Target bets on buzzy TikTok brands like Mellow Sleep to revamp its home category

Mellow Sleep’s products will be available at 550 Target stores starting October 18, then nationwide by year’s end. The five-product Mellow Sleep collection’s prices range from $39.99 for Mellow Sleep’s best-selling CloudAlign pillow to $129.99 for its Marshmallow Comforter. 

Mellow Sleep isn’t the only brand Target is bringing into home to inject some excitement into the category. Target’s annual home sales dropped by $1.09 billion, a 6.5% drop, in fiscal year 2025. This decline has been ongoing for the retailer, with 2025 being the third consecutive year the home category’s sales dropped by more than $1 billion, per Home Textile Today.

This fall, Target reintroduced the popular ’90s bedding brand Shabby Chic to a new generation under the new moniker Simply Shabby Chic. The relaunch capitalizes on Shabby Chic’s nostalgic vintage floral aesthetic that was all the rage during the 1990s. Target also just launched a collaboration with creator Annie Meyers-Shyer, known for her viral This Oak House Instagram account.

As part of the new home merchandising overhaul, Target also just announced it cut prices by an average of 15% on its refreshed private-label bedding assortment.  

Mellow Sleep co-founder Chad Keller told GNReport the company is hoping its TikTok success will translate into on-shelf sales at Target, and in turn help boost sales in the bedding category for the retailer. “We know there are different segments of shoppers that buy in person versus what they see on TikTok or Meta or other social channels,” he said.

Keller said that Target reached out to the brand last spring, less than a year after the brand launched on TikTok Shop and through a DTC website. “There are so many consumers in the U.S. now that are addicted to TikTok and TikTok Shop,” Keller said. “So why wouldn’t Target capitalize on the brands that have big presences over there?” 

Mellow Sleep co-founder Jay Yue added that Target’s buyer who reached out happened to already be a fan of Mellow Sleep’s products. “She feels strongly about betting big on Mellow being amongst the big home brands in the next couple of years,” he said, adding that the brand will be exclusive at the retailer for the time being.

Mellow Sleep is known for pastel branding, and for the Target launch, Mellow Sleep has invested in custom end caps to act as focal points, featuring clouds and the Mellow logo against lavender color blocking. “There’s a lot of neutral sheets up and down the aisles, so we hope ours will stand out,” Keller said.

Barry Thomas, senior retail thought leader at Kantar, said that when it comes to homeware shopping, many people look for inspiration well before they walk into a store. 

“Today, it’s not uncommon for consumers to turn to social media or their favorite AI assistant to search for a specific look or vibe, rather than a specific retail category or piece of homeware,” he said. That means brands and retailers have to make sure they persistently show up in AI results and on social media, and stay top of mind for consumers before they head to stores.

Thomas said the challenge for Target, as it brings in startup brands like Mellow Sleep and executes the reintroduction of the Simply Shabby Chic range, is to do so with that shopping journey in mind. 

For example, Thomas said, “Many Target shoppers will already have an emotional connection to Simply Shabby Chic, but having a beloved brand name will only get a brand so far.” Seeing how Target can turn a nostalgic moment into a steady new stream of revenue will be the biggest challenge for the retailer, he said.

Keller said he believes Mellow Sleep will do its part in bringing a new boost of sales and excitement to Target’s home category. “We believe that our branding within the market and the virality that we have can be memorable,” Keller said.