Where did Levitex come from?
Levitex is the brainchild of founder James Leinhardt, who has spent 10+ years helping critically injured, chronically ill, and in-firm patients and has learnt a key fact.
Whether it comes to complex neurological patients, elite athletes, home office workers, and everyone in the middle, the impact of sleep quality, and specifically what we sleep on, can’t be underestimated.
So, James took the science that he learnt in healthcare and applied it to creating the optimum lying surface. One that considers not just comfort and pressure relief, but also support and posture. Something that’s almost a cheat to getting a good night’s sleep. He called it Levitex.
I’ve recently encountered two patients who were in a car crash. They were struggling with neck pain, shoulder pain, whiplash and the neck feeling like it’s locking. This impacted on their quality of life and put them in an awful lot of pain – one of them with pain radiating down the left arm. This had a tremendous impact on their mood and sleep. They both say Levitex pillows are the best thing they’ve ever found – with lots of support in the right place. They’re now able to sleep through the night and the pain is virtually gone.
— Jo-Anne Webb MSc, Dip COT, ROT, FHEA
Our Journey (so far!)
2016
The formulation
James, having worked in the industry for years, realises that most sleep surfaces don't address the three issues of sleep: pressure relief, postural management and proprioception.
He starts working on a formulation with a specialist chemical engineer and soon, they strike gold.
They have a foam formulation that is pressure relieving like memory foam, but without sacrificing your postural management. The addition of proprioceptive feedback is a cherry on top.
James sets up Levitex, enlists the help of Dr Lieberman, and they get researching!
2018
Striving for perfection
The formulation needs to be perfect, so James and Jay, our specialty chemical engineer, spend a further two years making sure it's the optimum sleep surface that you know and love today.
They obtain a patent, as Levitex foam is the very first innovation in polyurethane foam since the 1960s (so we really, really don't want anyone to steal it).
First bits of research start to drip through, and they're exciting! Off the back of this, James commences research with the University of Salford.
2019
We're ready!
After 3 years of work, Levitex is ready to be introduced to the world.
We launch with a Kickstarter and smash the target by 300%.
It's the very first proof of concept that there's space for Levitex in the sleep world, and indeed that people do wish to improve their sleep posture and quality.
James and Olivia get out 100s of Kickstarter orders with a bit of help from their kids.
2020
Official launch to the world
We launch our very first website and start to tell the world about the innovation.
The original plan was to only carry Levitex in retail shops, but we-know-what put a spin on that.
Incidentally, we already had a contract in place to launch with a big sleep retailer - so we double launch with a bang.
The concept of pillows in four different sizes is new to the world, and we do our best to explain why pillows aren't one-size-fits-all.
2021
Big year for sleep!
Our help is required at Lancs Teaching Hospitals which is overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients, and we design and produce a life saving Conscious Patient Kit in two weeks (to date, this is one of our proudest moments and proof that sleep posture can save lives).
We also launch a TikTok channel that same year. The controversy of telling people to stop stomach sleeping sends us viral quickly.
The big retailer we launched with the previous year sent the same size of a Levitex pillow to all the Paralympians who went to Tokyo, so we decide to say goodbye.
Launching with Next sweetens the sorrow.
The Independent awards us our very first IndyBest Best Anti-Snore Pillow award (first of many, as we now know, but the first is always the most special).
2022
If we're trending, is sleep trendy?
We have our very first prime TV appearance on Channel4, where James teaches Steph McGovern and Russell Kane how to optimise their sleep posture.
Our sleep posture advice trends on Apple News, and James continues to divide TikTok by begging everyone not to sleep on their stomach.
House of Fraser like what they see and decide to stock us in their online store.
2023
Where there's Levitex, there's sleep posture
Dreamers, what a year this was.
The Journal of Wound Care research that we had started back in 2019 is finally published (clinical research really does take its sweet time).
James is invited to the Westminster to discuss the sleep crisis that's sweeping the UK, all the while University of Central Lancashire appoints him a Honorary Lecturer.
We start going live on TikTok to spread the message of sleep posture and build a wonderful community of people who help spread the gospel.
Our team grows yet again - this time with the addition of Louise, our clinical lead, and Andreea.
Sustainability: your sleep shouldn't harm the planet
Green Office
Levitex HQ is 100% climate positive – this includes all of our staff, as well as main subcontractors.
Levitex pillows are climate positive
For every Levitex pillow manufactured and sold from July 2021, we've offset their carbon emissions by supporting the critical growth of forests and rainforests around the world. Our pillows’ carbon emissions were calculated by Play It Green, using the full supply chain and product lifecycle.
Each pillow you buy equals to two trees planted in areas with a critical need for reforestation, like Madagascar or Kenya.
Removing all plastic from packaging
We're working on it! We've removed all plastic from our Sleep Posture Pillow packaging and are intending to be fully plastic free in the near future.
Does your team need better sleep?
At Levitex, we live and breathe sleep posture - and we want to share what we know.
We are now a certified CPD provider. Our sleep wellbeing courses have been designed to support CPD and revalidation.
We also provide corporate solutions (including webinars, in-person sleep workshops, one-on-one employee consultations and more).
We've helped the teams at HSBC, Regatta, NatWest, Allianz, England Rugby Team and more.
Discover what our courses can do for you, your staff and your team training.