Company History
In 1991, Bill Schmid and his wife suffered an unspeakable tragedy when they lost their infant daughter, Haley, to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), which is the sudden, unexplained death of a seemingly healthy infant up to an age of one year. In the United States each year, SIDS is the cause of death for approximately 2,500 children, making it the leading cause of death in otherwise healthy babies after one month of age. While there are several theories about the potential causes of SIDS, a known risk factor includes the baby’s sleeping environment.
As an engineer, Schmid devoted himself to finding new and creative ways to address these risks, which are primarily centered around loose bedding in the crib. Bedding can bunch up around a baby’s nose and mouth, potentially causing dangerous re-breathing of carbon dioxide. While the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission has issued warnings against loose bedding in the crib, many parents are unsure about how to keep their baby comfortable and safe.
With these risks in mind, Schmid formed HALO Innovations and created the Active-Airflow™ crib mattress and the SleepSack™ wearable blanket. The SleepSack™ wearable blanket is intended to eliminate the likelihood that a baby can get entangled with clothing and loose bedding during sleep; it's sleeveless and is worn over pajamas or a bodysuit to take the place of loose blankets.
Since its launch, the HALO® SleepSack™ brand has become the nation’s best selling wearable blanket for babies, and is the only product to carry the First Candle/SIDS Alliance #1 Safe Sleep Product gold seal. The use of wearable blankets has been suggested by the American Academy of Pediatrics for reducing the risk of SIDS. It’s currently sold in national retail stores, online e-tailers, children’s catalogs and specialty retail outlets. Popularity has prompted Schmid and HALO Innovations to extend the HALO® SleepSack™ product line, offering the SleepSack™ Swaddle wearable blanket for newborns and the Big Kid’s SleepSack™ wearable blanket for children age two and older.
HALO Innovations has expanded beyond wearable blankets to also devote itself to providing a healthier and safer sleeping environment for people of all ages. The company also produces the HALO® Active-Airflow™ Crib Mattress, the only ventilated airflow crib mattress in the world. This revolutionary product has incredible technology that combines airflow and filtration creating a purified breathing zone. In addition to ridding the air of airborne allergens for children, the mattress is the only product proven to reduce the risk of "rebreathing" for infants, a condition associated with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Rebreathing is a common condition when a baby rebreathes their own exhaled carbon dioxide. It accounts for nearly 30% of all SIDS deaths.
HALO Innovations also created an entirely original technique for providing nighttime allergy sufferers with allergen-free air, for older children and adults, the PureNight® Pure Air System. This product is the first-ever purifying system that gently flows air directly around individuals while they sleep, creating an envelope of 99 percent pure, allergen-free air within one’s immediate sleep environment.
HALO Innovations develops products that set new standards for the safety and improved health of sleep environments and brings peace of mind to it's customers.
A percentage of HALO Innovations’ profits are donated to First Candle/SIDS Alliance to fund ongoing SIDS research, education and family support. For more information, visit www.halosleep.com.
