For decades after receiving an M.S. in engineering from Stanford University, Airweave founder and CEO Motokuni Takaoka fell in love with the U.S. It was his vision to bring his future endeavors to the U.S. market, and on April 10 that vision will come to life with the grand opening of the first-ever Airweave retail store at 1209 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica, California.
Airweave engineers sleep solutions designed to enhance sleep quality, recovery and overall well-being. Known for providing mattresses for the Paris Olympics, the company, founded in Japan, is trusted by top athletes, luxury hotels and organizations worldwide.
Brett Thornton, the company’s chief operating officer, tells Bedding News Now that its push into the U.S. is significant.
“We just opened our first U.S. factory/warehouse right outside of Long Beach,” Thornton explains. “We even built a store here in the back of the factory where we’ve been having people come by on an appointment basis. So far in taking these appointments, our close rates are 90% of the people who come in.”
Now with a standalone boutique, the company can align its Japanese roots with an in-store experience that Thornton says will be unlike any other.
He says the company leaned on its science-backed sleep technology that is proven to keep a person in REM sleep longer than anything else. The showroom itself has a Japanese style, as Thornton calls it, with features like low wood seating, a green tea station and a high-tech personal AI assistant.
“We have our own proprietary AI system that was built for us,” he says. “It can scan your body, front and side, you put in your metrics, and it tells you the best way to arrange the bed for your specific size and weight in body. We’re blending technology with Japanese heritage, and we created that experience in-store.”
The store has an experiential wall where you can experience the company’s proprietary air material in different ways. One station shows how it’s completely washable, allowing customer to dip it in water, while another has a fan blowing through it to show that it is 90% air. There’s also a medicine ball that shows how you can shift effortlessly without moving the other side of the bed. “That’s why the data says you can get 15% more deep sleep each night because of that quick rebound,” Thornton adds.
With the store’s small 1,200-square-foot showroom and a luxurious aesthetic, Thornton says he thinks people will be blown away by the new store because there’s nothing out there like it.
Airweave first entered the US market in 2015 with a store in New York, focusing on thin mattress pads, according to media outlet Japan Forward. Reflecting on that move, Takaoka told the publication, “We simply brought Japanese products to the US, but they didn’t appeal to Americans who prefer thick, cushioned mattresses.”
The company also faced logistical issues, with over half of its products damaged in transit, leading to the store’s closure in 2017.
So why jump back into the U.S. market? With Thornton at the helm, he says it’s going to provide the company with the research and data it needs to effectively serve the U.S. market.
“We want to learn from the U.S. consumer about how to best educate them and have them experience this product,” he says. “It’s hard to know exactly how we should be going after the U.S. market. There’s also something to be said about having an actual storefront when you started off as a DTC company. Plus, we plan to expand into wholesale and potentially more retail. We recently partnered with a high-end furniture design store called Calligaris who has three shops in New York City. They’re our first wholesale partner, which has been exciting and successful.”
What is an Airweave bed?
Airweave’s mattress technology is constructed of a unique material called air fiber, which Thornton describes as similar to fishing line, which was its exact inspiration.
Takaoka innovated the poly-resin material by melting it and then dripping it into water to cool it down and set it into form. He discovered he could manipulate how the material came into the water, forming different shapes and then intricately intertwining them to mimic the lightness of woven air. Thus, Airweave’s patented material, Air Fiber, was created.
To cater to the preferences of American consumers, the company introduced the Yume Collection—a range of larger, thicker mattresses designed to accommodate bigger body types. These mattresses feature materials that offer a softer, more plush experience. The price range for these models is between $4,000 and $8,000.
The mattresses are customizable with three adjustable sections (shoulders, waist, and legs), enabling different firmness settings for a more personalized experience. This modular design also enhances packaging strength and promotes sustainable shipping practices.
The Yume Collection includes:
- Nagomi – Single-layer design
- Takumi – Dual-layer design
- Kiwami – Premium triple-layer design
The Airweave beds, though made of 90% air, can hold up to 600 pounds, as celebrity Terry Crews and both Today Show hosts exemplified in a TV interview by jumping on the bed together. Further, the company has done extensive research to find that users of Airweave get 13-14 minutes more sleep per night, which adds up when you consider the importance and short length of deep sleep.
The grand-opening event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete and Takaoka. Olympic ice dance champion Meryl Davis will attend as a special guest, underscoring Airweave’s commitment to supporting elite athletes through superior sleep solutions.
Following the ceremony, attendees will enjoy an exclusive cocktail reception, where they can explore Airweave’s Yume collection mattresses, Japanese futons, bedding accessories and more.
