Koala mattress you can flip takes TikTok by storm

A new mattress made by an Australian company with an “insane” feature has gone viral, with people labelling it “what sleep has always needed”.

A new breed of mattress that you can flip to suit your sleep preference has taken TikTok by storm.

Australian company Koala, known for sparking the “mattress in a box” craze, recently released a new generation of its cult product.

This time there’s three of them to suit individual sleeping requirements – but all three have the ability to flip between medium or firm thanks to a nifty new “flip” design.

Videos of the Koala’s recent releases have clocked up millions of views on TikTok, leaving many amazed at how easy it is to completely change the feel of your mattress without having to buy a new one.

Koala co-creators Mitchell Taylor and Dany Milham sparked the ‘mattress in a box’ craze. Picture: Supplied

Mitchell Taylor, who co-founded Koala with Dany Milham, explained the new “Flippable Kloudcell Comfort Layer” was one of the biggest changes they made to the much-loved mattress.

“We know that our customers will want to add their own adjustments to their mattress, which is why we’ve given them the option to choose whichever firmness feels right for them,” Mr Taylor told news.com.au.

“We rigorously tested all of our mattresses – undergoing sleep trials, durability testing, pressure mapping – you name it. We developed 144 unique prototypes before landing on our three winners.”

After six years of research, the products went on sale in July, and since then have organically been gaining attention on TikTok.

Koala kicked things off on social media with a “#feeltheflip” challenge, calling on users to get involved mad share their thoughts on the double-sided mattress layer.

Paid collaborations with a several creators saw professional BMX rider, Logan Martin, performing a “perfect” flip using the softer side of his mattress.

Indigenous chef @kookingwithakoori flipped some banana pancakes before (presumably) eating them in his cosy new bed – while pro parkour athlete Dylan Pawson shared his craziest dream.

Professional BMX rider Logan Martin showed us how to flip the top. Picture: TikTok

Then finished with a trick. Picture: TikTok

These have all sparked a tremendous response, with many describing the comfort flip layer as “insane” and “what sleep has always needed”.

Mr Taylor said Koala was confident it was onto “something pretty special”, adding it was exciting to see others add their “own spin on it”.

“We’re really thrilled to see the reception of our new mattress range, we put a lot of love into creating three perfect mattresses, and feel that love coming back to us each time someone decides to tuck in with Koala,” he said.

“On top of that, this month we won the Canstar Blue 2021 Most Satisfied Customer award for the second time, which was a very proud moment for the brand and is further proof that our mattress range hits the sweet spot for Aussie consumers.”

@insertrichie Unboxing Koala Soul Mate Mattress @koalafurniture ♬ original sound - Insert Richie

But it’s not just the flip top that Koala went to extra lengths to perfect. After conducting research into how sleep affects the quality of life, it discovered Australians have a sleep deficit of 6 billion hours as a nation.

“This can boil down to a lot of different reasons, like sleep disturbance – 50 per cent of Australians are being woken up by their partner at night,” Mr Taylor said, explaining why the brand’s signature non-disturbance technology will remain at the heart of all its mattress products.

“To some people, sleep can be a tricky thing and is very personal; some people love a firmer, some a softer level of comfort, others tend to sleep hot.

“We like to think of the new mattress range as an ice cream, on its own it is delicious, but as you add more layers and sprinkles, you’re left with the perfect creation.”

Indigenous chef @kookingwithakoori flipped some banana pancakes before (presumably) eating them on a cosy new mattress. Picture: TikTok

The mattresses have been labelled ‘unreal’. Picture: TikTok

One thing that remains the same across all three is the Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) certification the mattresses recently scored. These are the first mattresses to achieve this status in Australia, which ensures each meets a high health, sustainability and social impact criteria – a proud point of difference against nearest rivals for the brand.

Do the new Koala mattresses live up to the promises?

I’ve been sleeping on the “Calm As” mattress, the mid-range product of the three newbies, and I have to say, I’ve been sleeping like a baby.

As someone who prefers their matty on the firmer side, I was worried the flip top would actually affect the firmness, but it hasn’t at all.

When I’m sleeping, I feel super supported, and the lower back pain I had been experiencing recently after spending too many hours in bed during lockdown has disappeared. It really does give a cosy, comfortable night’s sleep akin to one I’ve had in five-star hotels.