The focus of Bedgear and the Bedgear Foundation is about preserving the natural resources of our planet. We want to bring inspiration and innovation to people around the world and aim to support communities in need across the globe. Today’s consumers want to purchase products from forward-thinking and eco-friendly companies. In today’s business and consumer climate, you also have to be a green humanitarian to succeed.

While the bedding industry is seeing up to 20% return rates for pillows and mattresses, Bedgear has a 1% return rate because of its digital self-service and sales-associated-assisted options to get the consumer fit right the first time.

Sustainability has always been a key consideration for Bedgear. As a result, Bedgear’s breathable pillows and mattresses are engineered to be modular, meaning different components can be replaced, such as the Independent Suspension Units of the M3 Mattresses or even their removable and washable covers, instead of tossing the entire mattress into a landfill. The M3 Mattress not only includes interchangeable Independent Suspension units, but they are also recyclable because of their metal springs. The Independent Suspension units allow the sleeper to decide the level of firmness for each side of the mattress. This interchangeable modular design increases the lifespan of the mattress, thereby keeping more waste out of landfills and reducing the carbon footprint.

Besides creating engaging in-store experiences with retails sales associates, our retail partners also deeply care about reducing the carbon footprint. They are discovering their RSAs are also an extension of their sustainability efforts. The extra few seconds RSAs spend with a shopper to conduct pillow and mattress fittings not only stops feeding the landfill, but also increases customers’ long-term happiness and decreases returns.

In addition, Bedgear relies on recycled materials in our packaging and products to help reduce the carbon footprint. Our packaging can be recycled; the majority of our packaging is in plain brown cardboard boxes that has the recyclable seal on it. One of our policies is to use recycled plastic bottles and repurposed scraps of new foam to compose our pillow fills. Bedgear also recycles tons of cardboard daily and more than 800,000 pounds of petroleum-based foams a year, preventing them from entering landfills. And it won’t stop there.

Stuart Carlitz, president and CEO Bedding Industries of America

We define sustainability as our commitment to using materials that do not have a negative impact on the environment. For example, throughout our manufacturing process we use several all-natural components and recycled raw materials to construct a high-quality product.

Our team at BIA is always trying to find new ways to be sustainable, from how our factories function to how we produce our mattresses. Across our many facilities nationwide, we are utilizing solar panels to produce green energy to limit our carbon footprint and using less harmful components like petroleum based raw materials. Additionally, producing products that can be recycled at the end of their life rather than going into landfills is an important part of our business model.

Talha Cilek, president and CEO Cilek Kids Room

Since our products are manufactured in Turkey, our company follows the high-sustainability standards of the European Union. Our state-of-the-art international production facility is dedicated to reducing our carbon footprint and building a more sustainable future by backing away from hydrocarbons to achieve net zero carbon emissions.

We also look to partner with wood suppliers that are certified with the Forest Stewardship Council, which ensures their products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits.

Looking ahead to 2022, we are investing more than $2 million in solar energy by installing panels on our manufacturing facility. Our goal is to be 90% carbon-free before 2025. Additionally, we have also partnered with Greenspark, a London-based company that plants a tree for every dollar of sales we make through our website.

James Booth, chief operating officer Corsicana Mattress

Corsicana has been developing and implementing a comprehensive sustainability program for our company. We are most proud of the employee-led efforts to treat sustainability as a social responsibility, as well as creating value for our customers.

Some of the examples of our efforts include working with corrugated and plastic suppliers to provide recycled materials, and having strong recycling programs in each of our production facilities.

Another area of focus is on sourcing biodegradable materials and minimizing landfill waste. For example, in our Bartow, Fla., facility we have formed a partnership with NuCycle Energy, an alternative energy company, and we are now able to recycle our end of life clean industrial materials. Through this effort we were able to cut waste reduction by 56%.

NuCycle Energy creates an alternative fuel resource from items that were previously sent to landfills. The facility provides an opportunity for us to redirect waste product into Enviro Fuel Cubes. EFCs are created to reduce the need for traditional fossil fuels and are a cost-effective, cleaner alternative to coal.

Iv Culp, president and CEO Culp Inc.

We’ve been working both before and during the pandemic to advance our sustainability initiatives. We believe that true corporate sustainability is a holistic endeavor, encompassing not only environmental aspects, but also social and corporate governance components. It’s all interconnected.

Within both of our mattress and upholstery fabrics businesses, we are prioritizing development of products that promote and enhance sustainability. Our mattress fabrics division has several yarn technologies in development that offer more sustainable solutions for the environment.  Our LiveSmart Evolve upholstery fabric line utilizing Repreve recycled fibers from Unifi has helped reduce our carbon footprint by upcycling more than 63 million water bottles into our amazing LiveSmart Evolve fabric.

In addition to focusing on the end product, we continue to practice sustainability-focused initiatives regarding our manufacturing processes. All of our U.S. mattress fabric facilities are landfill free, and we have manufacturing plants that utilize both hydro and solar power.

Culp’s holistic approach to sustainability encompasses our efforts to reduce our waste, water usage and carbon emissions. It is investing in our people, helping our local communities and ensuring ethical operations throughout our supply chain. Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. At Culp, we not only want to make products that look good, we want to make products that do good.

Shaun Pennington, president Diamond Mattress

Sustainability is a very important part of how we approach many aspects of our business, from product development to manufacturing processes and efficiencies. From a product perspective, we are offering more sustainable materials and components such as natural latex and certified organic cotton and wool, all of which are in our Natural Ethos collection that debuted in 2021.

In our processes, we are working on an internal audit to begin analyzing and tracking our sustainable processes. Throughout our factories, we have equipment to recycle fabric, foam and cardboard, the materials that provide the greatest impact on our sustainable efforts.

Jon Stowe, managing director E.S. Kluft & Co.

Simply put, we define sustainability as our responsibility to make choices and take decisions that ensure an equal, if not better, way of life for future generations. We approach sustainability in several ways, including environmental sustainability, certifications, community and internal processes.

Environmentally friendly business practices have been part of our DNA since the beginning of our company. We continue to focus on handcrafting mattresses, using natural components and fibers, being sensitive to the impact manufacturing can have on the environment, and working with partners that have the same priorities.

We source the finest materials with an emphasis on local as much as possible. Our mattresses are made of domestic and imported materials with more than 60% of our components being sourced within less than a 50-mile radius of our factories. Not only does this help to reduce our carbon footprint, but also helps to support and sustain other local suppliers, strengthening our local economies.

The materials used in our products meet the highest sustainability standards with certifications from organizations such as the Eco-Institut, Oeko-Tex and CertiPur-US, confirming the materials we use fulfill the strictest requirements on pollutants and emissions, are free of harmful substances and meet high performance and durability requirements.

We also are currently working on obtaining the Greenguard Gold Certification for our mattresses to certify that they have low chemical emissions. We are planning to get it during the course of 2022. We are also partners with the organization One Tree Planted, to help plant trees after environmental disasters to create a healthier climate and protect habitat for biodiversity.

We take measures to minimize the amount of wastage from hand cutting fabrics, quilted materials and other luxurious components featured in our mattresses. Any materials leftover from these processes are set aside and neatly compiled. We have partnered with local companies that pick up these materials and transform them into cushioning carpet underlay. Not only does this mean our leftover cuttings do not end up in a landfill, but in their new form, these end up providing incredible comfort underfoot in homes and other businesses.

We also follow the same process with all carton and plastic packaging materials that are left over from the manufacturing process to ensure they go to local recyclers and not landfills.

Additionally, our staff is diligent about recycling all paper and plastics in both the factories and the offices. 

Alan Hirschhorn, executive vice president of sales GhostBed

Our approach is to do our best to manufacture and distribute our mattresses in a way that minimizes negative impacts on the environment whenever we can. For example, our new Venus Williams collection that will launch in January at the Las Vegas Market features a sustainable cover that consists of 25% recycled plastic bottles. We are also in the process of developing a foam that will be formulated to use at least 25% of post consumable items.

One of our biggest initiatives has always been to make sure mattresses do not end up in our country’s landfills. Wherever possible, GhostBed donates these mattresses to charities and people in need. Additionally, several of our factories and distribution centers utilize solar panels for their energy needs.

We’ve also taken steps since our business began to reduce our global carbon footprint. Wherever possible we compress our products to maximize load capacity on containers, trains or over the road trucks. We know sustainability is important to our customers and consumers alike, so we are always looking to do more where we can.

John Gant, director of sustainability Glen Raven

We have always believed that putting our people and the planet first is not only the right thing to do but valuable for business as well. Sustainability is a central value at Glen Raven that defines the approach we take to creating long-lasting fabrics that consumers can enjoy for years. All Sunbrella fabrics are manufactured with the utmost care and thought for the environment, are durable, cleanable and retain their color over time.

Glen Raven released its first global Corporate Sustainability Report last year to outline these commitments in-depth. As we continually seek to improve our operations, one focus area is the use of renewable energy that comes from wind, solar or hydroelectric sources, which do not produce fossil-fuel-based greenhouse gas emissions. We plan to be powered by 100% certified renewable electricity by 2025.

We also have a goal to use five times more recycled raw materials by that time. We will introduce new fabrics with post-consumer yarns and seek new opportunities to replace virgin materials with recycled materials.

Another ongoing initiative to reduce and repurpose waste is our Recycle My Sunbrella program. Through Recycle My Sunbrella, we have recycled nearly 1 million pounds of fabric and will work closely with our partners to recycle an additional 1 million pounds by 2025.

As part of our global expansion plan, we are investing in equipment that uses less energy and provides enhanced flexibility, and we are seeking new opportunities to utilize the latest sustainable technologies and advancements.

Anne Smith, chief administrative officer, president of domestic upholstery Hooker Furnishings

Hooker Furnishings is always looking to enhance our corporate social responsibility initiatives. To us, sustainability is defined by our commitment to preserving our community so our families, friends and consumers — present and future — have a healthier place to live. We’ve approached this by looking at our company both internally and externally and seizing every opportunity to make a better impact.

Earlier this year, we assembled an internal employee council called Community Action and Responsibility for our Environment to spearhead new initiatives, such as joining the Dan River Basin Association to provide assistance to local habitats.

While our buildings and company vehicles are being enhanced to have a lower carbon impact, we also take a human approach to sustainability by developing dedicated teams at every location to be actively involved in initiatives. Globally, we take proactive approaches with vendor partners and focus on how sustainability is built into our selection processes.

Recently, Hooker Furnishings partnered with Virginia Tech to begin measuring our company’s carbon footprint. Over time, this will help us develop innovative strategies to further enhance our sustainability approach moving forward, which we are very excited to do.

David Binke, CEO King Koil

King Koil has always been a proponent of sustainability. We define the concept as being environmentally conscious in our efforts so we can be good corporate citizens and help preserve the planet and its natural resources. To date, our approach has been to recycle materials whenever possible for items such as paper, cardboard, plastics and fabrics. We have also installed environmentally friendly lighting in our facilities and incorporate eco-friendly decision-making and behaviors into our corporate culture. But we recognize there is more to be done.

Sustainability is a very timely topic for us right now as it is a big part of our strategy agenda for 2022. Our plan is to build on the foundation we already have and embed sustainability into our DNA so that it is integrated into every aspect of what we do. We are currently collaborating with one of our foreign licensees that has done a lot of work in this area and are planning a trip overseas to get a closer look at what they are doing to see what makes sense for us.

Ultimately, our goal is to make everything within the mattresses we manufacture 100% sustainable, from the core to the ticking. There is a lot to learn and a lot to consider in terms of testing and state regulations, and we know it will take time, but we are committed because we believe it is the right thing to do. We don’t want to just talk the talk. If we’re going to do this, we want to do it right and actually walk the walk.

Frank Hood, president and CEO Kingsdown Group

Our most central core value is delivering well-being for those around us. The Kingsdown Group takes pride in the sustainable sourcing of natural materials such as organic cotton, Joma wool, Canadian lumber and coil systems made from recycled steel — all responsibly sourced from renewable sources. It also helps us and our retail partners rest more easily at night to know that we are advancing our sustainable practices by continually pursuing energy efficiency, carbon footprint reduction, and low-impact processes.

We care about the communities within which we operate and conduct comprehensive recycling programs in every facility across our global manufacturing, distribution, and administrative networks. This global network also reduces our environmental impact through reduced transportation activity. Additionally, The Kingsdown Group proudly operates in accordance with the Mattress Recycling Council and the Forest Stewardship Council.

Matt Harrison, president Kuka Home North America

Sustainability is an effort to mitigate environmental impacts for future generations.

Specific retailers are very much involved in the sustainability story and continue to ask for more and more products. It tends to be the higher-end retailers or dot-com retailers that want the story to back up the product. At Kuka we have several products with the story and warranty in it.

Evi Brilleman, vice president of marketing and business development Latexco

As a global manufacturer and supplier to the world’s leading bedding brands, Latexco has been at the forefront of sustainable products and business development for decades. We prioritize minimizing the environmental impact of our activities, and our commitment to sustainability is backed by our actions to ensure transparency and traceability.

Latexco US has invested in the arduous process of obtaining FSC and GOLS (Global Organic Latex Standard) certifications for our 100% natural foam products. The FSC certification ensures the latex was harvested from responsibly managed rubber plantations, and the GOLS certification means the latex has been organically grown progressively over time. Both are socially justifiable, environmentally friendly, and fully traceable from the source of the raw materials through our production processes to the finished product.

Our patented SonoCore technology used in making our natural Pulse products applies radio frequency technology instead of conventional freezing techniques and steam heating and drying, thereby significantly reducing energy use while producing an ultrasoft yet more durable latex foam.

Latexco US continuously partners with organizations that are committed to the same sustainability goals. During the development process, we constantly look at how we can make the finished products more sustainable (and where possible recyclable) by using not only natural FR barriers, but also natural mattress fabrics and other renewable resources that perfectly match with our NaturalFoam products.

Latexco’s manufacturing facilities worldwide have reduced energy consumption by nearly 50% through investments in new technology, installation of solar panels and use of 100% certified green energy where possible. We’ve invested in advanced wastewater recycling technology and innovated an industry award-winning water purification technique to work with a closed loop water circuit. Latexco Solutions is a subsidiary that converts latex waste into new, useful products for a variety of other industries, reusing 4,000 tons of waste per year.

Bryan Tickle, sales director Leigh Fibers

Leigh Fibers defines sustainability as an environmental friendly use of textile waste by-products that would otherwise be sent to the landfill. With our recycling processes we can take this waste material from our customers and create engineered recycled fibers that can be used back in that same customer’s product. By doing this we create a green circular sustainability program.

Our approach to this at Leigh Fibers is called landfill diversion. We take post-industrial waste products that would otherwise go to the landfill and use it to make 100% recycled fibers for a multitude of markets and applications.

With our new partnership with Tidal Vison we now have the ability to add a 100% natural and eco-friendly antimicrobial chemistry treatment to our fibers directly or supply green chemistry solutions for application to our customer’s products.

Jim Goergen, CEO Martin Furniture

Sustainability is more of an internal issue and more of a selling issue. We should all care about giving back. I don’t care if I sell another piece of furniture if I believe that. I’m not doing it because it is the right thing, not because it’s going to help my business. Plus, we are CARB 2 compliant.

Sustainability is important in terms of a company’s identity, but you don’t get paid for it. It’s part of our DNA to be a responsible corporate citizen. (And) consumers care.

Chris Bradley, executive vice president of consumer products NCFI

For NCFI, sustainability means analyzing all of our processes from raw material sourcing to manufacturing methods to distribution and delivery of the final product. That analysis includes evaluating the true net environmental benefit of any changes and assuring the change has no negative impact on the product or our customers. There is plenty of low-hanging fruit like converting fork lifts to electric power, purchasing highly fuel efficient vehicles and using recycled plastics and cardboards where available.

Our main initiative has been the inclusion of natural oil polyols, at industry leading levels, in the production of our products. We believe this is the area in which we, and our industry, can have the biggest impact on sustainability and why we have been leading the efforts to include renewable content as a CertiPur-US category.

Rion Morgenstern, CEO Pleasant Mattress

We define sustainability as the need to reduce our carbon footprint, including waste reduction, and the value of eco-friendly initiatives, which we have integrated into our daily practices. We have a strong, environmentally focused culture and have always worked to integrate sustainability efforts into our business practices, so we can all move closer to a greener future that diminishes the threat of global warming and improves the environment for us and future generations.

Our entire team has a sincere interest in reducing our carbon footprint, as well as any negative impact the mattress manufacturing process has on the environment. Last year, we began the first phase of our transition to implement lean manufacturing principles in our operations, which allowed us to execute solutions meant to be sustainable. During the second half of 2021, the focus has been on accelerating this effort. The benefits garnered have led to further operational improvements that not only benefit the environment but have also enabled us to increase quality and efficiency, which has helped our dealer partners meet continued demand for our products.

Earlier this year we became the first U.S.-based manufacturer to receive the Sleep Products Sustainability Program certification from the Mattress Recycling Council. Since starting the program, Pleasant has already verified a 10% reduction in energy used as well as a 10% reduction in waste generated. This certification reinforces our dedication to environmental sustainability and our community.

Scott Tesser, CEO Precision Textiles

We define sustainability as being environmentally conscious and doing the best we can to aide in preventing the depletion of the earth’s resources. As a global manufacturer and responsible citizens, we feel it is our duty to make a positive impact and protect the resources entrusted to us to help preserve our environment.

We have an environmental sustainability program and practice environmentally conscious manufacturing methods whenever possible, while striving to implement green initiatives to share with our customers. Our research and development team is committed to expanding our line of eco-friendly products, and our green solutions reduce the demands we put on our physical world.

Being environmentally conscious is not just a catch phrase for Precision. We use solar energy panels at our New Jersey headquarters, which reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We also successfully designed and engineered a custom system for our drying process that reduces gas consumption usage by 15%. In September, on Zero Emissions day, we shut down our manufacturing plant for eight hours to reduce carbon emissions from the atmosphere to give the planet a break. During the shutdown we saved a total of 13,600 kilowatts of electricity and 40 MMBTUs of natural gas preventing a combined total of more than 17,000 pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere.

Our sustainability team is constantly thinking outside the box to come up with innovative ways to minimize carbon emissions, reduce other pollutants and create sustainable products that can help preserve the planet. In doing so we know it will help us all breath better and save precious natural resources for generations to come.

Sarah Surace, lead designer Regal Fabrics

Sustainability is an ever-evolving subject. As we grow and become more educated as a company and as individuals, its definition also grows. It is development and practices that not only work for the present time but also work for the future of our company, our community, and our world. Sustainability has many facets; it can be about environmental, economic, or societal concerns.

Sustainability is about thinking broader and being aware of the changes that are happening around us and our industry, not just in leaps and bounds but also incrementally.

It makes good business sense for our company to think and work with sustainability in mind, and learning about new sustainable initiatives and developments is exciting. Our new brand, Kindred by Regal Fabrics, represents a new chapter in our sustainability journey. With natural and recycled materials at its core, we endeavor to address some of the environmental concerns facing our future. At Regal Fabrics, we’re committed to viewing decisions through a sustainability lens, and to making the more sustainable choice whenever possible.

Bob McCarthy, managing director of retail Resident Home

As Resident is still a relatively young company, we still are developing a strategy for improving sustainability across all our brands. Recently we have implemented a program where we donate mattresses to families in need, as well as partnering with reverse logistics specialists to minimize products going to landfill.

Second, we launched a carbon offset program in the U.K., which we will bring to the U.S. in 2022.

Third, we are focused on U.S. production on a lot of our products, this helps limit the amount of our products on the ocean.

Hopefully, later in 2022, we can discuss some other new exciting initiatives that we have planned.

Laurie Tokarz, president Restonic Mattress

We define sustainability as conducting business with as little negative impact on the environment as possible. Some of the ways that we have embraced this within the factories are  by using LED lighting systems; motion sensor lighting systems; recycled steel innersprings; CertiPUR-US foam, which does not deplete the ozone; and fuel efficient transportation systems.

Additionally, we are using more wood in foundations than steel — wood being a renewable, biodegradable product — and we recycle our waste of fabrics and ticks. We continue to work to reduce impacts on the environment, and to finds ways to make improvements as well.

Alex Shuford III, CEO Rock House Family Brands

For the Rock House Family Brands, sustainability is embodied in our local approach to manufacturing and our passion to create product that endures.  Our ownership and management lives within the community that our factories operate, and so protecting our environment is personal.

Our furniture is crafted of a quality that means it can be enjoyed by families for decades and so remain in homes and not in landfills.

Bill Hammer, president Shifman Mattresses

Sustainability has always been part of the Shifman Mattresses philosophy even before it was a popular concept. Because of this and our commitment to sourcing the finest materials and imploring the best techniques to craft our products, sustainability has been at our core.

Natural products comprise the majority of our premium quality components. Cotton has been a primary upholstery material in our products for 129 years. Cotton is grown in fields, picked and re-harvested, and recyclable. The wood in our handmade mattresses come from sustainable forests in Canada, a source country with quality raw materials and eco-conscious practices that also shortens the transport of raw materials.

We minimize landfill waste by recycling natural material scraps back into the factory wherever possible maintaining our quality and efficiencies. For example, we bail and recycle all cardboard; build pallets from wood scraps; reintroduce into production cotton scraps.

By crafting the finest handmade mattresses with sustainable materials, we are creating a product that provides longer-lasting comfort and significantly extends its lifespan which reduces the carbon footprint.

Nick Bates, president Spring Air International

The management of issues related to the environment such as energy efficiency, waste management and green product development is how Spring Air International defines sustainability. Our approach is to do our best to conduct business in a way that minimizes negative impacts on the environment whenever and wherever possible.

For example, all the coils we use to manufacture our mattresses are made from recycled steel. We conserve resources and recycle items such as cardboard and plastic regularly, so it doesn’t end up in landfills and pollute the environment. Also, all our manufacturing facilities recycle 100% of their waste, such as scraps of foam and fabrics.

Recycling is a great start in terms of being part of the solution, but there’s more that can be done. At Spring Air, we are mindful of the need to develop products that are environmentally sustainable. One of the reasons we developed Nature’s Rest was to answer the call for more natural based products. Nature’s Rest is a collection of mattresses constructed with all-natural Talalay latex and linen, a natural, biodegradable resource. It’s a sustainable product that has been certified as environmentally friendly by Eco-Institut, an international organization that tests indoor products for emissions and pollutants. It has been extremely popular with consumers who are looking for a healthier night’s sleep through mattresses that include sustainable components.

Another example of green product development from our research and development team is Nature’s Choice. With this line we replaced the latex cores from Nature’s Rest with foam cores and encased coils, yet still used latex as a comfort layer, ensuring a natural element was included in the line. For those consumers who are environmentally conscious but don’t have the budget to buy an all-natural brand, Nature’s Choice still gives them a sense of satisfaction knowing it has green elements in it at a price they can afford.

We are committed to utilizing our research and development resources to continue to develop products that are sustainable. Our goal is to operate our business in an environmentally responsible manner whenever possible and continue to look for ways to improve that will make a positive impact on the environment.

Scott Thompson, chairman and CEO Tempur Sealy

At Tempur Sealy, sustainability means operating a world-class bedding business while minimizing our impact on the environment and having a positive impact on the communities we operate in. We have enlisted our characteristic innovative spirit and thinking in our approach to sustainability and environmental initiatives.

This focus is not new or short-term; we have been focused on sustainability for years. Just like we are the leader in global bedding, we aim to be the leader in environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) in our sector. Our efforts have so far resulted in more than 91% of waste being recycled in our wholly owned North American operations; recycling 94% of the Tempur-Pedic products returned to us; a commitment to sourcing 100% of our energy from renewable sources in our wholly owned U.S. and European manufacturing locations; and investments of more than $5 million this past year alone in solar panels that provide the electricity needs of our Albuquerque, N.M., Tempur-Pedic plant.

In addition, we have donated more than $100 million in products, cash and stock over the past 10 years.

As we look to the future, we are on track toward our goal of zero landfill waste by the end of 2022 at our wholly owned U.S. and European manufacturing facilities and achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 through continued reduction in greenhouse gas emissions at our wholly owned manufacturing and logistics operations.

We also know that sustainability extends to our people and the communities we operate in. Our efforts include charitable giving and community engagement, investing in our workforce to promote health and safety, training and developing future leaders, and promoting diversity and inclusiveness. To put the overall importance of ESG to Tempur Sealy in perspective, our board of directors has tied a portion of companywide incentive plans to the achievement of specific ESG initiatives to be undertaken each year.

Susan Mathes, vice president of brand relations Therapedic International

We are cognizant of the increasing efforts to balance the health of our planet and natural resources with the way we live and work. We are also well aware that this topic is of increasing interest to all generations, in particular among the Millennial and Gen Z communities.

At Therapedic, we strive to stay educated on ways we can positively impact not only our businesses, but (also) the consumers and communities in which we operate. As a licensing group with many factories of varying sizes and capabilities, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

Our factories are focusing first on areas in which they can make the most impact, including but not limited to reducing waste while generating operational efficiencies; programs and processes for recycling scrap foam, cardboard, and plastic; making their factories more energy efficient with LED bulbs, which we also are doing with lighting in our Las Vegas showroom; continually increasing use of certified materials such as GOLS, which some factories already use; and, educating dealers on mattress recycling and providing information about programs within their territory.

On the product front, we are exploring ways in which our natural latex line PureTouch can be expanded into the top of bed arena with a sustainable story to complement the many other traditional offerings already in the marketplace from Therapedic.

To be successful, sustainability must be approached thoughtfully as a long-term vision, not a short-term fix. Each of our factories is looking at what is working for them currently as well as what process and material changes can be made over a longer period of time to positively impact the way in which resources are handled in relation to the impact on the environment and society while ensuring that safe working conditions are considered.              

Lisa Cody, senior vice president of marketing Twin Star Home

At Twin Star Home, we are laser focused on understanding our consumer segments and what’s important to them and why. Saving energy has always ranked high on the list of benefits they prioritize when purchasing an electric fireplace.

Several of the innovations and features on our electric fireplaces tie back to more efficient uses of energy in a cleaner, greener way than traditional fireplaces. Programmable thermostats and timers provide consumers with total control over regulating the level and length of time for heating. Supplemental zone heating allows consumers to turn down their thermostat and add heat when and where they need it versus heating an entire home with central heating.

Our electric fireplaces are eco-friendly and energy efficient and don’t emit any emissions or other hazardous by-products like smoke or ash. They don’t require any venting or gas lines either.

In our messaging, we highlight how our electric fireplaces provide supplemental zone heating, which heats the room they’re in versus heating an entire home through central heating. Not only does this save energy, but it also provides the opportunity for consumers to save money, which is also important to them.

Nicole Meier, director of branding Ultrafabrics

At Ultrafabrics, we have a multi-faceted strategy that considers product quality and health, material innovation, transparency and accountability. Driving this is the overall mission to pioneer socially conscious materials without sacrificing on incomparable comfort and superior performance.

We define socially conscious materials as those that are animal-free, conserve resources and protect the wellbeing of both people and planet, which is what we have always created since the company started almost 23 years ago. But being animal-free, or “vegan leather,” is just one piece of the sustainability equation and the beginning of our journey. As a premium ingredient brand that works with partners in more than 10 different industries, we understand the integral role we play in our customer’s journeys and the commitments they make to their customers. So we work collaboratively with them, constantly sharing our learnings and new insights, while being open and honest along the way.

At the end of the day Ultrafabrics makes polyurethane fabrics, which has its own perceptions and hurdles to overcome, that are out of our control. So, we are currently focused on key areas that we can make the most impact, while hopefully inspiring change across our industry.

For example, in the area of material innovation, three years ago we introduced our first biobased collection, Volar Bio, which has a 29% biobased construction certified by the USDA BioPreferred program. It’s been such an exciting and well-received product for us because not only is it beautiful and incredibly soft, but the performance attributes remain at the same high standard of our other collections. Reducing our dependence on finite resources will continue to be a priority. Our goal is for our entire portfolio to contain at least 50% renewable and/or recycled resources by 2030.  We have some exciting things on the horizon in order to reach that target.

Another area we are focusing on is waste diversion, which we are achieving though our material donation program, Mottainai, the Japanese concept of finding value in waste. We have been able to donate tens of thousands of yards to nationwide charities and schools since 2018. Ultrafabrics materials are designed to last, so we support the growing notion of quality over quantity, and our materials can be reused in so many creative ways.

We are also making strides in reducing our water use at our Japanese mill. Finally, and most relevant these days, we are focusing on emissions reductions and are currently evaluating various reduction pathways we can take in order to set an achievable science-based reduction target.

Patrick Shelton, vice president of sales Valdese Weavers

Valdese Weavers commitment to sustainability spans across our processes, products, and people. We are constantly evaluating our manufacturing processes and investing in equipment that reduces our energy consumption and lessens our environmental impact.

Our sustainable product portfolio is expansive and includes decorative fabrics made from pre-consumer recycled materials (such as cotton) and post-consumer recycled materials (such as polyester). In 2020 alone, Valdese Weavers repurposed over 46,650,0000 recycled plastic bottles into woven fabric.

We have incorporated ocean stewardship into our sustainable commitment through our partnership with The Seaqual Initiative. Seaqual works with ocean clean ups around the world to bring value to the marine waste they recover. Our new Seaqual|InsideOut Performance Fabrics collection launched at Showtime in November 2021 and joins Sustain Performance Fabrics as another sustainable performance fabric option for our customers.

Our people are our greatest asset and as a 100% ESOP company, we are focused on a sustainable investment in our community through volunteerism, diversity and inclusion.

Furniture Today covers all the news concerning manufacturers, retailers and suppliers in the home furnishings sector.

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