NEVEON, MATR & Betten Eberharter launch Matratzenallianz with Climate Lab

Closing the loop for mattresses in Austria requires the involvement of as many companies as possible along the value chain. The initiators are convinced that individual companies can only offer partial solutions. "A functioning circular economy offers enormous potential for economic, ecological and social improvement. However, in order to implement it, committed cooperation between a wide range of players is required. The founding of the Österreichische Matratzenallianz is therefore of great importance." Helene Pattermann, Innovation Lead for Circularity at the Climate Lab, is convinced. She invites other companies along the mattress value chain to sign the declaration of interest and help shape the future of sustainable sleep.

"We have to get to grips with product design," says Gebhard Ottacher, Managing Director of the Climate Lab, adding: "Today's waste is tomorrow's raw material. At present, many products are difficult to repair or break down into reusable components. Even the recovery of valuable raw materials is often difficult because reuse, repair and recycling are simply not considered in the design. This is where we need to start."  

MATR founder Verena Judmayer also supports this: "Around 80% of the environmental impact of products is already determined in the design phase. It is therefore essential to start right there and bring durable, reusable, repairable and recyclable products onto the market."

"A marketing fee (EPR - extended producer responsibility for short) is already an established means of financing the closed mattress cycle in other countries. It's time we took the appropriate steps here in Austria too," adds Michael Bednarek from NEVEON.