What inspired you to get into mattresses?
I grew up watching my father running his business in our family boatyard, and I noticed that a lot of people were buying very expensive boats, but inside they would sleep on rubbish mattresses. I thought, why would anyone buy a boat for half a million pounds, only to sleep on a £30 piece of foam?
I’m curious to find out what kind of mattress someone with so much experience in the matter sleeps on, if you don’t mind us asking?
I am the proverbial guinea pig, so I have to try everything first; but the more you try the fussier you get, so one ends up being a bit of a Princess Mattress Snob. At the moment I am sleeping on our entry-level spring mattress combined with our top-of-the-range topper. Wonderful, in case you ask.
Naturalmat is a great name for your company—how did you come up with it?
It came organically (pun intended). Our ethos is what it says on the tin.
You left a successful job to start your own company—what advice would you give to someone thinking of doing the same?
Be prepared to be overworked, and poor, so make sure that you are in the right place in your life to handle this. Confidence is key… you have to believe in what you are doing and in yourself as lots of people you talk to will tell you that your idea won’t work.
You were ahead of the curve with the eco-friendly movement, what originally inspired you to make organic, eco-friendly mattresses?
When I experimented with improving mattresses made for boats, I wanted something that could be shaped to fit into a boat’s awkward spaces, was extremely comfortable, and avoided the habitual problems of damp and condensation on board. I found only natural fibres could give you that flexibility as well as all the breathability I was after.
Then, when my firstborn arrived, we realised most nursery mattresses were also made of foam, and as parents we did not want any chemicals or synthetics next to our baby. That’s what prompted us to want to explore materials that were not only 100% natural, but organic and sustainable as well.
What are the benefits of using only natural fibres?
The main difference between sleeping on synthetic and on natural fibres is their ability to manage two things: body heat and moisture. Synthetic fibres absorb both, which is why sleeping on foam makes your skin feel hotter and hotter through the night. Natural materials dissipate heat between the fibres and wick away moisture, maintaining an even temperature as you sleep. It’s much healthier for you and, more importantly, it doesn’t end up in a landfill but goes back to nature as nature intended.
What’s your take on the perpetual debate about hard or soft?
‘Softness’ is relative and comfort is a very personal thing, so it’s a must to spend a considerable amount of time properly trying out various options before you buy one. This is the motivation behind our creating a private ‘Sleep Zone’ at our Chiswick showroom, so you can take your time and make an objective decision on what’s too soft, too hard, and what’s best for you.
There’s nothing more stressful than mattress shopping on the high street—how does your Chiswick showroom make the process more efficient and pleasant?
It’s not very decision-conducive to be made to lie under harsh bright lights in clear view of everybody and his uncle, with your main desire being to jump off the mattress as opposed to settling in and getting cosy. In collaboration with a sleep consultant, we transformed a portion of our showroom into a Sleep Zone, where we provide a quiet environment with low lighting, partitioned off with soft curtains and relaxing foliage, where you can feel unselfconscious, relaxed, and in a frame of mind to make an unhurried decision about what you like and don’t like.
With our signature sleep scent and the sounds of the Devon countryside wafting through the air, there have been instances where customers have fallen asleep. We can’t blame them.
There is already the Naturalmat Baby boutique in Notting Hill—are any more baby shops in the pipeline?
Yes, it’s been on Talbot Road for over 17 years now. No others planned at the moment; we’re currently focused on promoting our grown-up range so will possibly have another one of those in the near future.
Describe a typical day in the life of Mark Tremlett…
My home is on the Devon-Dorset border, but I now spend an increasing amount of time back in west London where I used to live. My great luxury of the day (apart from always waking up on a Naturalmat) is starting the day at the gym on Lancaster Road and then cycling back down to my office in W6.
I try to spend a mix of about half the day in the London office and half out at meetings. Lunch is nearly always on the hoof, but during the evening I have a chance to get out and meet up with old friends or explore what’s new in town. Last week we tried the new bar at The Mandrake Hotel, they do brilliant cocktails—I recommend the fruity Hedonist or lobster-infused Bloody Mandrake.
Do you have a favourite west London hangout?
The new Waeska Bar at The Mandrake—that’s a ‘W’ address, right? The Ark back in the day, now The Shed, is always a reliable go-to for a laid-back night out with its superb seasonal menu, and they work with the Sustainable Restaurant Association so it ticks many boxes in my book.
We hear you design and make mattresses for hotels—any we might have heard of?
Yes, we still do lots of these, as we speak we are making up the beds and mattresses for Z Hotels, the new Six Senses Resort in Cambodia and the new Hoxton in LA, among others.
If you weren’t busy making the best mattresses in the world, what else might pique your fancy?
I am a frustrated boat builder… my father designed and built powerboats. I have made a couple of his designs and one day I would like to dedicate more time to doing this.
Any plans for the future? World domination?
I will not rest until all west London sleeps on a Naturalmat.
