Mattress Buying Guides, Mattresses
November 20, 2025
What Is Made-to-Order Mattress Manufacturing?
Written by John-Manuel Andriote
Made-to-order mattresses are crafted only after purchase, ensuring freshness, reduced waste, and personalized options like size and firmness. Unlike warehouse-stocked models, they balance efficiency with customization. Though they may cost more and require waiting, benefits include higher quality, factory-fresh delivery, and products tailored to support each customer’s unique sleep needs.
Many mattress brands keep warehouses fully stocked with their products so customers can walk into their showroom, pick the mattress they want, and be sleeping on it not long afterward.
Saatva, on the other hand, makes every mattress to order—which has real benefits for customers. This article will explain what made-to-order means and offer a look at the made-to-order mattress manufacturing process.
See how the Saatva Classic mattress is made:
What does made-to-order mean?
Made-to-order (MTO) manufacturing means a product is made only after an order for it is placed. Instead of keeping an inventory of products built in advance, the MTO process begins when a customer requests the product.
With MTO, the production process isn’t driven by forecasts or bulk manufacturing runs—it’s driven by the actual needs and preferences of each individual customer.
This creates a product that feels more personal and intentional since it wasn’t sitting around waiting for someone to buy it; it was crafted specifically because you asked for it.
Comparison with other production processes
MTO is a production strategy that gives customers the ability to choose features and specifications they want rather than requiring them to tailor their choice to preset features and specs. The MTO process begins only after an order is placed.
Besides offering customization, MTO reduces stock obsolescence and waste. Products that are built and stored in warehouses risk sitting unsold, becoming outdated, or requiring deep discounts to clear space.
By contrast, MTO products don’t exist until they’re wanted, which means far less waste for manufacturers and greater satisfaction for customers.
Of course, there are trade-offs. MTO often costs more than pre-made products and requires customers to wait while their product is being made.
But as the saying goes, “good things come to those who wait.” For something as important as the mattress you’ll sleep on every night, the wait can be well worth it.
Made-to-order vs. made-to-stock
Traditional manufacturing involves producing products and stocking them as inventory until a customer buys them.
This made-to-stock (MTS) approach is efficient for mass production but is prone to waste, particularly in industries where technology or style changes quickly.
Think of clothing styles or tech gadgets: Items produced in large quantities may go unsold when trends shift.
Even in the mattress industry, where trends change more slowly, the risk remains—warehoused mattresses can become dusty, compressed, or even obsolete if new models are introduced.
MTS is useful for companies that expect sudden spikes in demand, but if forecasts are inaccurate, it can leave a company with too much inventory and significant losses.
Made-to-order vs. custom-made
It’s also important to distinguish between “made-to-order” and “custom-made.” While they sound similar, they’re not identical.
MTO products are created according to standardized production methods but allow customers to select from a range of available options—such as mattress dimensions, firmness, or cover style.
Custom-made products, on the other hand, are created entirely to one person’s unique specifications. These are one-of-a-kind items designed and built exclusively for the buyer.
The advantage of MTO is that it balances efficiency with personalization. You get to choose from meaningful options without the extremely high cost and time commitment of commissioning a fully custom piece.
Industries that rely on made-to-order
Made-to-order manufacturing isn’t unique to mattresses. It’s a well-established practice across industries where quality, longevity, and customization matter. Examples include:
- Aircraft and automotive: Vehicles are often configured based on buyer preferences.
- Bicycles: Riders can select frame size, color, and components.
- Computers: Many companies build systems to order with chosen specifications.
- Construction and property development: Homes and buildings are built after orders, often with customizable finishes.
- Fashion and apparel: Brands produce clothing lines on demand to reduce waste.
- Food and beverage: From wedding cakes to specialty coffee, made-to-order is standard.
- Furniture: Sofas, tables, and beds are often built after purchase with chosen fabrics or finishes.
In each of these industries, MTO helps ensure that the final product aligns with the customer’s needs, taste, and lifestyle.
Advantages of buying a made-to-order mattress
Buying an MTO mattress gives you the opportunity to choose the dimensions and other specific characteristics you want in the mattress on which you’ll spend as much as a third of your life.
Rather than being required to “take what you can get” from the pre-made mattresses offered by a made-to-stock brand, you can choose what best supports your sleep style.
Another advantage is freshness. Because the mattress is made only after your order, you won’t receive a product that’s been sitting in a box or collecting dust in a warehouse.
Instead, you’ll receive a factory-fresh mattress designed specifically for you.
Buying a made-to-order mattress gives you the opportunity to choose the dimensions and other specific characteristics you want in the mattress on which you’ll spend as much as a third of your life.
Challenges of made-to-order manufacturing
The main downsides of MTO are time and cost. Pre-made products, including mattresses, are all alike, so manufacturing costs are lower thanks to economies of scale.
MTO products tend to cost more because they involve customizable features and parts, and they can’t be produced in giant identical batches.
Time is another factor. With made-to-stock, you can walk out of a store with a mattress the same day. With MTO, there’s usually a short waiting period while your mattress is built, inspected, and delivered.
For many people, though, this short delay is a small price to pay for the benefits of customization and freshness.
Choose a made-to-order mattress from Saatva
Saatva Classic Innerspring Mattress
Our flagship luxury mattress is expertly engineered with coil-on-coil construction for durability, a layer of memory foam for enhanced back support, and a cushiony Euro pillow top for extra comfort.
Contour5 Mattress
Luxurious body-hugging feel and pressure relief with 3” of ultra-premium, high-density 5-lb memory foam.
Zenhaven Latex Mattress
Natural latex responds to every curve for pressure-free support and responsive comfort. Natural latex is supple, resilient, and durable, for the ultimate in elevated sleep. (It’s naturally hypoallergenic too.)
Latex Hybrid Mattress
This hybrid mattress combines the pressure-free support of natural latex with the classic innerspring feel. Handcrafted with pure materials for the ultimate in cool and healthy sleep.
Memory Foam Hybrid Mattress
This memory foam hybrid mattress features the perfect balance of body-contouring and responsive feel. Enjoy the innovative cooling system, which prevents overheating.
Saatva HD Mattress
This luxury hybrid innerspring mattress is specifically engineered to support people weighing between 300 and 500 pounds. Plush upper layers made of foam and latex deliver comfort, while a high-durability coil base offers support.
Saatva Rx Mattress
Specially designed to give maximum support and pressure relief that can help alleviate discomfort associated with serious and chronic back and joint conditions like sciatica, arthritis, herniated disc, and scoliosis.
Solaire Adjustable Firmness Mattress
Featuring precise 50 firmness settings on each side of the bed for personal customization. Natural latex and gel-infused memory foam layers provide luxurious comfort and support.
FAQs
What does it mean when an item is made-to-order?
A made-to-order product is created specifically for an individual customer who chooses from available options. It isn’t pre-made or stored in a warehouse—it exists only because you requested it.
Shop made-to-order mattresses at Saatva
All of our mattresses are made-to-order. When you purchase a Saatva, you get a “factory fresh” mattress that’s been manufactured for you in America.
You’ll never get a mattress that’s been collecting dust in a warehouse or one that’s been folded and rolled up into a small shipping box.
Sleep is one of the most important investments you can make in your health and well-being. Choosing a made-to-order mattress ensures you’re not just buying what’s available—you’re buying what’s right for you.
We have a wide range of mattresses to suit every sleep style. You can take our mattress quiz or visit one of our Viewing Rooms to find your perfect match.
John-Manuel Andriote
John-Manuel Andriote began writing about health and medicine while working on a master’s degree in journalism at Northwestern University in the mid-1980s. He is the author of six books, including an award-winning history of the HIV-AIDS pandemic, a book focused on building resilience, and a “fable for kids ages 5 to 105” based on the true story of a runaway cow in Andriote’s home state of Connecticut. He has contributed articles to newspapers and magazines ranging from The Atlantic to The Washington Post. He writes the “Stonewall Strong” blog focused on resilience for Psychology Today. Andriote since August 2021 has been the senior writer for Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Related Stories
Table of Contents
