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SleepBetter.org and Carpenter Co. Complete Historic Pillow-in-Space Launch

(High Desert, NV) September 23, 2013 – History was made in the Nevada desert today, as five explorers completed a first-of-its kind launch into (near) space.  The explorers in this case were Pillow characters from SleepBetter.org, a sleep education website created by Carpenter Co.  The Pillows’ flight, part of the Pillow in Space program, was the culmination of an entire summer of exploring and teaching Americans about healthy sleep.

Starting at the beginning of the summer, visitors to SleepBetter.org and its Facebook page were given the opportunity to participate in the Postcards from Pillow program by adopting Pillow and bringing the cute, fluffy character with them everywhere.  These new Pillow Parents were encouraged to send postcards from their adventures and use their new fluffy friend as a reminder of healthy sleep habits.  Pillow visited all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and by the end of the summer, Pillow Parents sent in more than 400 postcards, all of which are viewable in the Postcards from Pillow Gallery.

“We created these cute little pillow characters and they were snapped up immediately by some of the fastest acting of our nearly 350,000 Facebook fans,” said Dan Schecter, Senior Vice President Consumer Products. “It’s been absolutely amazing and very gratifying that America has taken these little pillow guys to heart, given them life, taken them around the country and then competed to have theirs chosen to go into space.”

Four of SleepBetter’s Pillow Parents were presented the opportunity to send their friends on today’s exciting Pillow in Space flight due to their high level of participation in the Postcards from Pillow program.  The fifth spot on the Pillow in Space launch was filled through an essay competition.  The “Pillownauts” are named McStuffy O’Fluffigan , Pillow Featherbed, Phil O.T. Pillow, Pilwoah and Starlight Sweet Dreamsalot.

The Pillow in Space launch was conducted through a partnership with JP Aerospace, a crowd-funded volunteer space organization run by John Powell.  The Pillows assisted with the launch by caring for a payload of 2,000 miniature experiments that fit into ping-pong balls, called PongSats, which were designed by school children from across the United States.

Across the country and throughout the day there have been “watch parties” allowing school children to witness and cheer the launch of their science projects and the five pillownauts.

A replay of the launch program produced by SleepBetter and Carpenter Co. will be available at http://sleepbetter.org/pillow-in-space/.

About SleepBetter.org

Created by Carpenter Co., SleepBetter.org is dedicated to helping people sleep better. Designed as an online resource, the website creates a forum for visitors to define, discuss and discover solutions to fit their particular sleep needs. SleepBetter.org’s quest is to continually gather pertinent sleep information, then share this knowledge with the general public. The site also shares tips on the best sleep-related products, both in stores and online. SleepBetter.org has created the SleepBetter seal as a way to easily identify products recommended for their superior quality or scientifically based design. For more information, please visit www.SleepBetter.org.

About Carpenter Co.

Carpenter Co. is the largest manufacturer of comfort cushioning products in the world. The Richmond, Va.-based company manufactures a wide variety of polyurethane foam and polyester fiber products, all designed to make the world more comfortable. Born and built in the United States, Carpenter Co. has a 65-year history of designing the world’s most comfortable products and remains on the cutting edge of product development, creating innovative products that improve sleep and enhance active lifestyles. The Carpenter Co. Consumer Products Division offers a dynamic line of trusted products, including Isotonic®, ErgoFresh™, Ambient™ and IsoCool™ by Isotonic® pillows, mattress pads and neck pillows as well as comfort technologies like Avena™ and Avela™ and new technologies like IsoFresh™. For more information, visit www.carpenter.com.

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