ISPA’s third Sustainability Conference explores practical solutions to evolving issues in mattress circularity.
Allen Platek of Tempur Sealy International Inc., Ryan Trainer of ISPA and MRC, and Evi Brilleman of John Marshall & Co.
Environmental impact is always top of mind at the ISPA Sustainability Conference, but this year, the environment proved impossible to ignore.
The 2024 International Sleep Products Association Sustainability Conference took place in the shadow of Hurricane Helene, the Category 4 Atlantic hurricane that made landfall on Sept. 26, causing widespread destruction across the Southeastern United States. Between workgroups and presentations, attendees discussed the storm and huddled over their phones, anxiously awaiting updated storm forecasts and checking flight schedules and monitoring any potential impacts to their facilities and staff. In the days following the conference, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell directly attributed the severity of the storm to climate change — punctuating the importance of the work of those attending the Sustainability Conference and the industry’s environmental initiatives.
More than 170 bedding and equipment manufacturers, suppliers and recyclers from around the world braved the elements to attend the conference, with more than 115 participating in the Industry Workgroup on Circular Design on Sept. 25. And despite the storm raging outside the Hilton Charlotte Uptown in Charlotte, North Carolina, not even
Helene could dampen the enthusiasm for this year’s conference: 97% of attendees who completed a survey at the end of the event said they would return to another Sustainability Conference — hopefully, under better weather conditions.
Diverse Voices, Shared Goals
The reasons attendees gave for traveling to the two-day event were as diverse and unique as their respective backgrounds.
Silvia Galasso, executive vice president of Cartersville, Georgia-based Piana Sleep, the bedding division of Piana Technology, said she came to support her company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and the integration of circular economy principles into the mattress lifecycle to eliminate landfill waste. “It’s good to see the new trends, stay up to date with the new regulations, materials and products that bedding companies are putting out there,” Galasso said. “It’s really good to see an increasing awareness in the industry about sustainability, sustainable practices and recycling. I hope to see this conference grow a lot in the future, and that more manufacturers and industry suppliers take part in it.”
Kylie Roberts-Frost, CEO of the Australian Bedding Stewardship Council, was attending for the first time. She was on the lookout for ways to handle the recycling of pocketed coils. “That’s a big reason to come here,” she said. “There’s really great recycling machinery — we don’t have anything like that in Australia,” she said.
Like many who came to share solutions, Roberts-Frost brought a sample of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic that can be used for light bed bases in emergency shelters. “At the end of life, we take it back, shred it and make an entirely new bed base, so it’s a full closed loop,” she said.
Phillip Glover, vice president of operations for Greenville, South Carolina-based organic cotton supplier Organics and More, had been to each conference. He looked forward to partnering with others in the industry as they figure out solutions to various sustainability issues. “There are no simple answers but we’re hoping to at least be a part of the solution if we can,” he said. “We’re another voice at the table. The more people at the table, the different viewpoints — it’s always helpful.”
Glover also said networking was a key reason he has attended every year. “I’m seeing some folks I haven’t seen before and that tells me what ISPA is trying to do through this conference is starting to work,” he said. “You’re exposing more people to the issues and potential solutions.”
Navigating the Circular Economy
On the first day, ISPA hosted a pre-conference seminar on circular design principles with Melissa Bilec, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. It laid the groundwork for the Mattress Recycling Council’s Industry Workgroup on Circular Design, which met in the afternoon.
Nearly 115 people — representing many members of the value chain including companies from chemical manufacturers to recycling companies — attended the afternoon workgroup, which provided an opportunity for attendees to dive deep into the mechanics of the circular economy within the mattress industry.
Attendees chose among four breakout sessions: design for disassembly, waste reduction across the value chain, circular fabrication materials and identifying barriers to circularity.
Spirited discussions in each group led to identifying concerns and potential solutions for each of the four topics. As participants regrouped to share their findings, a few common themes emerged. Collaboration across the value chain — connecting manufacturers, suppliers, recyclers and retailers — was identified as crucial to making real progress in circularity. Attendees also agreed that a unified approach to product labeling, which would allow consumers and recyclers to easily identify materials used in the construction of bedding products, could help improve sustainability efforts.
“The enthusiasm from all sectors of the mattress industry was inspiring,” said Justine Fallon, vice president of operations for MRC. “It’s clear that manufacturers, suppliers and recyclers are ready to collaborate on innovative solutions to extend the life cycle of products and enhance sustainability. … Mattress manufacturers and suppliers are natural innovators, and I am confident that the ISPA Sustainability Conference will ignite creative and lasting ideas to push circularity forward within the industry.”
Kevin Daly, president and CEO of Baltimore-based recycler Turbo Haul, said he found the conversations “extremely valuable” and was impressed to see that attendees were united in their commitment to the purpose of the conference. “Everyone here is very open to discussion, ideas, solutions, partnerships,” he said. “You have a really excellent esprit de corps, even though there are competitors. What we’re dealing with in this industry is really difficult. I think everybody just sees that. So, egos get put aside.”
Industry Experts Share Insights
The second day of the conference kicked off with a mattress industry insider — Joseph Lowery, circularity director for Richmond, Virginia-based Carpenter Co. He walked attendees through Carpenter’s sustainability model, then challenged them to “try new things.” While Carpenter’s model represented a comprehensive case study, Lowery explained each company has to find the process that works for their unique needs. “There is no direct roadmap,” he said.
Lowery was followed by Lindsay Brewer, an associate at Washington, D.C.-based Covington & Burling LLP, who presented real-world examples that illustrated greenwashing, which is the practice of making a product appear more environmentally friendly than it is. To avoid the misleading and potentially fraudulent implications of greenwashing, companies must be able to support their environmental claims, both specific and implied, she said.
and Joe Lowery of Carpenter Co.
Scott Laughlin, project manager for UL Solutions, headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, continued the conversation around greenwashing. Because greenwashing is on the rise, Laughlin showed the value of securing independent, third-party certifications of environmental claims to protect the best interests of companies and consumers.
Next, Andrew Hackman, a lobbyist for Boston-based Serlin Haley LLP, gave attendees a glimpse into what may be coming down the legislative pipeline in the next five years. PFAS and other chemicals of concern, as well as microplastics, are all issues to pay close to attention to if used in products or manufacturing processes. Hackman also indicated that trends of environmental regulations and legislation have been shifting from the federal government to state and local legislatures.
After lunch, the conference resumed with Mike Gallagher, director of research and innovation for MRC, sharing some promising research and emerging technologies that might help improve the development and circularity of post-consumer mattress materials. “The knowledge in this room can create a circular economy — you don’t need anyone else,” he said. “All we need is an action plan and a vision. … The ball’s in your court.”
Next, a panel discussion led by outgoing ISPA President Ryan Trainer; Tobias Kirchoff, founder and CEO of Munster, Germany-based Variowell Development; and Frederik Lawwaert, managing director for European Bedding Industries in Brussels, Belgium, explored European sustainability practices and perspectives.
The day’s packed schedule concluded with Betsy Dutrow, manager of Energy Star Industrial, a program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Dutrow presented strategies, practices and free federal programs to drive down energy costs by partnering with Energy Star.
Alison Keane, president of ISPA and MRC, closed the conference by encouraging attendees to continue moving forward.
“Sustainability is not just one thing. It’s a journey,” she said. “I’m really excited to take all the learning from all the speakers and all the discussions that we had and make sure we make this bigger and better next year.”
Read more about the ISPA Sustainability Conference: Attend the ISPA Sustainability Conference for Real-World Strategies.
