Photography : Andrew Turner / Getty Images . Words : Jessica Hopkins |
“ The most luxurious and comfortable beds in the world use loose , hand-teased wool as their mattress filling ,” says Stuart Cann , head of a small team of bed-makers who hand-craft all our mattresses with unbleached wool from his family farm . ” And my father-in-law just happened to own several sheep farms on Dartmoor .”
After 22 years of learning his craft with other manufacturers , the stage was set for Stuart to strike out on his own . He gets all the locally sourced , high-quality wool he can dream of , and his father-inlaw makes money from the wool he is legally obliged to shear . Each mattress is stitched and built by the same person from start to finish , which takes around three days . His desire to craft a better , more bespoke product is the founding principle of his business .
“ We know every stitch and every element that has gone into each mattress ,” he explains , “ I sign off every mattress that we produce alongside the person who made it .”
Along with the attention to detail are the allnatural fillings : even the hand-tied pure wool tufts are unbleached and entirely natural . Wool is one of the most naturally self-sustaining materials available , which is good as Stuart goes through 10,000 tonnes of it a year .
” People like to know where it ’ s from , who ’ s made it and with what ,“ he says . As well as the Dartmoor wool , and the so-called super wools ( cashmere , alpaca and silk ), they also use chemical-free cotton for the mattress cover . There ’ s no foam or polyester pads . Each mattress is pocket-sprung , and even their springs are different . “ Our springs are made especially for us in Yorkshire . We use a slightly thinner wire gauge to create a softer spring than most of the industry , so it ’ s a much more luxurious feel .”
The Cotswold Company added the bespoke mattresses for their exceptional quality , and we have introduced three sumptuous styles : The Stow , The Dursley and The Malmesbury . And , not only does Stuart ensure a sustainable , natural product designed for your ultimate wellbeing , but he looks after his artisans as well .
“ We ‘ re more laid-back than other luxury manufacturers . Our craft is important but I also want people to enjoy going to work , love the environment and take pride in what they ‘ re producing .” l
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PURE NATURAL COMFORT AT A GLANCE
THE STOW
1000 Pocket Spring , 450gsm hand-teased
wool layers , medium firmness , from £ 549 THE DURSLEY
1200 Pocket Spring , 1000gsm hand-teased
wool layers , choice of medium or firm ,
from £ 999 THE MALMESBURY
1500 Pocket Spring , 2200gsm hand-teased
wool layers , choice of medium or firm ,
from £ 1,299
Find your perfect bed and mattress
combo at cotswoldco . com
CRAFT COUNTS
Each of the mattresses produced by Stuart and his team uses handteased wool to ensure the utmost comfort and sustainability .
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