TLDR:
Keep talking about Sustainability in your company for products and processes
Making incremental changes can make a big difference over time
Evaluate how being eco-friendly can be financially beneficial on things like Solar, LED, and new materials like Microcoils™, Hemp Foam™, Natrual Latex, etc.
It was Bedhead Marketing's first trip to ISPA Sustainability Conference and we learned a lot! Here's a few takeaways:
1) There's a big category push toward the circular economy. Recycling and up-cycling is a big topic.
The ability to track components with RFID tagging (Like the ones from R3) help to identify components inside the mattress which allow recycling groups to assign a value to those materials and make a determination on value.
Product up-cycling for reusing textiles is critical as there's a finite amount of raw materials the planet has to produce.
Popularity increasing for using layers like microcoils, glueless coils and tufting options can help reduce the amount of "non-recyclable" materials in a bed.
2) Sustainability ESG's are a big topic in the US, but in Europe is much more established in our category. Companies like Harrison Spinks grows their own hemp, wool, makes their own coils and doesn't use foams e.g. But it's not just products, it's processes that are also part of the total Sustainability Scoring.
Energy Utilization: The kinds of energy we consume can help move the needle, from alternative options and even longer/less energy consuming lighting like LEDs. We have recently helped a bedding manufacturer acquire a $200k industrial solar unit (through a program that was funded through grants and tax credits by the government) that will save them 65% on their energy costs while being more eco-friendly. We can actually help with this one. Email us at info@bedheadmarketing.com
Packaging: Being able to utilize recycled packing materials with less packaging (like bundles vs individual product packages) are a key area
Programs: Companies are providing mattress recycling opportunities for customers, repurposing comfort-exchange beds, donating to tree-planting (reforestation) programs with beds sold, and more.
3) Hemp Foam™ has a big place in the sustainability conversation as it's a process that removes 2% - 10% of petroleum-based Polyol from foams (which take lifetimes to biodegrade) with a natural fiber that is both durable and biodegrades in weeks when composted! The product is not only cost neutral to Polyol, but also can improve performance in particular KPIs of the material and is the most eco-friendly crop to grow. Learn more here
ISPA has shown in a poll previously about the growing generational demand for more green-friendly products. The key here is that the product has to perform at par to it's competing products, otherwise the scales are tipped back toward those performance-based products.
