FRIANT, Calif. — May 1, 2013 — The Specialty Sleep Association (SSA) seeks to notify
mattress/bedding manufacturers and retailers and public that the association is accepting public
comments on updates and revisions to the SSA Environmental & Safety Program, promoted through
www.BedFax.org. A comment form is provided at www.sleepinformation.org/environmental and
comments are due by 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, May 31.
The SSA’s Environmental & Safety Program was originally created in 2010 to help
manufacturers to offer transparency/truth in ‘green’ marketing to consumers, and to comply with the
Federal Trade Commission’s requirements for environmental marketing as depicted in their “Green
Guides.”
“In May 2009, we realized that we did not have a level playing field for manufacturers
wishing to market products with well-researched environmental claims,” stated Dale Read, President
of the SSA. “Most of the mistakes the industry makes when marketing environmental benefits
are due to a lack of understanding of the true definitions of the environmental terminology, as
well as a lack of knowledge of third-party certifications and regulations that exist to
substantiate these claims.”
The SSA ‘s Green Initiative, launched in the summer of 2010, resulted in the creation of a
Glossary of Terms Frequently Used in Environmental Marketing and the three-tiered Seal/Tag
marketing program recognizing manufacturers that are taking steps to bring a more transparent
product to consumers.
Vicki Worden, President of Worden Associates, Inc. and sustainability consultant to SSA,
states that, “The SSA Green Initiative Board made a commitment to updating the program on a regular
basis. The changes in this round of updates include the addition of a Level IV recognizing finished
mattresses that are third-party certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard. Additional
third-party certification programs have also been added to Levels II, III and IV.” She noted,
“The Seals and Tags [the flip side] detail the compliance Levels and complement the Consumer
Disclosure Label that is also required to provide greater transparency to consumers.”
Read concludes, “Overall, the program provides transparency to consumers plus a format for
manufacturers to follow to help ensure their claims are substantiated.”
The proposed changes to the program can be reviewed at
www.sleepinformation.org/environmental. Public comments can be submitted by completing the form at
http://www.sleepinformation.org/forms/esp-comment.html.
Posted on May 13, 2013
Source: Specialty Sleep Association
