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Mattress and bed frame verification
A mattress is the easiest place for an order to drift from its specification, because the evidence is all hidden inside. Layer count, foam grade, spring type — none of it visible without opening the goods. That is exactly what this visit is for.
Five ways a mattress order drifts from the specification
<strong>Firmness mislabelled.</strong> Your specification says 35 kg/m³. Cube-cut sample from the batch reads 25. Nothing on the outside shows this.
<strong>Layer count short.</strong> PI describes five layers. The opened cross-section shows three, with the core comfort layer missing.
<strong>Spring specification changed.</strong> You specified pocket springs of a given gauge and count. The batch uses a cheaper continuous spring system.
<strong>Bed frame size wrong.</strong> The frame matches the PI, but the mattress inside it does not fit the stated internal dimensions — the customer's existing bedding will not fit either.
<strong>Compression damage.</strong> Vacuum-packed units that have been stored or stacked too long arrive with corner collapse that recovers slowly.
Verification scope by level
What we check for this category at each level. Every row is a real difference in on-site work — not a shorter version of the same report.
| Check | Level 1 $149 |
Level 2 $199 |
Level 3 $299 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model and SKU against your PI | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mixed-model order: counted per model | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Carton count and marks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Colour and model mix ratio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Label checked against size stated on the label | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dimensions before and after decompression | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mattress thickness and internal height chain | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Frame internal dimensions measured | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fitting checked against mattress size | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Foam density by cube-cut sampling | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Layer-by-layer cutting and weighing | — | — | ✓ |
| Quilt stitching and edge tape | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zipper and handles | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Frame: joints, fixings and wobble | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Load test on frame and slats | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wood species if solid wood is specified | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Odour check after sealed hold | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Carton drop test | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Label overstatement recorded as a finding | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Third-party report verification | — | — | ✓ |
| Loading supervision on request | — | — | ✓ |
See the full level comparison across all categories →
What we verify against your documents
Judgement is made against your PI, your agreed specification and your approved sample — never against a generic standard. Bring those documents and the check is meaningful; without them, the report records which judgements rest on incomplete reference.
| Item | Checked against | How |
|---|---|---|
| Model and size ★ | Your PI | Size and model on every unit label matched against your PI |
| Unit count ★ | Your PI and packing list | Cartons counted; sampled cartons opened and units counted |
| Label claims ★ | Your agreed specification | Firmness, fill type, spring type and layer count read from the label and checked against your spec |
| Layer structure ★ | Your agreed specification | Opened cross-section; each layer identified and counted |
| Foam density | Your agreed specification | Cube-cut from each layer boundary, weighed, three readings per unit |
| Spring system ★ | Your agreed specification | Type, gauge and count confirmed from the opened unit or manufacturer label |
| External dimensions | Drawing or PI | Length, width, thickness measured on compressed and recovered units |
| Internal frame dimensions | Drawing | Internal length and width measured — this determines whether the mattress fits |
| Recovered thickness | Your specified finished thickness | Measured again after 24 hours of unpacking and recovery |
| Frame load | — | 250 lbs evenly distributed, 48 hours — deformation recorded |
| Frame stability | — | 50 kg at four corners — displacement recorded |
| Slats | Your specification | Count, spacing and material checked against your specification |
| Frame construction ★ | Your specification | Joints, fixings and headboard attachment checked; no exposed sharp fasteners |
| Labels and marks | Your PO | Care labels, barcodes and carton marks compared against your artwork |
| Carton drop test | — | Two cartons dropped per weight band |
★ = mismatch means the goods do not match the order, not merely a quality complaint.
Fill and construction — what you agreed against what we check
Mattress specification is almost always numeric. The numbers are what we verify, because they are the only reliable way to tell whether the goods match.
| Item | What you agreed | What we check on site |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort foam | Density in kg/m³ | Cube-cut at the top layer, weighed, three readings |
| Support foam | Density in kg/m³ | Cube-cut at the lower layer boundary, weighed |
| Spring system | Type, gauge, coil count | Confirmed from the opened unit or the manufacturer label |
| Cover fabric | Composition, Martindale if specified | Care label read; abrasion figure verified from your document if supplied |
| Quilting and border | Pattern, stitching, border fill | Compared against your sample; border fill checked by hand |
| Fire labelling | Required for your market | Presence and wording of the label photographed; performance not verified by us |
Residential and hospitality orders differ
A hotel mattress is used nightly by a different guest for years, under sheets that hide wear. If your order is for hospitality, say so — the factory should be building to different numbers.
| Residential | Commercial / contract | |
|---|---|---|
| Foam density commonly specified | ≥35 kg/m³ | ≥45 kg/m³ |
| Cover fabric Martindale | 20,000 rubs | 40,000 rubs |
| Batch labelling | General | Room-set labelling often required |
| Documentation at handover | Packing list | Packing list + room allocation list + spec sheet |
| Springs | Your preference | Often specified by client brand |
We verify what you specify. If your specification is silent on a point, the report records it as not specified rather than assuming a default.
Outside our scope
Performance and compliance items require accredited testing.
| Item | Why it is outside our scope |
|---|---|
| Fire resistance (CAL 117 / BS 5852) | Requires accredited flammability testing; we verify only that a label exists and photograph it |
| Spring fatigue durability | Requires cyclic testing over months at an accredited laboratory |
| Formaldehyde / VOC emission | Requires a climate chamber under ISO 12460 |
| Antibacterial efficacy | Requires accredited microbiological testing |
| Any certificate | We are not accredited and cannot issue certificates |
Level 3 verifies documents; it does not replace them. Where your order needs accredited testing — fire resistance, formaldehyde emission, Martindale abrasion, salt spray — a CMA/CNAS laboratory is the only route. We are not accredited and cannot issue those reports. We can introduce you, and the fee goes to the laboratory directly.
Our report is an order verification statement. It has no legal standing and cannot be used for customs clearance, marketplace approval or litigation.
Vacuum compression needs a second measurement
Vacuum-packed mattresses are standard for sea freight. Compression reduces thickness and can temporarily change firmness. <strong>We measure the compressed unit on unpacking, then measure again after 24 hours of recovery</strong>, and both figures go in the report.
If your specification depends on finished thickness or firmness, this matters. A mattress measured only before recovery will not match what your customer receives — and a frame that was sized to a compressed mattress can end up too tight once it recovers.
How we sample
ISO 2859-1 / ANSI ASQC Z1.4 general inspection level II, single sampling, normal inspection. Each defect class is counted separately against its own AQL.
Open the full AQL calculator →
What we photograph on every mattress verification
What we find most often on mattress orders
- <strong>Firmness below specification</strong> — cube-cut reading lower than agreed
- <strong>Layer count short</strong> — opened cross-section shows fewer layers than the specification
- <strong>Spring system substituted</strong> — cheaper type than specified
- <strong>Internal frame dimension tight</strong> — recovered mattress does not fit the stated internal size
- <strong>Slow recovery from compression</strong> — corner collapse persisting past 24 hours
- <strong>Label missing or unreadable</strong> — no way to confirm what the unit claims to be
Each finding is recorded with a photograph, a location reference, and the document it was judged against.
What we need from you
Required for a meaningful check
- Your PI or PO — models, quantities, colours, dimensions
- Your agreed specification — materials and tolerances
- Your approved sample — physical or photographed
- Packing list — carton count and packing method
Helpful but not essential
- Technical drawings or dimension sheets
- Carton mark artwork
- Previous verification reports, if re-checking
- Known issues from earlier shipments
- Your client's specific requirements, if any
If you only have a product link, send that. We will build the check criteria for you and tell you what we will look at, before we arrive. That scoping conversation is free.
From $149 per man-day · All-inclusive travel in Guangdong · Report within 24 hours
Questions about mattress verification
1. How do you check foam density without ruining the mattress?
A 10 × 10 × 10 cm cube is cut from a corner seam — roughly three samples per unit. Cube-cutting introduces about ±10% measurement variance, which we state in the report. The affected unit is recorded as sampled and cut. Buyers normally approve this beforehand.
2. Why do you measure twice?
Compressed units lose thickness. A first measurement on unpacking and a second after 24 hours shows whether the unit recovers to the specified finished thickness. One measurement tells you nothing useful.
3. Can you check cribs and children's beds?
We verify them against your PI and agreed specification, and check physical safety aspects — gaps, entrapment, stability, sharp edges, finish. Chemical compliance for children's products requires accredited laboratory testing; we verify reports, we do not test.
4. Do you inspect mattresses only, or frames too?
Both. Same man-day. Frame load, stability, slats, joints, fixings and internal dimensions, plus the mattress conformity check.
5. What if the goods do not match the PI?
The report states each discrepancy with photographs and numbers, and recommends whether to release, request rework, or hold. The conversation with the factory is yours to have.
6. Can you attend loading?
Yes, at the same day rate. We check carton count against the booking, container condition before loading, and how the goods are stacked and secured.