My Mission: To build mattresses you love sleeping on, can afford easily, and never need to replace—ever.
I'm Karl, and I started Ausbeds in 2012 to fix what frustrated me most about buying a mattress: you never really know what you're getting. So I built Ausbeds around one simple idea—complete transparency. I spent 10 years as a chef before getting into this business, and I brought that same approach with me. In the kitchen, we call it *mise en place*—having everything prepared and ready. That's how I run things here. Every component you might need is in stock. If your mattress needs adjusting in 5 years, I've got the parts waiting. We handcraft every mattress right here in our Marrickville factory. You can literally watch us making them. I designed them to be modular because I learned the hard way that nobody gets their mattress perfectly right on the first try—not even in a showroom. So you can unzip yours at home and change the layers yourself. Flip the springs. Add or remove felt. Swap the foam. Whatever you need. I'm not here to sell you something once and disappear. I take your calls personally. I visit customers when they need help getting things just right. This is my reputation, and I care about it. This is the last mattress you'll ever need to buy. That's not marketing—it's how we've built the whole business.
Our Journey
What follows is the story of how Ausbeds came to be.
A Chef's Curiosity
Early on in my career, for ten years I worked as a chef. When I was 22 I took a short break to help in my father’s furniture store. When I was in the matress section, I thought it sucked, nothing made sense. I asked my dad about it, he replied, “Mattresses are like sausages son, nobody knows what’s in them.” That stuck with me. I remember thinking, “Surely somebody knows.”
A Humble Start
Years later, a friend dropped off 17 brand-new mattresses from a closing factory. I sold them straight out of my living room. It was scrappy, but it got me started. From there, I founded Ausbeds—a name that conveyed trust and integrity. Back then, I realised you could only sell mattresses honourably if you understood them inside and out.
Hard Lessons and Real Insights
The early days were tough. I listened to customers, studied industry forums like themattressunderground.com, I had control over the design, but not over the manufacturing. In order to make the mattresses better, I had to make them from scratch.
The Tipping Point
In 2017, I examined a mattress layer by layer, asking why each was there. When the factory gave no good reason, I knew I had to make my own mattresses, built for genuine comfort and adaptability. I sold my house, bought machinery, and became a mattress maker. From then on, I’ve been “all in.”
“Mise en Place”: We’re Not Running Out to Kill a Cow
As a chef, I learned that when someone orders a steak, you don’t head out to find a cow; you’ve already got what you need. That’s mise en place. At Ausbeds, we’ve taken that principle to heart. Need a mattress tweak? We’ve got the parts ready, so we can fix it right away. It’s all about being prepared, just like in a great kitchen, so you get comfort without the wait.
Where We Are Today
Today, Ausbeds is about more than just selling mattresses; it’s about transforming lives. Customers tell us we’ve changed their sleep—and their lives—for the better. Our customizable system, backed by genuine care, means we can deliver comfort people didn’t think was possible.
Looking Ahead
I'm committed to bringing the Ausbeds system to as many people as possible. It might take another decade, but I know what’s driving me forward: the belief that everyone deserves a mattress that’s thoughtfully designed, easy to adjust, and supported by people who genuinely care. I’m proud of how far we’ve come and excited about where we’re going. We’re not just selling mattresses; we’re restoring trust and integrity to an industry that sorely needs it—one bed at a time.
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