Proudly NZ Made for 90 Years
Sleepyhead and the Future of Kiwi Manufacturing
As we celebrate NZ Made Week, we’re marking a milestone that means a lot to us: 90 years of Sleepyhead, a business that has grown from a humble tin shed to one of New Zealand’s most trusted and enduring manufacturers. For nearly a century, we’ve believed in one simple idea; that Kiwis sleep better on beds made right here in New Zealand. That belief has guided every decision we’ve made, and it’s why Sleepyhead continues to be owned and operated by the same New Zealand family, still working hands-on in the business today. Their passion for helping Kiwis get a great night’s sleep is the heartbeat of everything we do.
A Legacy of Kiwi Craftsmanship
Since 1935, we’ve been designing and making beds for New Zealanders, in New Zealand. Through economic cycles, supply-chain pressures, and global competition, we’ve stayed true to local manufacturing. That commitment has earned us the trust of generations, and we’re proud to have been voted New Zealand’s Most Trusted Bed Brand for over a decade running.
Trust doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built by consistently choosing the harder path, the local path, and the path that puts quality first.
Ohinewai: The Next Chapter of NZ Manufacturing
This year, our story takes a major step forward with the first operational stage of our new factory in Ohinewai, in the North Waikato. It’s the biggest investment we’ve ever made in Kiwi manufacturing and a once-in-a-generation project for New Zealand industry.
The first stage houses our state-of-the-art foam manufacturing facility, the most advanced of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Foam is a critical ingredient in a great mattress, and while importing it would be easier and cheaper, it would also mean giving up control over a core part of sleep quality.
Instead, we’re doubling down on the belief that what goes into a Kiwi bed should be made by Kiwis. By manufacturing our own foam, we know exactly how it’s produced, what’s in it, and what’s not.
Why Local Foam Matters
Recent headlines have shown how vulnerable New Zealand can be when relying on imported materials, from toys contaminated with asbestos to mixed-quality manufacturing standards with limited oversight.
Foam has its own quieter version of this issue. Overseas, it’s common for fillers to be added to foam to “bulk it out.” Detecting these fillers requires specialised testing equipment, the kind typically only found inside foam manufacturing labs. We’ve tested plenty of imported foam over the years and we know how widespread those fillers can be. This is exactly why we remain committed to making our own foam. It gives us, and Kiwi families’ absolute certainty about safety, quality, and performance. It’s also why our foam manufacturing earned a prestigious Green Ribbon Award for environmental stewardship.
Proudly Made Here, for Here
Sleepyhead is built on New Zealand values: integrity, innovation, and looking after our own. We manufacture locally because it delivers better products, and strengthens the communities we’re part of.
From the tin shed of our beginnings to the world-class facility rising in Ohinewai, our purpose hasn’t changed: to help Kiwis sleep better on beds made right here in New Zealand.
As we celebrate NZ Made Week and our 90th anniversary, we’re incredibly proud of where we’ve come from and even more excited about where we’re going.
Here’s to another 90 years of Kiwi-made quality, innovation, and trust.
Caption:
A sneak peek inside our new Ohinewai factory, where this giant overhead crane lifts our 40-metre foam buns in a single piece before they’re cut down into perfect bed-sized layers. Kiwi manufacturing at its biggest and best.
