1. Product Stewardship Institute Mattress Industry Overview
Mattress Initiative
Mattress Industry Overview
April 11, 2011
Connecticut Resources Recovery
Authority Trash Museum
211 Murphy Road
Hartford, CT

2. Industry Structure
Most mattress producers are independent from retailers
Some sell directly to consumer
Some mattress producers make own springs and foam

3. Industry Concentration
Plant Location
Most mattresses made locally or regionally, minimizing shipping distances
Industry Concentration
Relatively non-concentrated
Largest 5 national brands control about 60% of market
Others are smaller national brands and independents
Strategically locating future mattress recycling centers in urban areas, taking advantage of efficiencies possible using retailer distribution networks to collect/deliver used mattresses

4. Corporate Structure National brands: Corporate-owned plants
Franchise structure with plants owned by 3rd parties
Hybrid of corporate-owned and franchised plants
Independent producers: Often multi-generation family-owned enterprises
Public corporations: Only 4 mattress brands are public companies (although many components suppliers are publicly traded)

5. Most producers are small businesses
Number of
Employees
Percentage of
Industry
1-30
18.1
31-50
24.6
51-100
31.1
> 101
26.2

6. Industry hit hard by recession …
Sales:
Strategically locating future mattress recycling centers in urban areas, taking advantage of efficiencies possible using retailer distribution networks to collect/deliver used mattresses
…with companies closing and industry consolidating

7. Typical US mattress manufacturing process
Assembly processes include sewing, gluing, nailing and fastening
Virtually all US-sold mattresses/foundations assembled in US (94% in 2009)
Components are primarily made in US, with some imports
Most mattresses are assembled from components purchased from third party vendors

8. Mattress constructions
Conventional innerspring mattress: Uses steel innerspring in mattress core, surrounded by foam or fiber
All foam mattress: Can be made of latex foam or PU foam (including visco-elastic foam)
Air mattress: Except for camping mattresses, most air mattresses have air bladder for core, surrounded by upholstery material
Water bed: Uses water-filled bladder as core
Hybrids: Combination of 2 or more of these systems (e.g., springs + memory foam, etc.)

9. Foundation constructions
Most are stationary systems that use a wooden frame to support a steel wire unit
Some stationary systems use all wood components
Small but growing numbers of foundations are adjustable

10. Primary Materials Used
Steel wire (both for mattresses and foundations/box-springs)
Foam
Flexible polyurethane foam (including visco-elastic foam)
Latex foam
Natural and synthetic fibers and fabrics (in woven, knitted and non-woven form)
Air bladders and compression equipment for air beds
Wood (for foundation frames)

11. Mattress industry’s current use of renewable materials
Foam: Plant-based materials used in PU foam (polyols derived from soy and castor beans) and latex foam (tree-harvested latex rubber)
Natural fiber: Mainly cotton, but increased amounts of wool, and limited amounts of other animal hair, silk, bamboo fiber and coconut materials
Plant-based synthetic fiber: Rayon
Wood: For foundations
Will require –
Large volume of used mattresses
Equipment to separate/bale reclaimed components efficiently
Markets for the recycled materials

12. Mattress industry’s recycling objectives
Ongoing effort to build national infrastructure for recycling used mattress components
Recyclable materials include:
Steel springs: Recycled into new steel products
Foam: Converted into carpet pads
Fibers and fabrics: Used in filtration media
Wood: Used as landscaping mulch, animal litter and fuel
ISPA has identified 30+ mattress recyclers throughout North America
Will require –
Large volume of used mattresses
Equipment to separate/bale reclaimed components efficiently
Markets for the recycled materials

13. Mattress industry’s new product environmental footprint
The US mattress industry EACH DAY sells the equivalent of a mountain of mattresses 20 miles high
Will require –
Large volume of used mattresses
Equipment to separate/bale reclaimed components efficiently
Markets for the recycled materials

14. Next Steps
Involve retailers in collecting and promoting mattress recycling
Create strategic partnerships to identify additional mattress recycling opportunities and technologies
Support new markets for recycled components
Develop mechanisms to fund new recycling centers
Will require –
Large volume of used mattresses
Equipment to separate/bale reclaimed components efficiently
Markets for the recycled materials

15. On-going sustainability efforts
Minimize and recycle industrial scrap
Avoid “green-washing”
Local/regional manufacturing minimizes shipping
Minimize packing materials
Used mattress recycling to reduce consumer health, safety & fraud risks from unscrupulous “renovators”
Will require –
Large volume of used mattresses
Equipment to separate/bale reclaimed components efficiently
Markets for the recycled materials