Welcome to January, the month of fresh starts and big resolution energy. Have you decided to make any changes in 2023?
Last year, International Sleep Products Association tackled a big goal in 2022 — it planned and executed its first Sustainability Conference in a matter of months. Talk about inspiring. Everyone there had a passion for bringing sustainability to the forefront. Please take a minute and read the wrap-up. So much good information came out of the sessions and conversations with the vendors.
Shaye Hardner, sustainability manager for all of Worthen Industries’ units, attended the conference and got a chance to learn more about the bedding industry’s efforts.
“I was excited to see the level of interest in sustainability,” she said in an email. “The whole supply chain needs to work together to develop circular solutions, and it was great to hear the conversations among different parts of the supply chain sharing information and explaining why things are done in certain ways that either help or hinder circularity. Understanding each other’s goals, challenges, and sticking points will be key to ensuring that one part of the chain doesn’t make changes that unintentionally cause problems further down the line.”
Paolo Campitelli of Savare shared a similar perspective. “The invitation to the MRC pre-meeting was an excellent opportunity to understand current challenges and work on concrete projects,” he said. “Involving the entire supply chain to solve specific problems is a fundamental first step towards a possible solution.”
Taking those first steps is the key to moving ahead. As Mike Gallagher said in the Mattress Recycling Council panel, “just make things better.” Start small. But start.
That can be true of something as big as making mattresses more recyclable or as small as a personal goal of getting more organized.
We plan to make a few changes in BedTimes as 2023 progresses, but I hope you enjoy the first change to our Nightcap section in this issue. It’s a chance to get to know the people in our industry a little better. Paul Block was a fantastic person to kick off this Q&A about all things sleep. I mean, that picture of him and his dog, right? If you’d like to be featured in a future issue, let me know at [email protected].
Also, feel free to email me your thoughts about the conference or any resolutions you’ve set for the coming year. I’d love to hear from you. Happy New Year!
