aware that people like you have actually 677 00:33:47,320 --> 00:33:50,600 taken this much care? Er, I don't think so. 678 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:53,240 Would you mind very much if I had a go? Yep. 679 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:55,200 We'll just start you on another side. Yeah. 680 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:57,680 You go down that side. You don't want me to continue your line, 681 00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:00,480 do you? No, I don't want you to mess mine up! No. Ooh... 682 00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:02,200 I can sew a button on. 683 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:03,760 How hard can it be?! 684 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:06,680 I'm never going to get it out of there! Ha-ha! 685 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:08,920 It's never going to come out of there, mate. 686 00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:10,160 It's all about the angles. 687 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:12,120 Ooh... There you go. 688 00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:14,240 Yeah, that'll do. Oh, oh... Whoa! 689 00:34:14,240 --> 00:34:16,680 This is incredibly, incredibly difficult. 690 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:19,680 Not only can you not see where you're going, 691 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:22,600 you're stitching something that's nearly two-foot thick. 692 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:26,440 As well as having a practical use, this is actually really attractive, 693 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:29,800 isn't it, this hand-stitching here? Yeah. It completes 694 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:31,680 the overall look of the bed. 695 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:34,200 I tell you what, I've never really looked at a mattress - 696 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:35,960 I don't suppose many of us have - 697 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:39,600 but I'm going to take a much closer interest from now on in. 698 00:34:41,520 --> 00:34:45,840 The mattress's sides now have their outer comfort layer, 699 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:49,000 but the core itself needs some added luxury, too. 700 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:53,680 More than 1,000 springs provide the basic bounciness, 701 00:34:53,680 --> 00:34:57,080 but when we sleep, we need fine-tuned support, 702 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:00,120 and our mattresses are about to get more spring than 703 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:02,000 Zebedee on a pogo stick - 704 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:06,800 in the form of an entire sheet of micro springs. 705 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:09,640 This is a comfort layer. 706 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:11,400 It's thousands of points of contact 707 00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:13,240 that moulds to your body, 708 00:35:13,240 --> 00:35:14,560 to give you a better comfort. 709 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:18,440 There's another layer of springs about to go on. Another one?! 710 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:23,640 Well as they say, you can't have too much of a good spring! 711 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:30,400 These two layers contain an additional 6,048 springs, 712 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:36,720 bringing the total of our mattress now to over 13,000. 713 00:35:36,720 --> 00:35:41,160 Springs sorted, there's one last tiresome topic to tackle. 714 00:35:41,160 --> 00:35:42,960 Sweat. 715 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:45,400 No-one wants a sweaty siesta, 716 00:35:45,400 --> 00:35:47,560 so a layer of breathable, 717 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:49,440 natural fibre is added. 718 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:51,840 So, this is hemp flax. 719 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:56,160 Hemp flax? Yeah. A hemp flex sounds like an indigestion tablet. 720 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:59,800 Well, hemp is actually from 721 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:01,200 the cannabis family. 722 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:05,400 Is it legal? 723 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:06,960 Er, yes, this is legal. 724 00:36:08,080 --> 00:36:09,360 But listen, listen, listen, 725 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:12,200 underneath here, right? It's all quite pretty. 726 00:36:12,200 --> 00:36:13,880 This makes it look like a donkey. 727 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:16,440 I feel like giving it a carrot and see if it'll go to 728 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:20,760 the other end of the warehouse. Look at it! Why do you use this stuff? 729 00:36:20,760 --> 00:36:23,160 It's soft, it's very resilient, 730 00:36:23,160 --> 00:36:24,680 and it's antibacterial. 731 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:26,960 And it also wicks moisture away. 732 00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:29,360 Antibacterial, why is that important? 733 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,280 It stops it getting smelly. If I get hot and sweaty in the bed, 734 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:37,320 the hemp actually gets rid of the moisture AND the smell? Yes. 735 00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:39,840 Right, we've got one, two, three layers of springs. 736 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:41,480 We've got sponge round the corners. 737 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:44,160 We've got a border. We've got your hemp that gets rid of 738 00:36:44,160 --> 00:36:47,280 moisture and smells. Is that it?! No. 739 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:48,440 Are you pulling my leg? 740 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:53,720 The Princess would never detect a pea under all this a lot! 741 00:36:53,720 --> 00:36:58,360 But, unbelievably, there is still one more layer to go on, 742 00:36:58,360 --> 00:36:59,760 and that's wool. 743 00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:02,680 It's no surprise that wool comes from sheep. 744 00:37:02,680 --> 00:37:05,600 Cherry's down on the farm, finding out just how 745 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:08,080 muddy fleece becomes fine fibre. 746 00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:14,960 The wool for our mattresses is found 22 miles up the road, here, 747 00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:18,000 at the factory's farm, Hornington Manor. 748 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:22,080 To get a soft, cosy mattress, 749 00:37:22,080 --> 00:37:25,320 you need soft, beautiful wool. 750 00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:27,160 Farmer Liam McPartland... 751 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:29,800 Hi, Liam, lovely to meet you! Nice to meet you, Cherry. 752 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:32,480 ..looks after a flock of 300 sheep here. 753 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:35,600 He's going to tell me what it is about wool 754 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:38,080 that makes it so good for mattresses. 755 00:37:39,240 --> 00:37:42,040 What kind of sheep makes great wool? 756 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:44,480 The sheep in this field are a North England Mule, 757 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:47,320 which is a cross between a Bluefaced Leicester ram 758 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:48,760 and a Swaledale ewe. 759 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:50,920 They have a very spongy wool 760 00:37:50,920 --> 00:37:52,200 and a fantastic crimp. 761 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:54,720 What is a crimp? A crimp is a springiness in the wool, 762 00:37:54,720 --> 00:37:56,960 which is fantastic for mattresses. 763 00:37:56,960 --> 00:38:00,360 We don't want a limp, soft wool, like what you'd use in clothing. 764 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:02,480 This natural crimp is essential 765 00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:04,840 to help the wool layer in our mattresses 766 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,000 retain its shape and bounce. 767 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:11,640 So, Cherry, these are the sheep that we're going to be clipping today. 768 00:38:11,640 --> 00:38:12,920 Look at those coats! 769 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:15,200 They need a haircut, pronto. 770 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:17,240 How will this work? We'll walk the sheep through, 771 00:38:17,240 --> 00:38:19,800 they'll go straight into the pen, ready for the clipper man. 772 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:22,120 That way... Ooh, off they go! 773 00:38:22,120 --> 00:38:24,480 That was so quick. Wow! 774 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:26,080 Look, bums are wiggling! 775 00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:27,600 I make a pretty good sheepdog! 776 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:28,880 Fantastic, great work! 777 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:34,200 Shearing sheep is a specialist job, 778 00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:37,440 so local pro Chris is in charge of the clippers. 779 00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:39,760 So, I can see that he's got a bit of 780 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:42,240 a technique to it. What is he doing? 781 00:38:42,240 --> 00:38:44,000 You can see Chris's left hand 782 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:45,400 is pulling the skin tight, 783 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:46,800 whilst the right hand moves 784 00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:48,320 the hand-piece up the sheep. 785 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:51,360 Why does its skin need to be kept tight? If the skin isn't tight, 786 00:38:51,360 --> 00:38:53,080 then the skin will bunch up like that, 787 00:38:53,080 --> 00:38:54,800 and he could catch it with the clippers. 788 00:38:54,800 --> 00:38:57,280 Each fleece is about 2.5 kilos 789 00:38:57,280 --> 00:38:59,400 of wool and it takes Chris 790 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:01,840 just three minutes to remove. 791 00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:03,240 Is she being well behaved? 792 00:39:03,240 --> 00:39:05,600 She's being fine. And you're done! 793 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:07,480 Three down... 794 00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:09,080 Go back to your friends. 795 00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:10,320 ..another 12 to go. 796 00:39:11,280 --> 00:39:12,760 Oh, there she goes. 797 00:39:12,760 --> 00:39:15,880 Well done, you! That's quite a severe haircut. 798 00:39:15,880 --> 00:39:18,080 She only went in for a trim! 799 00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:19,640 In just 45 minutes, 800 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:22,480 we have 15 freshly shorn sheep 801 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:26,040 and almost 40 kilos of wool! 802 00:39:26,040 --> 00:39:30,040 I just cannot believe how much there is! Isn't it fantastic? 803 00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:33,160 It's so incredibly greasy. 804 00:39:33,160 --> 00:39:35,360 What is that? It's called wool grease, 805 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:38,120 and it gives the wool some really amazing properties. Like what? 806 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:40,640 Well, it's antibacterial, bacteria can't grow 807 00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:44,040 on the wool grease. Right. So, it acts as a natural barrier? Mm-hm. 808 00:39:44,040 --> 00:39:45,840 I can also see how springy 809 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:47,080 and fluffy it is. 810 00:39:47,080 --> 00:39:48,560 You can see the crimp, 811 00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:49,960 if you look closely. 812 00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:51,640 What else is amazing about wool? 813 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:54,000 You can't burn wool unless you have a lot of oxygen. 814 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:55,560 Wool's fire retardant and it has 815 00:39:55,560 --> 00:39:58,360 high levels of nitrogen and water content in it. 816 00:39:58,360 --> 00:40:00,760 And talking of heat, wool's actually 817 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:02,840 a fantastic regulator of heat. 818 00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:04,440 It keeps you warm in the winter 819 00:40:04,440 --> 00:40:05,640 and cool in the summer. 820 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:08,000 There's no doubt about it, 821 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:09,920 these, erm, farm-fresh fleeces 822 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:12,000 definitely need a wash. 823 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:15,040 So, they head 30 miles down the road 824 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:17,080 to Thomas Chadwick & Sons... 825 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:18,480 Wahey! 826 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:23,920 ..where our wool goes into the first of five industrial washing vats. 827 00:40:23,920 --> 00:40:28,160 The first cycle is at a very toasty 73 degrees Celsius, 828 00:40:28,160 --> 00:40:31,160 which removes stubborn dirt. 829 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:33,520 Mark Andrews oversees the operation. 830 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:36,920 If I've got a wool jumper... Yeah. 831 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:38,240 ..if I wash it that hot... 832 00:40:38,240 --> 00:40:40,880 Yeah, yeah. ..it shrinks. It'll shrink, yeah. 833 00:40:40,880 --> 00:40:43,640 So, how are you preventing that? You're being very careful, 834 00:40:43,640 --> 00:40:46,640 not giving it as much agitation as you would in a washing machine. 835 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:48,640 At the end of the first wash, 836 00:40:48,640 --> 00:40:51,160 excess water is squeezed from the wool, 837 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:53,200 before it plunges into a second bath, 838 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:55,960 filled with detergent. 839 00:40:55,960 --> 00:40:58,040 The soap removes contaminants 840 00:40:58,040 --> 00:41:00,400 such as dirt, sweat, 841 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:02,840 paint, and the wool grease. 842 00:41:03,960 --> 00:41:06,280 One of the advantages of the detergent is that 843 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:08,920 once it's washed the wool, it doesn't allow it to go back onto 844 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:12,680 the fibre. Just as your washing-up liquid does with your plate. Yes. 845 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:17,080 Wool grease, also known as lanolin, is a valuable ingredient 846 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:20,720 used in cosmetics, industrial lubricants 847 00:41:20,720 --> 00:41:22,320 and even shoe polish. 848 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:26,920 So, it's filtered from the dirty water and sent to be refined. 849 00:41:26,920 --> 00:41:30,800 After a third and final clean, 850 00:41:30,800 --> 00:41:32,520 our wool is ready for the rinse cycle. 851 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:35,240 Is it a bit like when you're washing your hair? 852 00:41:35,240 --> 00:41:37,640 It's the same process. You wet your hair, 853 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:40,920 you put some soap on your hair, you give it a good bit of agitation, 854 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:42,280 and then you rinse your hair. 855 00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:46,240 With no trace of farm life remaining, our brilliant white wool 856 00:41:46,240 --> 00:41:49,000 travels through a ten metre-long blow dryer, 857 00:41:49,000 --> 00:41:51,520 emerging at the other end 858 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:52,960 wonderfully fluffy. 859 00:41:54,120 --> 00:41:57,320 What an amazing transformation! 860 00:41:57,320 --> 00:42:00,720 Our sheep have been sheared, washed, blow-dried 861 00:42:00,720 --> 00:42:03,160 and turned into this amazing, 862 00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:04,880 soft, fluffy wool. 863 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:06,640 I could use a lie down after that! 864 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:21,560 From farm to factory, 865 00:42:21,560 --> 00:42:24,360 our wool heads straight to Fillings, 866 00:42:24,360 --> 00:42:26,240 where it's transformed 867 00:42:26,240 --> 00:42:29,840 into the top comfort layer of our mattresses. 868 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:32,800 I'm back with Matt to unload the wool bails 869 00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:34,880 into the blending machine. 870 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:37,040 Ha-ha! I love this! 871 00:42:37,040 --> 00:42:39,360 It's a beautiful thing, isn't it? 872 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:43,080 How many sheep do you have to shear to make one bail? 873 00:42:43,080 --> 00:42:46,080 To make one bail, 280 sheep. 874 00:42:46,080 --> 00:42:49,600 The wool we're feeding into the hopper is far too dense 875 00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:54,800 to be a soft top layer, so the fibres are separated out 876 00:42:54,800 --> 00:42:56,840 to give them more bounce. 877 00:42:56,840 --> 00:43:01,680 The wool is picked up by a conveyor covered in spikes, and carried into 878 00:43:01,680 --> 00:43:06,560 a series of spinning metal combs. It's a process known as carding. 879 00:43:07,640 --> 00:43:09,960 Well, it's a big comb, basically. 880 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:12,200 Not something I know a lot about, combs! 881 00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:15,040 As they spin, the metal teeth 882 00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:16,560 detangle and tease out 883 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:18,800 the tightly-packed fibres, 884 00:43:18,800 --> 00:43:21,280 creating a light and fluffy mesh. 885 00:43:21,280 --> 00:43:25,560 As it's pulling through, it's just generally opening up, opening up, 886 00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:28,360 until it makes one continuous web. I can't believe 887 00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:31,200 that what I saw go into the machine 888 00:43:31,200 --> 00:43:34,520 has transformed to that the other end! 889 00:43:34,520 --> 00:43:37,120 That is so light, it's almost transparent. 890 00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:40,320 That looks like a small waterfall. 891 00:43:40,320 --> 00:43:42,520 Our featherweight fleece fibres 892 00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:45,000 now travel to the cross lapper, 893 00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:46,640 where they are concertinaed 894 00:43:46,640 --> 00:43:48,640 into five layers. 895 00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:50,040 What all this is doing is, 896 00:43:50,040 --> 00:43:52,160 it's just layering your web 897 00:43:52,160 --> 00:43:53,800 on top of each other, 898 00:43:53,800 --> 00:43:55,520 building it up, to make 899 00:43:55,520 --> 00:43:57,760 the first stages of the pad. 900 00:43:57,760 --> 00:44:00,880 The wool pad may be beautifully light, but it's also 901 00:44:00,880 --> 00:44:02,680 very delicate. 902 00:44:02,680 --> 00:44:04,560 To stop it falling apart, 903 00:44:04,560 --> 00:44:06,960 some reinforcement is required. 904 00:44:08,800 --> 00:44:12,200 Matt, it's a bed of nails! Yeah! 905 00:44:12,200 --> 00:44:14,200 That looks like a torture instrument! 906 00:44:14,200 --> 00:44:17,600 What have a load of needles got to do with a soft mattress? 907 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:19,400 There's 6,000 needles in there. 908 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:21,240 The needles are penetrating through 909 00:44:21,240 --> 00:44:24,720 the material. Every one has got slight barbs in it. 910 00:44:24,720 --> 00:44:26,160 The barbs hold on and 911 00:44:26,160 --> 00:44:28,520 it pulls back up through the fibre, 912 00:44:28,520 --> 00:44:30,200 so it knits the product together. 913 00:44:30,200 --> 00:44:32,600 So, once it's passed through, 914 00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:34,080 you get this. 915 00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:37,800 Bashing it continuously 916 00:44:37,800 --> 00:44:40,040 with hundreds of razor-sharp needles 917 00:44:40,040 --> 00:44:42,560 makes it stick together. 918 00:44:42,560 --> 00:44:44,880 Well, it's quite brutal, isn't it? 919 00:44:44,880 --> 00:44:48,120 Nothing sheepish about it at all, is there? Not at all. 920 00:44:48,120 --> 00:44:51,480 The end product is a 3m-wide topper, 921 00:44:51,480 --> 00:44:54,840 which is cut to the standard king-size specification 922 00:44:54,840 --> 00:44:57,400 of two metres by 1.5. 923 00:44:57,400 --> 00:45:00,960 This now looks completely different 924 00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:03,160 from the wool that we started with. 925 00:45:03,160 --> 00:45:04,720 Feels very, very different. 926 00:45:06,840 --> 00:45:09,400 My stacking's a bit rubbish! 927 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:11,240 Practice makes perfect! 928 00:45:12,440 --> 00:45:15,720 I think I need to take a few of these round to the next stage. 929 00:45:15,720 --> 00:45:17,000 Can I grab some? Yep. 930 00:45:17,000 --> 00:45:19,560 Can I grab some of yours? They're better rolled. 931 00:45:19,560 --> 00:45:20,880 Of course you can, here you go. 932 00:45:24,720 --> 00:45:26,560 Three hours and 21 minutes 933 00:45:26,560 --> 00:45:29,600 since our mattress production began... 934 00:45:29,600 --> 00:45:31,080 Er, put them on, here. 935 00:45:31,080 --> 00:45:34,440 ..I'm back with Gary on the mattress assembly line, 936 00:45:34,440 --> 00:45:35,920 putting the wool pad on. 937 00:45:37,240 --> 00:45:39,560 I cannot believe there's this many layers 938 00:45:39,560 --> 00:45:40,920 in one of your mattresses. 939 00:45:40,920 --> 00:45:43,680 There's still another layer yet. 940 00:45:43,680 --> 00:45:47,640 The woven ticking is the final addition. 941 00:45:47,640 --> 00:45:49,240 Just got to pin this side first. 942 00:45:49,240 --> 00:45:52,200 30 10cm pins secure the ticking 943 00:45:52,200 --> 00:45:55,760 and all the fillings in place on each side. 944 00:45:55,760 --> 00:45:58,280 Gary, there's no way you can get any more in this mattress! 945 00:45:58,280 --> 00:46:01,000 It's, like, almost bursting. Hang on, hang on, hang on, 946 00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:05,400 how much does this now weigh? This weighs 68 kilos. 947 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:08,600 Before you buy one of these, you've got to make sure you've got 948 00:46:08,600 --> 00:46:11,520 a bed frame that can support it. Ha-ha! That is ludicrous! 949 00:46:12,640 --> 00:46:15,120 It looks all right, but what does it feel like? 950 00:46:15,120 --> 00:46:17,400 Oof... Ha-ha-ha! 951 00:46:17,400 --> 00:46:18,720 Ha-ha-ha-ha! 952 00:46:18,720 --> 00:46:20,320 It's a good mattress, mate! 953 00:46:20,320 --> 00:46:22,160 That works for me! 954 00:46:22,160 --> 00:46:23,720 HE LAUGHS 955 00:46:23,720 --> 00:46:27,320 Now this lot all needs securing to the spring core... 956 00:46:28,400 --> 00:46:31,840 ..which happens at the tufting press. 957 00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:33,280 Here, strings known as tufts 958 00:46:33,280 --> 00:46:35,880 are threaded through the mattress 959 00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:38,360 and all its layers to hold it together. 960 00:46:38,360 --> 00:46:39,880 But before all that, 961 00:46:39,880 --> 00:46:43,760 we've got to give the mattress a serious squeeze. 962 00:46:43,760 --> 00:46:45,600 Right, so, er, 963 00:46:45,600 --> 00:46:49,280 we're going to compress the bed up to 50%. 964 00:46:49,280 --> 00:46:52,840 You spent hours and hours plumping up the mattress, 965 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:54,960 why are you now squashing it down? 966 00:46:54,960 --> 00:46:58,400 Erm, squashing it down because we've to get a tufting string in, 967 00:46:58,400 --> 00:47:02,760 and the tufting string was not long enough to be able to put it in 968 00:47:02,760 --> 00:47:04,120 without it being compressed. 969 00:47:04,120 --> 00:47:07,240 Two side buttons, press down. 970 00:47:08,960 --> 00:47:10,440 That scares me. Yeah. 971 00:47:10,440 --> 00:47:13,520 I feel like it's going to rip. Not we'll be fine. 972 00:47:13,520 --> 00:47:18,640 Once squeezed down from 25 to just 12.5 cm, 973 00:47:18,640 --> 00:47:20,720 the press is turned 90 degrees, 974 00:47:20,720 --> 00:47:24,800 ready for the 20 cm tuft strings to go in. 975 00:47:24,800 --> 00:47:27,520 When the tufts go in, it goes straight through the mattress, 976 00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:30,560 it holds all your springs in place. It holds all your fillings 977 00:47:30,560 --> 00:47:33,600 in place, so they don't move. Because we're human rolling pins. 978 00:47:33,600 --> 00:47:35,720 As we roll over in bed, we can move those fillings. 979 00:47:35,720 --> 00:47:36,920 These sort of prevent that. 980 00:47:38,600 --> 00:47:40,160 This is your tufting needle. 981 00:47:40,160 --> 00:47:42,320 It's 18 inches. 982 00:47:42,320 --> 00:47:44,480 Has it got to go all the way through? It's got to go 983 00:47:44,480 --> 00:47:47,720 all the way through. You've got to get through 11 layers of bed? 984 00:47:47,720 --> 00:47:50,840 Well, we'll fasten the tuft inside 985 00:47:50,840 --> 00:47:54,000 the little hole, it's spring-loaded, 986 00:47:54,000 --> 00:47:56,560 and we're putting the tuft string into the centre. 987 00:47:59,520 --> 00:48:01,680 Can I have a go? Yeah, of course. 988 00:48:01,680 --> 00:48:03,200 So, you're just holding that with 989 00:48:03,200 --> 00:48:04,840 the tip of your thumb until it's in, 990 00:48:04,840 --> 00:48:06,600 to the centre of the square. 991 00:48:06,600 --> 00:48:08,360 In there, right? Yep. 992 00:48:11,160 --> 00:48:12,320 Give it a push. 993 00:48:13,840 --> 00:48:15,760 Oh. There you go, that's it. 994 00:48:15,760 --> 00:48:17,080 That's in. 995 00:48:17,080 --> 00:48:18,440 Ho, hey! 996 00:48:18,440 --> 00:48:20,600 Tuft Master Wallace! 997 00:48:20,600 --> 00:48:22,040 One more, one more, one more. 998 00:48:22,040 --> 00:48:24,280 Here you go. There's something 999 00:48:24,280 --> 00:48:26,560 ridiculously satisfying about spearing a fat bed! 1000 00:48:26,560 --> 00:48:27,680 GARY LAUGHS 1001 00:48:27,680 --> 00:48:30,440 32 tuft strings go into 1002 00:48:30,440 --> 00:48:32,240 a king-size mattress. Each spaced 1003 00:48:32,240 --> 00:48:34,720 35 cm apart, to spread the tension 1004 00:48:34,720 --> 00:48:37,040 evenly across the surface. 1005 00:48:37,040 --> 00:48:39,040 Oh, that's a beauty. Perfect. 1006 00:48:39,040 --> 00:48:41,400 Tufts in place, the tuft heads 1007 00:48:41,400 --> 00:48:42,560 are the finishing touch. 1008 00:48:42,560 --> 00:48:45,040 GREGG LAUGHS 1009 00:48:45,040 --> 00:48:47,920 Well, it was all big and tough and heavy-duty, 1010 00:48:47,920 --> 00:48:51,560 and then we got these little fluffy pom-poms... A tufty bit. 1011 00:48:51,560 --> 00:48:54,080 Just pulling the strings, so the majority's on this side. 1012 00:48:54,080 --> 00:48:55,720 Threading through 1013 00:48:55,720 --> 00:48:57,840 the plastic loop, pulling, 1014 00:48:57,840 --> 00:49:00,080 and just let it go. 1015 00:49:00,080 --> 00:49:02,600 The wool tuft heads stop the strings 1016 00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:05,400 from being pulled back through the mattress 1017 00:49:05,400 --> 00:49:07,120 when the press is released. 1018 00:49:08,680 --> 00:49:10,800 There's no job in this factory 1019 00:49:10,800 --> 00:49:13,240 that's too strange, is there? No. GARY LAUGHS 1020 00:49:13,240 --> 00:49:15,240 Squash your mattress half flat and put 1021 00:49:15,240 --> 00:49:16,920 little silky pom-poms on it! Yeah. 1022 00:49:16,920 --> 00:49:18,240 GREGG LAUGHS 1023 00:49:18,240 --> 00:49:21,200 Strung up and tufted on both sides, 1024 00:49:21,200 --> 00:49:22,960 the mattress is released. 1025 00:49:24,280 --> 00:49:25,800 That's got that kind of leather 1026 00:49:25,800 --> 00:49:28,080 Chesterfield look now, hasn't it? Yeah, it does. 1027 00:49:28,080 --> 00:49:31,560 A very tempting sight indeed. 1028 00:49:31,560 --> 00:49:33,800 I could do with a lie down, but... 1029 00:49:33,800 --> 00:49:36,680 An inviting bed isn't just about a comfy mattress. 1030 00:49:36,680 --> 00:49:39,480 It's also about a nice fluffy duvet. 1031 00:49:39,480 --> 00:49:43,440 More than 80% of us use them to keep warm at night. 1032 00:49:43,440 --> 00:49:46,720 Ruth's finding out when we fell in love with them. 1033 00:49:50,760 --> 00:49:53,760 Ah... Making the bed in the morning used to be such a chore! 1034 00:49:55,520 --> 00:49:57,520 Once your bottom sheet is nice and straight 1035 00:49:57,520 --> 00:49:59,120 then you need your top sheet. 1036 00:50:01,640 --> 00:50:04,080 And next, you start layering up the blankets. 1037 00:50:04,080 --> 00:50:05,360 Agh... 1038 00:50:05,360 --> 00:50:07,600 As many as you need to keep you warm, 1039 00:50:07,600 --> 00:50:09,920 according to the weather. 1040 00:50:09,920 --> 00:50:12,000 And that might be as many as seven or eight. 1041 00:50:13,480 --> 00:50:16,800 So, now you start tucking everything in, 1042 00:50:16,800 --> 00:50:19,120 and it's always best to start with the corners. 1043 00:50:19,120 --> 00:50:21,480 And you've got to do that all the way round the bed. 1044 00:50:23,240 --> 00:50:25,840 And then you've got the bedspread. 1045 00:50:25,840 --> 00:50:27,480 And finally, with your bed made, 1046 00:50:27,480 --> 00:50:30,280 you're ready to get on with the rest of your day. 1047 00:50:30,280 --> 00:50:34,240 This was the way beds were made for centuries. 1048 00:50:34,240 --> 00:50:37,160 But that all changed in 1964, 1049 00:50:37,160 --> 00:50:39,440 when Sir Terence Conran began selling duvets 1050 00:50:39,440 --> 00:50:41,920 in his iconic Habitat store. 1051 00:50:41,920 --> 00:50:44,120 SHE KNOCKS ON DOOR 1052 00:50:44,120 --> 00:50:46,840 I'm meeting one of the store's original staff members, 1053 00:50:46,840 --> 00:50:48,480 Maurice Libby, 1054 00:50:48,480 --> 00:50:50,840 who recalls his first brush with the duvet 1055 00:50:50,840 --> 00:50:52,680 on a trip with Conran to Switzerland. 1056 00:50:54,040 --> 00:50:57,960 I got a duvet in my room, 1057 00:50:57,960 --> 00:51:00,520 but I didn't know what a duvet was. 1058 00:51:00,520 --> 00:51:03,760 And you just assumed it was part of the mattress? Yes. 1059 00:51:03,760 --> 00:51:06,680 So, I just laid on top of it, yeah. 1060 00:51:06,680 --> 00:51:08,240 Good gracious! 1061 00:51:08,240 --> 00:51:12,360 Although Maurice was perplexed, Conran wasn't. 1062 00:51:12,360 --> 00:51:16,120 He'd fallen in love with a duvet on an earlier trip to Sweden. 1063 00:51:16,120 --> 00:51:18,200 He'd discovered it made bed making 1064 00:51:18,200 --> 00:51:20,480 faster and easier, and he was 1065 00:51:20,480 --> 00:51:22,480 convinced Brits would love it. 1066 00:51:22,480 --> 00:51:24,480 Conran knew it would 1067 00:51:24,480 --> 00:51:26,280 sell and make money. 1068 00:51:26,280 --> 00:51:29,160 He was proved right when they were stocked in 1069 00:51:29,160 --> 00:51:32,000 the new store on London's trendy Fulham Road. 1070 00:51:33,560 --> 00:51:35,720 It took off very quickly. 1071 00:51:35,720 --> 00:51:38,920 And lots of the customers were well-known people, 1072 00:51:38,920 --> 00:51:43,440 particularly actors and actresses. Right. 1073 00:51:43,440 --> 00:51:46,960 It was getting publicity, it was in the papers. 1074 00:51:46,960 --> 00:51:51,080 Once it took off, it never faltered. 1075 00:51:52,360 --> 00:51:54,920 I'm meeting design journalist John-Michael O'Sullivan, 1076 00:51:54,920 --> 00:51:56,560 to learn more about the launch. 1077 00:52:00,360 --> 00:52:03,120 It sort of seems to me like 1078 00:52:03,120 --> 00:52:06,360 the duvet's time had come, that the '60s was its moment. 1079 00:52:06,360 --> 00:52:08,800 Oh, I think it was just the perfect point in time. 1080 00:52:08,800 --> 00:52:10,720 It was the end of the ration era, 1081 00:52:10,720 --> 00:52:13,800 it was the dawn of that first generation post-war, 1082 00:52:13,800 --> 00:52:17,000 who were hungry for something new. It was the start of Swinging London. 1083 00:52:17,000 --> 00:52:19,680 Everything just came at the right place, at the right time. 1084 00:52:19,680 --> 00:52:22,600 Other shops had sold the duvet in Britain previously, 1085 00:52:22,600 --> 00:52:24,920 but it was this burgeoning chain 1086 00:52:24,920 --> 00:52:27,400 that delivered it to the masses. 1087 00:52:27,400 --> 00:52:29,560 So, I mean, how was it being advertised? 1088 00:52:29,560 --> 00:52:32,880 The '60s was the dawn of the era of the Sunday supplement. 1089 00:52:32,880 --> 00:52:35,320 So, suddenly, you had all these magazines and newspapers 1090 00:52:35,320 --> 00:52:36,520 featuring lifestyle. 1091 00:52:36,520 --> 00:52:39,000 And then, I think what really shifted it into the mainstream 1092 00:52:39,000 --> 00:52:42,040 was the arrival of the catalogues in the late '60s and early '70s. 1093 00:52:42,040 --> 00:52:44,000 You've got things like this 1094 00:52:44,000 --> 00:52:45,760 great shot from the early '70s, 1095 00:52:45,760 --> 00:52:47,280 showing a man making the bed, 1096 00:52:47,280 --> 00:52:49,840 which would have been... Oh! SHE LAUGHS 1097 00:52:49,840 --> 00:52:51,760 Yes! In gender roles of the day, 1098 00:52:51,760 --> 00:52:53,680 it was quite a playful, but also, 1099 00:52:53,680 --> 00:52:55,360 very clever sort of approach. 1100 00:52:55,360 --> 00:52:57,760 And I quite like the way, you know, yes, well, 1101 00:52:57,760 --> 00:53:00,200 of course he can handle it, it's easy, even a bloke can do it! 1102 00:53:00,200 --> 00:53:02,160 SHE LAUGHS And then, of course, I think 1103 00:53:02,160 --> 00:53:03,880 it was practical, it was easy. Quick. 1104 00:53:03,880 --> 00:53:06,200 So, this is actually for one of their French catalogues, 1105 00:53:06,200 --> 00:53:07,920 where you can see they lay 1106 00:53:07,920 --> 00:53:09,160 the whole thing out for you. 1107 00:53:09,160 --> 00:53:10,760 This idea of a 20-second bed, 1108 00:53:10,760 --> 00:53:12,680 in six easy stages. Ah! 1109 00:53:12,680 --> 00:53:14,840 Start to finish. I really quite like this. 1110 00:53:14,840 --> 00:53:18,560 It's so just sort of clear, isn't it? Bom-bom-bom-bom-bom... Done! 1111 00:53:18,560 --> 00:53:21,040 Where Sir Terence Conran led, 1112 00:53:21,040 --> 00:53:22,800 others followed. 1113 00:53:22,800 --> 00:53:25,840 You, had obviously, the other stores like Debenhams, 1114 00:53:25,840 --> 00:53:28,200 Woolworths, BHS. 1115 00:53:28,200 --> 00:53:30,760 And then into the '80s, of course, Ikea arrive on our shores 1116 00:53:30,760 --> 00:53:33,760 with their own version. And that's really when it becomes something 1117 00:53:33,760 --> 00:53:36,440 that's not only affordable but, actually, 1118 00:53:36,440 --> 00:53:39,400 is very cheap and universally available. 1119 00:53:39,400 --> 00:53:41,960 So, when did you get your first duvet? 1120 00:53:41,960 --> 00:53:43,840 It was 20 years ago, in this very store. 1121 00:53:43,840 --> 00:53:47,520 Still have that same duvet 20 years and four flatmates later. Wow! 1122 00:53:47,520 --> 00:53:50,360 Occasionally cleaned. Occasionally cleaned. 1123 00:53:54,320 --> 00:53:56,200 There. What a joy! 1124 00:53:57,240 --> 00:53:59,160 Mind you, you can't help but wonder 1125 00:53:59,160 --> 00:54:02,560 if Terence Conran had not made that trip to Sweden, 1126 00:54:02,560 --> 00:54:06,120 whether we would be a nation of duvet lovers today. 1127 00:54:08,560 --> 00:54:12,480 MACHINERY WHIRS 1128 00:54:14,400 --> 00:54:16,160 Back in the factory, our mattresses 1129 00:54:16,160 --> 00:54:19,440 are plumped and primped, 1130 00:54:19,440 --> 00:54:21,720 but there's one last flourish. 1131 00:54:21,720 --> 00:54:23,440 Tape edging. 1132 00:54:23,440 --> 00:54:26,880 I'm meeting Mikey Diouf, who's been adding the finishing touches 1133 00:54:26,880 --> 00:54:30,200 to the beds here for more than 15 years. 1134 00:54:30,200 --> 00:54:32,960 Mikey, Gregg. Hello, Mikey. Nice to meet you. You all right? 1135 00:54:32,960 --> 00:54:35,640 I'm all good, I'm all good. So, this is our final bit. 1136 00:54:35,640 --> 00:54:37,800 Your final bit, yeah. So, if Mikey messes up here, 1137 00:54:37,800 --> 00:54:40,520 we'd have to start all over again? No pressure. 1138 00:54:40,520 --> 00:54:42,160 Big panic, I'm shaking already! 1139 00:54:42,160 --> 00:54:44,960 Don't mess up, Mikey, this has taken me ages! 1140 00:54:44,960 --> 00:54:46,480 I'll try my best. 1141 00:54:46,480 --> 00:54:48,680 Mikey's job is to join the ticking, 1142 00:54:48,680 --> 00:54:50,880 all the layers of padding 1143 00:54:50,880 --> 00:54:54,920 and the border into one seamless taped edge. 1144 00:54:54,920 --> 00:54:56,720 So, what Mikey's got there 1145 00:54:56,720 --> 00:54:59,440 is an enormous sewing machine, and what's that doing? 1146 00:54:59,440 --> 00:55:02,440 That is stitching the tape, plus the top and the border? Yeah. 1147 00:55:02,440 --> 00:55:04,880 Together, yeah. Together. Hang on, the most difficult 1148 00:55:04,880 --> 00:55:06,720 bit must be going round the corner, right? 1149 00:55:06,720 --> 00:55:08,080 Going round the corner, yeah. 1150 00:55:08,080 --> 00:55:09,840 Oh, the machine comes round 1151 00:55:09,840 --> 00:55:11,960 the whole of the bed. 1152 00:55:11,960 --> 00:55:15,240 This specialised sewing machine is mounted on rails, 1153 00:55:15,240 --> 00:55:19,040 allowing it to be manoeuvred through 360 degrees. 1154 00:55:19,040 --> 00:55:21,920 Mikey controls it with his knee. 1155 00:55:21,920 --> 00:55:23,840 Pressing down on a paddle stops 1156 00:55:23,840 --> 00:55:25,760 the sewing, leaving his hands free 1157 00:55:25,760 --> 00:55:30,120 to stretch the tape around all six layers of filling and border. 1158 00:55:30,120 --> 00:55:31,800 That is finishing it, isn't it? 1159 00:55:31,800 --> 00:55:34,880 Yeah. That is finishing it beautifully. 1160 00:55:34,880 --> 00:55:37,320 It seems to be tightening up the whole thing as well... Yeah. 1161 00:55:37,320 --> 00:55:40,280 ..making it, like, a completely finished shape. 1162 00:55:40,280 --> 00:55:42,520 Mikey's machine runs at 1163 00:55:42,520 --> 00:55:45,480 an incredible 2,800 stitches 1164 00:55:45,480 --> 00:55:46,800 per minute. 1165 00:55:46,800 --> 00:55:50,120 There's no room for error at this stage. 1166 00:55:50,120 --> 00:55:53,000 If you do make a mistake? I have to start all again. Rip it out 1167 00:55:53,000 --> 00:55:54,560 and start again? Start again, yeah. 1168 00:55:54,560 --> 00:55:58,960 Another risk is that the rapidly moving needle overheats and snaps, 1169 00:55:58,960 --> 00:56:00,840 so it's constantly cooled by 1170 00:56:00,840 --> 00:56:03,560 a stream of compressed air. 1171 00:56:03,560 --> 00:56:06,240 I reckon it was easier to get a space rocket to the moon 1172 00:56:06,240 --> 00:56:08,240 than it was to make one of your mattresses. 1173 00:56:08,240 --> 00:56:11,080 It is remarkable, absolutely remarkable! 1174 00:56:13,560 --> 00:56:15,920 Three hours and 41 minutes after our 1175 00:56:15,920 --> 00:56:18,640 lorry-load of steel rod arrived, 1176 00:56:18,640 --> 00:56:21,120 we have a completed mattress. 1177 00:56:21,120 --> 00:56:23,680 Thank you. Beautiful. 1178 00:56:23,680 --> 00:56:26,720 There it is! That's our finished mattress. 1179 00:56:26,720 --> 00:56:29,920 You know what? I can see the things on the outside of it, 1180 00:56:29,920 --> 00:56:31,960 like the handles and the stitching, 1181 00:56:31,960 --> 00:56:35,440 but no-one is going to have any idea of what's in there. 1182 00:56:35,440 --> 00:56:36,920 It's quite remarkable, isn't it? 1183 00:56:36,920 --> 00:56:39,720 It is, it's beautiful. All right, let's get it wrapped. Come on. 1184 00:56:43,760 --> 00:56:46,640 Checked for the correct number of handles, vents and tufts, 1185 00:56:46,640 --> 00:56:49,240 we're at our last stop, 1186 00:56:49,240 --> 00:56:51,200 Distribution... 1187 00:56:52,840 --> 00:56:56,960 ..where I'm meeting factory owner Simon Spinks. 1188 00:56:56,960 --> 00:56:58,960 Simon. Gregg. 1189 00:56:58,960 --> 00:57:00,720 How you doing? Great. 1190 00:57:00,720 --> 00:57:04,840 On average, how many mattresses will go out of the factory every day? 1191 00:57:04,840 --> 00:57:06,480 500-600 a day. 1192 00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:07,640 Wow! 1193 00:57:07,640 --> 00:57:09,680 Is your business at all seasonal? 1194 00:57:09,680 --> 00:57:12,680 It is, we sell a lot of mattresses during the month of January. 1195 00:57:12,680 --> 00:57:16,160 You see all the adverts on TV for furniture sales. 1196 00:57:16,160 --> 00:57:20,360 But also, September, when the nights are getting darker, 1197 00:57:20,360 --> 00:57:23,360 we start to nest, ready to sleep for the winter. 1198 00:57:25,480 --> 00:57:29,120 So, we're at an end. Shall we put our final mattress on the truck? 1199 00:57:29,120 --> 00:57:30,760 I think we should. Come on. 1200 00:57:35,800 --> 00:57:39,000 Argh... Argh... There we go. Right. 1201 00:57:39,000 --> 00:57:40,960 Come on, then. Well done. 1202 00:57:43,160 --> 00:57:44,960 The mattresses from this factory 1203 00:57:44,960 --> 00:57:49,160 are bound for bedrooms all over the world, 1204 00:57:49,160 --> 00:57:53,320 as far afield as Australia and South Korea. 1205 00:57:53,320 --> 00:57:58,720 But back home, it's the South-East of England that buys the most. 1206 00:57:58,720 --> 00:58:02,200 We all sleep on a mattress and we all know what one looks like, 1207 00:58:02,200 --> 00:58:06,560 but how many of us have actually looked inside and seen what's in it? 1208 00:58:06,560 --> 00:58:07,960 Am I impressed? 1209 00:58:07,960 --> 00:58:10,360 I'll tell you what, I'll sleep on it!