• Signs a business cooperation agreement (MOU) with DMOA, the flagship brand of SENSE MOM
• Plans to expand applications from pillows to seat cushions and mattresses
   

SK Chemicals is expanding its application areas from pillows to mattresses by replacing the olefin-based materials conventionally used in the bedding filling market with SKYPEL, its specialty material.

SK Chemicals announced on [DATE] that it signed the SK Chemicals-SENSE MOM Business Cooperation Agreement (MOU) on August 24 with DMOA, the flagship brand of SENSE MOM, a bedding specialist, at the SENSE MOM headquarters in Namdong-gu, Incheon.

The agreement is aimed at jointly developing and manufacturing pillows, cushions, seat cushions, and mattresses that feature breathable cushion fillings made with SKYPEL. Prior to the agreement, the two companies had already begun commercial production of DMOA pillows incorporating SKYPEL, and they plan to extend applications to seat cushions and mattresses as part of this partnership.

The signing ceremony was attended by Kim Eung-soo, Head of SK Chemicals’ Green Materials Business Division, and Kim Sung-ki, Head of SK Chemicals’ Functional Materials Business Office, along with Kang Kyung-mo, CEO of SENSE MOM, and other officials from both companies.

SENSE MOM offers a wide range of sleep products, including floor mattresses, pillows, and seat cushions, and continues to conduct research and development on materials and product structures through DMOA, its premium sleep brand. To further strengthen its product competitiveness, the company partnered with SK Chemicals to develop a pillow that replaces conventional olefin-based materials, such as POE (polyolefin elastomer), with SKYPEL, a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE). SKYPEL was used for the pillow filling, which takes the form of fiberfill similar to cotton wadding, and the material change delivered a plush feel along with the ability to retain its physical properties in ondol environments, referring to Korea’s traditional underfloor heating.

SKYPEL combines the flexibility of rubber with the strength of engineering plastics, and offers superior elastic recovery and heat resistance compared with olefin-based materials. As a result, it maintains its shape reliably over extended use, even after repeated compression and washing. Its high heat resistance also enables stable performance in ondol settings, where products are exposed to high temperatures for long periods.

SK Chemicals jointly carried out product development with its customer, providing technical support ranging from material selection to production process optimization. Going beyond simply supplying materials, the company contributed to the rapid commercialization of a stable-quality product by providing technical support across the entire manufacturing process, including extrusion process optimization, improved drying conditions, a review of equipment conditions, and application-specific property design.

Under the MOU, SK Chemicals and SENSE MOM plan to continue their collaboration to apply SKYPEL to seat cushions and mattresses going forward. Seat cushion applications are currently being prepared for commercialization, while mattress applications are also being pursued.

Building on this achievement, SK Chemicals plans to continue expanding the scope of SKYPEL applications across a range of consumer goods sectors, including bedding.

Kim Eung-soo, Head of SK Chemicals’ Green Materials Business Division, said, “This project is a case in which we combined our materials with technical support to deliver the performance our customer required and to stabilize production. Going forward, we will continue to expand our applications into a wide range of areas, based on our differentiated specialty materials and customized technical support for our customers.”

Meanwhile, SKYPEL is a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) produced by SK Chemicals. It is used across a wide range of fields, including automotive parts, industrial materials, electrical and electronics, and consumer goods. It has recently been expanding into everyday consumer products such as bedding fillings.

[Photo caption: SK Chemicals signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for business cooperation with SenseMom, a bedding company and the operator of its flagship brand DMOA, at SenseMom’s headquarters in Namdong-gu, Incheon, on the 24th. From left: Kang Kyung-mo, CEO of SenseMom, and Kim Eung-soo, Head of the Green Materials Business Division at SK Chemicals, sign the business cooperation agreement.]