Kuala Lumpur, 8 February 2022 – GIRAFthepillow, a new sleeping pillow that promises to completely disrupt the very definition of a pillow, launches the 2022 GIRAF Advanced Composites Sleeping Pillow that is now available in the Malaysian market. With more COVID variants around the corner, this revolutionary pillow may be the answer to sleeping your way to better health, as good sleep has been shown to strengthen the immune system.
But it’s not just good health that this impressive new pillow touts, it is also expertly engineered to relieve the aches and pains that modern living has brought upon. Conventional pillows were not designed with modern problems in mind.
Commenting on the need for a total rework when it comes to pillows, Ken Leong, Founder of GIRAFthepillow said, “It was not until the introduction of modern digital devices that we saw an explosion of neck pain issues in society, aptly named text neck. The past two years of the pandemic has also exacerbated this issue, due to more time spent working remotely and slouching over digital devices. Some experts have even signalled text neck as a pandemic in its own right.” Research has shown that 23.5% of at-home workers reported having neck pain from poor ergonomics.
Simultaneously, the modern mantra of sleep being a waste of time has also negatively impacted sleep quality, with minimal attention being paid to this fundamental area of lives. Fortunately, new research is shedding light on its importance (such as the 2021 ZOE PREDICT Sleep Study in the UK) and people are beginning to realise that sleep is essential in allowing them to perform at their best. “The notion of work hard, play hard, has to be balanced with “sleep well” too. Even billionaire, Elon Musk, has publicly sworn by sleep in attributing his success,” Ken added.
To maintain high performance, the situation calls for an ultra-supportive pillow that allows musculoskeletal systems to recuperate in a neutral posture, after a hard day’s work. Not only that, the pillow has to provide comfort and a sense of relief to deliver the best sleep quality with the limited time most people have.
Putting two and two together, Ken, in his quest for better sleep, discovered that his old pillows were the primary reason for his persistent neck pain, and this was negatively affecting his sleep quality. This lightbulb moment inspired him to begin tinkering with his pillow from his university bedroom. Armed with his engineering knowledge and experience in Human Factors Ergonomics as well as Advanced Composites Material Technology, he spent many years perfecting the solution until he decided to launch GIRAFthepillow. Innovation and the ability to dynamically improve sleep is the ultimate focus for the brand.
“As a scholarship recipient under constant pressure to perform, I have long realised the importance of sleep in contributing to my success. Therefore, my sleep issues, neck pain, headaches and agonising hours rolling in bed being unable to sleep, made me understand the challenges of truly getting a good night’s rest first hand. That is why I have focused my efforts on reinventing the pillow, inserting Science and Technology into a humble product.,” said Ken.
GIRAFthepillow had undergone a long and meticulous design process to hit their goal in being an ultra-supportive yet comfortable pillow. This involves addressing the different sleep positions throughout the night faced by individuals and the downsides of conventional material by eliminating it or reducing it. As conventional material leads to issues of sinking over time like down feather, memory foam or overly bouncy like latex/ silicone.
Engineering the Ultimate Pillow
Ken had been trying all pillows in the market but the search for a pillow that just works proved elusive, so he decided to engineer one from scratch instead. “The issue was in the construction of the pillows, they were all limited by conventional materials that were filled in them – a practice of stuffing a single block of cushy materials into a bag and calling it a pillow, which remains unchanged since the Roman times over 2,000 years ago.”
As the first pillow engineered from the ground up with Advanced Composites Technology, it has allowed GIRAFthepillow to build a few key features that set their pillows apart from the rest. The response of the composites material coupled with the Pilot Headrest Wings design is tuned to mimic human cuddle, to create “Deep Touch Pressure”, which is scientifically proven to provide a calming effect.
Unlike many other pillows, GIRAFthepillow’s contour is partly derived using similar technology from Formula 1 racing, by moulding the human body. This innovative design was created by SleepScientifica, the in-house R&D and bespoke fitting department. The head and neck pressure are also separated with the Dual-Zoned Head/Neck Pressure. In which the team found it important for pressure on the neck to be just adequate, not over or under supported, as to avoid additional stresses.
The pillow’s design also takes into account the difference in body posture due to different sleeping positions, therefore the support profile of the pillow is different in the centre section versus the sides. The sides feature High Loft yet retain a seamless transition as the user rolls from side to side during sleep. Lastly, to cool down stressed and inflamed muscles, the pillow uses Hypercool Materials for skin contact, a collection of materials that aid wicking and ventilation.
“We have spent over 17 years, researching, developing and evolving the pillow before we were happy to launch GIRAFthepillow. At the heart of what we do is integrating Human Factors Engineering and Advanced Composites Material Technology into innovating the pillow. However, we were also extremely lucky where one of our users, an API-certified posture expert, loved the product so much that he had further helped us fine-tune our pillow. We are happiest when we see our users benefiting from our pillows, and they even come back with repeat orders,” Ken added.
Designed in the United Kingdom and now manufactured in Malaysia, GIRAFthepillow is founded by a sleep obsessed Malaysian engineer who was based in Nottingham. Named after the giraffe, which is an animal well known for its strong neck, GIRAFthepillow aims to focus their innovation on neck health and sleep quality – by using Science and Technology.
The 2022 GIRAF Advanced Composites Sleeping Pillow is now available for purchase through the brand’s website at RM399 with free shipping and a 2-year warranty. For those looking for a more personalised experience, GIRAFthepillow – through their specialist division SleepScientifica also offers wholly bespoke custom-fit pillows that are tailored specifically to the customer’s measurements and requirements. This exclusive craftsmanship service is available by special appointment only and the price is upon application.
Customers can now purchase GIRAFthepillow products through their main website at https://www.girafthepillow.com
