Protect-A-Bed's Zefiro Pillow Earns International Ergonomics Certification

Furniture World News Desk on 4/24/2017

Protect-A-Bed reported that its Zefiro memory foam innerspring pillow earned the  internationally recognized ERGOCERT certification for neck and spinal alignment in soft, medium and firm versions of the pillow.

Conducted in the Ergonomics Laboratory at Udine, Italy, the ERGOCERT test employed six users across a range of body sizes used each version of the pillow. Each user wore the specially designed MVN Biomech Awinda System. Equipped with 17 integrated sensors including accelerometers and gyroscopes, the system provides detailed posture and response data allowing digital modeling and precise analysis.

“The importance of proper ergonomics in the bedroom cannot be underlined enough,” says Warrick Bell, VP of Product Development at Protect-A-Bed. “Sleepers spend 8 hours a night on their pillow and mattress. If body alignment is consistently off throughout the night, this can lead to soreness in muscles and reoccurring problems throughout back, shoulders and even hips.”

In order to earn ERGOCERT approval, products are required to show less than 20º misalignment between neck and spine in supine (back sleeping) position and less than 14º misalignment during lateral (side sleeping) positons. In each test, Zefiro showed significantly less deviation, consistently out-performing certification requirements.

“The performed analysis highlighted that any incongruous postures fell well within the optimal limits both for the supine and lateral position, irrespective of pillow variations and tester bodies,” reads the report created by DR. Francecsco Marcolin M.Sc. and Dr. Marco Bordignon M. Sc., both certified European Ergonomists.

Hand-crafted in Italy, Zefiro features a bed of individually-wrapped harmonic steel springs, surrounded by perforated viscoelastic polyurethane layer, designed to increase the individualized support for optimum fit and conformity to each sleeper. But proper ergonomics is not the only benefit of the Zefiro pillow.

“The responsiveness of the internal springs encourages breathing throughout Zefiro as sleepers change positions,” says Bell. “This airflow leads to cooler sleep temperatures, and encouraged us to pick the name ‘Zefiro’ which translates from Italian to ‘a light west wind’”.

Zefiro is available in soft, medium and firm comforts through select sleep retailers, and at www.protectabed.com. Memory foam and microfiber fill options are available. Zefiro retails from $119.99-$159.99.


About Protect-A-Bed: Protect-A-Bed is the global leader in sleep technology. First to develop air-vapor-porous mattress protection, Protect-A-Bed has driven innovation throughout the mattress protection category and continues to drive development throughout the top-of-bed industry.  Protect-A-Bed offers a complete line of top-of-bed products, from mattress protection to encasements, pillows, mattresses and sleep technology.  Protect-A-Bed products are available online and through select retailers. Learn more at www.protectabed.com.