Zipper bedding as we know it today was invented by Betsy Mikesell, a Utah hairdresser and mom of three who was fed up with wrestling sheets onto her twins’ bunk beds. She built the first prototype at her mother’s house with fabric and the biggest zippers she could find, then launched it as Beddy’s in 2014 with her running partner and co-founder, Angie White. Zip-together bedding patents existed decades earlier, but Beddy’s is the brand that turned the idea into a mainstream product.
Below is the full origin story, what the patents actually say, who owns Beddy’s now, what happened to rival Zipit Bedding, and whether a zip-up bed is right for your room.
Key Takeaways
- The short answer to who invented zipper bedding: Betsy Mikesell built the first Beddy’s prototype; she and Angie White co-founded the company and patented the design.
- Beddy’s launched in 2014 after a Kickstarter campaign funded the first manufacturing run.
- Earlier inventors patented zip-on bed coverings going back to the 1980s, so Beddy’s popularized the category rather than inventing the concept from scratch.
- Zipit Bedding, the Shark Tank rival, appears to be dormant, leaving Beddy’s as the dominant brand.
- Zipper bedding shines on bunk beds, lofts, RVs, daybeds and beds pushed against a wall.
Who Invented Zipper Bedding? The Short Answer
If you are asking who invented zipper bedding in its modern, buy-it-today form, the answer is Betsy Mikesell and Angie White, the two Utah moms behind Beddy’s. Mikesell had the idea and made the first prototype; White joined as co-founder and helped refine it into a sellable product.
According to the brand’s own history, Mikesell was frustrated that her twins could not make their bunk beds — until she climbed up and tried it herself and realized the job was nearly impossible. Beddy’s says she told Angie on their daily jog that “someone should invent that”, and then went and did it.
From Bunk Bed Frustration to a Homemade Prototype
The first version was homemade. Mikesell bought bedding fabric and the largest zippers she could source, then sat down with her mother and sewed prototype after prototype until the design worked.
Her own kids were the test panel. The brand’s history page notes her twins slept on the early prototypes while her older daughter bribed them to keep using the zipper bedding — informal testing, but enough to show the idea had legs.
The finished system is what Utah’s economic development office describes as a patented zipper bedding system that goes on like a fitted sheet, with easy-pull zipper tabs, a soft minky lining, a sewn-in bottom sheet, zippers running down both sides and comfort panels that extend outward so it still feels like normal bedding.
Kickstarter, Patents and the Launch of Beddy’s
Neither founder had business experience. They spoke to a patent attorney, finalized the design, took loans against their homes and turned to crowdfunding to pay for the first factory order.
A local profile reports that the Kickstarter campaign raised $108,000 in 40 days, and the first customer orders shipped later in 2014. Angie White’s SCORE profile notes the pair have been granted three patents on the design and that Beddy’s went on to appear on the Inc. 5000 list of fast-growing private companies.
One of those patents is easy to look up: U.S. Patent 9,872,575, “Bed covering,” issued in January 2018, describing a comforter portion that attaches to a fitted base with zippers running down both long sides. That two-zipper, fitted-base structure is the heart of what shoppers now call zipper bedding.
Was Zipper Bedding Invented Before Beddy’s?
Yes — the underlying idea is older than the brand, which is why “who invented zipper bedding” has a slightly longer answer than one name. Patent records show inventors chasing the same problem for decades.
Nina Schuetze received a U.S. patent in 1983 for a combination bedspread and sleeping enclosure that fastened to a form-fitted spread, aimed squarely at kids who leave beds unmade. Later filings, including a zippered bed-covering system credited to Wheeler, added zippers to multi-layer covers.
Closer to the modern product, inventor Jennifer MacDonald filed a “Zippered Bedding” application in 2009 that granted as U.S. Patent 8,756,730, describing a fitted bottom layer joined to a top layer by two zippers. MacDonald went on to co-found Zipit Bedding.
So the honest framing is this: several inventors patented zip-on bedding before Beddy’s existed, and Mikesell independently reinvented the concept for bunk beds, then patented her specific execution. Beddy’s is the company that made zipper bedding a household product, which is why it usually gets the credit.
Who Owns Beddy’s Today?
The people who invented zipper bedding still run it. Beddy’s is a privately held, founder-led company rather than part of a big-box bedding group. There is no public record of a sale to a larger corporation, and Mikesell and White remain the names attached to the brand, with Mikesell as chief executive.
The company is based in the Salt Lake City area — earlier coverage places it in West Jordan, Utah, while recent local reporting describes it as South Jordan–based after a move to a larger facility. A 2022 Silicon Slopes profile described Beddy’s as a roughly $45 million a year business that had expanded from twin bunk sets to twin through king sizes.
The founders also pitched on CNBC’s West Texas Investors Club in 2016 — not Shark Tank, which is a common mix-up, because the best-known zippered bedding pitch on Shark Tank came from a different company entirely.
Is Zipit Bedding Still in Business?
Zipit Bedding was founded by sisters Hayley Carr and Jennifer MacDonald and pitched on Shark Tank in season five. They turned down the offers they received, later licensed the product, and got it into national retailers.
Today the picture looks different. Shark Tank update trackers report that Zipit’s official site and social accounts have gone quiet since around 2021 and that remaining stock is sold mainly by third-party marketplace sellers — signs of a business that is no longer actively trading.
That leaves Beddy’s as the category leader, with smaller sellers and marketplace brands offering generic zip-up sets around it.
What Is Zipper Bedding, Exactly?
Zipper bedding replaces the usual fitted sheet, flat sheet and comforter with a two-piece system. A fitted base goes on the mattress like a normal fitted sheet, and a comforter top attaches to that base with zippers running down both long sides.
To get in, you unzip one or both sides and fold the top back. To make the bed, you zip it up — that’s the whole job, which is why it took off for bunk beds, loft beds and beds shoved against a wall where tucking is miserable.
Most sets include a decorative outer fabric, a soft lining (cotton or minky), and matching pillowcases or shams with flaps that keep pillows tucked. Beddy’s also sells organic zipper sheets and duvet options, and a ZipBase system with replaceable zipper lining pieces to extend the life of a set.
How zipper bedding is washed
It goes in a normal machine — no dry cleaning required. Beddy’s care guidance is to unzip the top from the base and wash the two pieces separately in cold water on a normal cycle, tumble dry low, and use liquid detergent rather than pods or scent beads, which can lodge in the folds.
Splitting the set in two also solves the practical problem: a full zipper bedding set in one piece is a lot of bulk for a home washer. If you want a refresher on layering and fabric choices generally, our complete guide to bedding walks through the basics.
The Real Benefits of Zipper Bedding
The appeal is mostly practical, and it is strongest in the situations that inspired the invention in the first place.
- Bed making takes seconds. One zip, and the bed looks made — the single biggest reason parents buy it.
- Kids can actually do it. No tucking, no straightening a flat sheet that ends up in a knot.
- It works where normal bedding doesn’t. Bunk beds, loft beds, RV bunks, daybeds, captain’s beds and any mattress against a wall.
- Sheets stay put. The bottom sheet is built into the base, so it can’t pull loose in the night.
- Helpful for limited mobility. Less lifting, tucking and walking around the bed to finish the job.
There are trade-offs worth naming. A zipped set is warmer and less adjustable than a loose sheet-and-duvet layer, so hot sleepers often unzip the sides or size up the lining choice — our guide to the best bedding material for hot sleepers is useful here.
Couples who want separate covers also need to think it through, since a single zipped top means shared bedding rather than two duvets. And because the set is bulky, laundry day takes a bit more planning than tossing in a flat sheet.
How to Compare Zipper Bedding Sets
Because one brand dominates and the rest of the market is fragmented, it pays to compare on features rather than logos. These are the details that change how a set feels and how long it lasts.
| What to check |
Why it matters |
| Lining fabric |
Minky is plush and warm; cotton breathes better for warm rooms and summer use. |
| Zipper quality and tabs |
The zipper is the part that gets used daily — chunky teeth and easy-pull tabs age better. |
| Two-sided vs one-sided zips |
Zips down both sides let you get in from either side and vent heat easily. |
| Base construction |
A sewn-in bottom sheet with full-perimeter elastic stays put on deeper mattresses. |
| Washability |
Sets that separate into two pieces fit an ordinary home washer. |
| Replaceable parts |
Replaceable zipper lining panels extend the life of an expensive set. |
Fabric feel is half the decision. If you are weighing minky against cotton or linen, our rundown of cozy bedding materials compares how each one sleeps.
Who Zipper Bedding Suits Best
Zipper bedding is a strong fit for kids’ rooms, shared rooms, bunk and loft setups, RVs and camper bunks, guest rooms that need to look tidy with zero effort, and anyone who finds standard bed making physically awkward.
It’s a weaker fit if you love the ritual of layering quilts and throws, if you and a partner fight over covers, or if you sleep hot and prefer a light flat sheet most of the year. In a maximalist bedroom you can still layer on top of a zipped set — the base just does the tidy work for you.
Brand origin stories are surprisingly useful when you’re shopping, too. If you like knowing who is behind your bedding, see our look at where Dusk Bedding is based.
FAQ
Who invented zipper bedding?
Betsy Mikesell invented the modern version and co-founded Beddy’s with Angie White in Utah, launching the product in 2014. Earlier inventors had patented zip-on bed coverings, but Beddy’s made the format mainstream.
When was Beddy’s founded?
The idea took shape around 2012, the Kickstarter campaign ran in early 2014, and the first customer orders shipped that same year.
Who owns Beddy’s?
Beddy’s remains a privately held, founder-led Utah company. Co-founder Betsy Mikesell serves as chief executive, and there is no public record of the brand being sold to a larger group.
Is zipper bedding patented?
Yes. Beddy’s holds multiple U.S. patents on its design, including U.S. Patent 9,872,575, and other inventors hold earlier patents on related zip-on bedding systems.
Is Zipit Bedding still in business?
It appears not. The company’s website and social channels went inactive in the early 2020s, and remaining products turn up through third-party marketplace sellers rather than the brand itself.
Is zipper bedding good for bunk beds?
That’s exactly what it was designed for. Because there is nothing to tuck, a child can make a top bunk in seconds without climbing around the frame.
Can you wash zipper bedding at home?
Yes. Unzip the top from the base, wash and dry the two pieces separately in cold water with liquid detergent, and tumble dry on low.
The Bottom Line
The answer to who invented zipper bedding is a good reminder that most useful inventions come from someone who got tired of a small daily annoyance. Betsy Mikesell couldn’t make a bunk bed, so she sewed a solution with her mom, patented it with a friend, and built a national brand out of it.
For anyone dealing with bunk beds, RV bunks or a mattress jammed against a wall, zipper bedding still solves the problem better than a stack of loose sheets. Everyone else should weigh the convenience against the warmth and the shared-cover issue before switching.
Updated September 2026.
