The History of Serta® Mattresses

In 1931, an assembly of independent mattress manufacturers joined forces. They realized that their future rested on the ability to compete with name recognition and advertising dollars of emerging national companies.

In 1933, the manufacturers organized their companies under one name—Serta—and set national guidelines for the products they would make and market under that
brand name.

In creating its flagship mattress, the Perfect Sleeper®, these entrepreneurs struck a powerful balance. They developed a nationally recognized brand as well as a network of local companies dedicated to growing their retail partners’ businesses.

Leading The Way In Mattress Innovation And Technology

For more than 75 years, Serta has been making consistent investments into the highest quality and most innovative features to ensure that every mattress set we manufacture delivers superior comfort and support.  Throughout its history, Serta has been an industry leader, offering many product “firsts”—including the world’s first-ever “tuftless” mattress. Today, Serta is proud to offer a variety of exclusive features including our patented Advanced Comfort Quilt® and Continuous Support® Innerspring.

Today

Serta is one of the most recognized and trusted brand names among retailers and consumers everywhere.

Serta is proud to offer a pipeline of innovative products with today’s most advanced comfort and support features. The Serta product portfolio includes:

• The Serta Perfect Sleeper: The best-selling premium mattress in the United States and a Consumer’s Digest Best Buy for three years in a row.
• Vera Wang by Serta®: A collection of innerspring and specialty mattresses designed in collaboration with renowned fashion designer, Vera Wang.
• Perfect Day® by Serta: Serta’s top-of-the-line mattress collection designed for a rejuvenating sleep experience.
• Sertapedic®: Serta’s promotional product line designed to deliver the comfort and quality of Serta at exceptional values.

Serta is a privately held company, represented by 23 manufacturing facilities in the U.S., four in Canada and locations in 23 countries abroad.  Headquartered in Hoffman Estates, IL the new, state-of-the-art headquarters provides critical services to the field including product development, national brand building and marketing programs, national account management and finance/accounting functions. 

2008

Serta is the first in the industry to introduce CelliantSleep^™ in select Perfect Day by Serta mattresses.

Serta debuts the Vera Wang by Serta Signature Bridal Bed on hit reality show The Celebrity Apprentice.

2007

Serta introduces the Vera Wang by Serta Specialty Collection of all-foam mattresses.

2006

Serta launches the Vera Wang by Serta Collection of innerspring mattresses.

2005

Serta Launches Perfect Day by Serta premium mattress collection for a rejuvenating sleep experience.

FireBlocker® became standard in every U.S.-produced Serta mattress sleep set.

2004

Serta introduces a memory foam specialty collection with FireBlocker.

2003

Serta becomes the first national mattress brand to offer a flame-retardant system
in its mattresses.

2002

Serta wins a Gold Effie for its Serta Counting Sheep advertising campaign.

2000

Serta introduced the Serta Counting Sheep as the reluctant brand icons.

Serta introduced an all-new Perfect Night mattress with several “firsts” including:

• The FreeFlex® Innerspring – The most advanced innerspring in the world, it mirrors
the shape of the human body and provides 63% more support where the body
needs it most.
• Sensifiber^™ – An exclusive, temperature-regulating fiber that helps to keep a comfortable sleeping surface throughout the night.
• Quad Beam Frame – Four layers of prime lumber deliver more than twice the
strength of regular wood frames.

1990s

Serta introduced the most significant comfort innovation in its history, Comfort Quilt®.
A combination of fibers and convoluted foam in the quilt of the mattress, Comfort
Quilt helps to improve circulation, which reduces tossing and turning for a more
restful night’s sleep.

Increasing durability, Serta introduced the Triple Beam® Frame. Three layers of prime lumber deliver more than twice the strength of traditional box spring frames.

Increased Serta’s plant capacity by more than 300%.

Sales top $500 million.

“We Make the World’s Best Mattress^™” campaign is launched.

1980s

Progress marches on! Serta now has 43 manufacturing plants in six countries and
34 licensees.

Serta was first to use convoluted foam (egg crate foam) in the upholstery of
its mattresses.

Another industry first! Serta introduced a continuous coil innerspring in its Serta Perfect Sleeper line that provided better support to the shoulders, back and hips.

1970s

Serta was first to introduce a plusher Pillow Soft® mattress. This new construction countered the theory that you needed a hard mattress for proper back support.

Serta garners even more national attention by hiring screen siren Joey Heatherton
as a spokesperson.

1960s

Americans are sleeping on Serta in droves. 39 plants and over $70 million in sales.

1950s

Serta slants advertising toward growing trend in health consciousness.

In response to consumer demand for firmer mattresses, the Sertapedic line is introduced with the tagline: “You sleep ON it, not in it.”

Serta grows TV advertising presence by sponsoring Bob Hope, The Today Show and The Tonight Show.

1941-1945

As everyone feels the pinch of wartime shortages, Serta produces the “4-A Perfect Sleeper” with resourceful material substitutes.

1940

The company name evolves to Serta, Inc.

1938

Serta is truly born. Company executive Franklin Pierce formally changes the name to the catchier Serta Sleeper Products.

1937

A powerhouse was forming. Now with 35 manufacturers, Sleeper Products posted
$10 million in sales… some 12% of total industry sales.

1933

Company moves corporate headquarters from Philadelphia to Chicago.

1931

Original Guardian Knight, Sleeper Products, Inc. is formed as a consortium of 13 independent mattress manufacturers. That same year, they produced the industry’s
first tuftless innerspring mattress… no tufts, valleys or buttons. It was the world’s first
most comfortable mattress of many to come.

B.S. (Before Serta)

Man rested his head on anything from a pile of rocks and leaves to hay bails and horsehair. Suffice it to say, early man wasn’t a very good sleeper and took a long time to lull himself to sleep by performing mundane mental tasks like counting sheep.

Additional Serta information:

Contact Serta
Serta Press Room
Serta Counting Sheep
Shop Serta Mattresses
Find a Serta Mattress Store Near You