Rochdale bed linen company part of Team GB’s success

Rochdale bed linen company Acton & Acton part of Team GB’s cycling success

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Bespoke bed linen manufacturer Acton and Acton Limited, based in Rochdale, could be behind Team GB’s cycling success in this year’s Olympic Games.

The bed linen specialists were approached by the UK’s leading Sport Sleep Coach Nick Littlehale to produce a range of bedding for Team GB’s cyclists in the Olympic and Paralympic Games to maximise rest and recovery for the competitors.

David Acton, Managing Director of the company, said: “Dave Brailsford, the Head of British Cycling’s, ethos is based on a winning formula that was developed for the track teams.

“Dave Brailsford’s buzz phrase is ‘the aggregation of marginal gains,’ which means that if you can improve a tiny amount across ten different areas, that adds up to a considerable improvement over the opposition. It means pulling apart everything and trying to identify best practice, from the smallest detail on a bike to the pillows the cyclists sleep with.”

David added: “We’ve been around for 35 years, and Nick Littlehale approached us to produce a unique range of Microair- Tech Bedlinen and Pillows.

“It’s almost like Victoria Beckham designing the Range Rover interiors. We got given the brief and produced 40 sets for the Olympics and 20 sets for the Paralympics.

“Each piece was carefully made-up of two fabrics; both being polyester. You may think polyester isn’t as comfortable as cotton, but the main part the athlete lies on is microfibre. While cotton absorbs perspiration, microfibre is adsorbant; meaning it actually gives off moisture and is very hygienic.

“We also used unique airtech fabric for the duvet cover; a very light and breathable fabric perfect for the athletes.”

Acton and Acton’s Team GB bed linen has proved so successful the company are even looking to market their products to sports teams in future.

David also explained why he got involved with the project, saying: “It’s been a nice bit of business, but that wasn’t the motive behind it.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for our textile manufacturing company to fly the flag for Rochdale. Poor old Rochdale can get a lot of stick but now, every time we see the cyclists do well, we think ‘that’ll be because of our bed linen!’”