Our Pure Echo, Natural Escape, Kiwi and Kiwi Bunk Bed mattresses are tufted by hand to secure the layers of each mattress together without using dangerous chemical adhesives. Tufting is a technique that dates back hundreds of years and is now used by only the finest mattress makers. Tufting makes our mattresses very durable by preventing shifting or bunching of the comfort layers during shipping and throughout the life of the mattress. Tufting also pre-compresses the innerspring to ensure each mattress has a consistent feel for many years to come. Our tufts are evenly spaced across each mattress. Each tuft is made by lacing a thin polyester cord from the bottom of your mattress, through the comfort layers, and then through the quilted top layer. The cord is then secured to the top of the mattress with a small circular piece of felt. The cord is made from polyester, because it needs to be strong enough to hold the compressed mattress. The cord features a thin metal aglet made from non-recycled American steel that holds the tufting cord in place and keeps it’s end from fraying, just like a shoelace.