Chemical giant DuPont, Wilmington, Del, has created a technologically
advanced material for pillow and mattress coverings to improve the sleep
hygiene of people with sleep disordered breathing and other sleep
abnormalities.
Utilizing a proprietary new spinning process that creates “membrane-like”
sheet structures with pores less than 2 microns, DuPont’s HMT (Hybrid
Membrane Technology) creates a protective seal against microscopic lung
irritants such pet dander, pollen, mold, fungal spores, and other irritants.
The ability to filter out allergens and irritants is critical for people
with sleep apnea, or if they are chronic snorers, since the mouth position
in such patients is chronically open during the night, making the airways
particularly vulnerable to foreign bodies.
A secondary benefit of HMT is that it maintains a cooler temperature, which
is critical to a good night’s sleep. In the past, bedding materials such as
vinyl and plastic effectively filtered out inhalable particles but they did
a poor job of dissipating body heat. Sleep technicians have long advised
patients to remain cool during the night for improved sleep.
“Vinyl and films provide a high level of protection, but these materials are
noisy and trap body heat and moisture near the skin. Alternatively,
materials such as cotton are more comfortable, but do not provide an
effective barrier against microscopic allergens,” said Tom Powell, vice
president and general manager of DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems.
DuPont sleep products with HMT will be available online and in the
firstSTREET catalogue beginning in August. Mattress covers will retail from
$99 to $179. Pillow covers will be priced from $39 to $59. The product is
available at http://www.firststreetonline.com.
