Leading sustainable bed manufacturer Hypnos has pioneered another groundbreaking carbon-neutral innovation which could help with carbon reduction efforts across the bed and furniture industry, in the form of sustainable bed and mattress packaging.
After 18 months of intensive research and development, Hypnos has successfully developed another industry first by creating a recyclable, eco-friendly packaging solution which will be used for its beds and mattresses across both its retail and contract factories. It comes as part of major efforts by the cutting-edge manufacturer to design its packaging from sustainable and renewable sources and eliminate the use of harmful, fossil-based products.
At the heart of the packaging is sugar cane, a renewable and carbon dioxide-depleting resource. Sugar cane ethanol is combined with recycled plastic, which has a carbon footprint that can be up to four times lower than that of normal plastic, helping those who use it to massively reduce their carbon footprint.
The use of ethanol, a bi-product of sugar cane production, and recycled plastics that form a green polyethylene (a more environmentally friendly form of plastic) means the creation is carbon neutral and 100% recyclable. Furthermore, it is incredibly durable and has superior technical properties to normal polythene, performing better on puncture tests, reports Hypnos.
Hypnos led the challenge by working in partnership with a specialist green polyethylene manufacturer to create the cutting-edge solution which could be a sustainability gamechanger across the entire bed and furniture industry.
Indeed, Hypnos made the decision not to patent or trademark this packaging for itself. Instead, it wants to share its innovation globally, and is calling on industries around the world to stop using single-use polythene and make the transition to this 100%-recyclable product.
Richard Naylor, sustainability director at Hypnos, comments: “We’re extremely proud of our sustainability credentials, and it’s Hypnos’ commitment to creating ethical solutions which benefit the environment that has allowed us to invest in this revolutionary green polythene. We’ve been working hard to develop this innovation, and continue to look at new ways we can make better sustainable solutions and choices – not just for Hypnos, but for the bed and furniture industry as a whole.
“We believe in fostering environmental responsibility wherever we can, which is why we are keen to share this technology with other industries. Most bed manufacturers use plastic to protect their beds and products. If all the mattress manufacturers in the UK switched to eco-polythene instead, it would save a staggering 8000 tonnes of CO2 per year, so just imagine what could be achieved if bed and furniture manufacturers worldwide made this change!
“We are now calling on all bed and furniture manufacturers to change from fossil-based polythene, which can take thousands of years to decompose. Instead, we’re asking them to make the transition to this product to reduce our combined carbon footprints and help care for the planet. We’re happy to set up meetings and put them in touch with our specialist manufacturer so that they too can start to benefit from this pioneering sustainable, carbon-neutral solution.”
New Government legislation requires that all businesses use plastic packaging that contains at least 30% recycled plastic by 2022 or face a new Plastic Packaging Tax. With a ratio of 65% renewable sugarcane to 35% recycled plastics, the new eco-polythene by Hypnos will take even more plastic out of landfill and incineration, stimulating increased demand for recycled plastics that can be turned into further reusable and sustainable materials.
Hypnos has been trialling its green packaging on selected mattresses and beds for several months, and from November has been rolling it out across its entire range. An essential part of the process is the removal and return of the packaging by Hypnos’ delivery partners, as this allows it to be returned and recycled in perpetuity. As a result, Hypnos is taking back its new packaging from retailers and hospitality partners wherever possible, so it can once again be recycled.
This latest development is another milestone in Hypnos’s successful sustainability agenda. From the use of renewable and traceable natural resources to carbon offsetting programmes, the business was the first bedmaker in the world to become carbon neutral, and has been continuously carbon neutral for a decade. In addition, it was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development last year.
Furthermore, Hypnos’ beds and mattresses have been made from natural and sustainable materials, with no chemical-based foams, and have been completely recyclable, ensuring they never need to go to landfill, for over a decade. And now, even the protective packaging its beds come in is entirely recyclable and carbon neutral, too.
