World leaders in luxury sustainable comfort, Harrison Spinks is a heritage bedmaker that has been at the forefront of sustainable bed making for 180 years. Innovation drives our business and is contributing to saving the planet, with every decision made rooted in sustainability, as Editor Hamish Kilburn learns when reflecting on the brand’s year…
For some time now – 180 years to be precise – Harrison Spinks has been ahead of the curve when it comes to technology, sustainability and innovation in bed making. In 2021, the brand went further than it has ever gone in its commitment to the circular economy and announced that it will become Net Carbon Zero by 2023. And here’s how it’s going to achieve that ambitious task.
The brand’s Beyond Circular approach focuses on ethical and sustainable design, committing to an entirely recyclable, reusable and zero to landfill production to ensure we continue to lead the way in sustainability and change the way the world sleeps. This year, Harrison Spinks published our first annual Sustainability Report, proudly stating it is a Carbon Neutral plus manufacturer. It included details such as offsetting more than 3,500 tonnes of carbon in the last year but, even more importantly, it detailing how the brand is leading the way in sustainable innovation. From its circular-by-design approach to how it is reducing and recycling with the objective to become Net Carbon Zero by 2023.
Every handmade mattress manufactured is 100 per cent glue, foam and FR chemical treatment free and 100 per cent recyclable. Each product is handcrafted, in the brand’s factory in Leeds, England, to the highest standards by its master craftspeople using time-honoured skills and only the best luxuriously sustainable materials available.
Image credit: Harrison Spinks
The Pocket Spring machines are designed in-house by the brand’s own engineers, which in turn allows the brand to manufacture its award-winning pocket and micro pocket springs, all with glue less technology, meaning each spring system can be fully recycled at end of life.
The Harrison Spinks sustainable story starts at the farm, just outside York, where the brand grows its own hemp and flax. In 2021, Harrison Spinks also partnered with British Wool to launch a new scheme that traces the origin of the wool used in its mattresses from farm to factory. This allowed consumers to fully understand where the wool in the products they are purchasing comes from and giving them peace of mind that the farmer has received a fair price.
The brand also uses synthetic fillings and these are all 100 per cent GRS, 100 per cent recyclable and made from recycled plastic bottles. In addition, it is the only bed manufacturer to weave the fabric it uses to cover our mattresses in house on our state of the art weaving looms. This fabric is 100 per cent FR chemical treatment free and adds a natural finish to the perfect night’s sleep.
Each year 5.8m mattresses in the UK end up being burnt or disposed of in landfill sites. In short, brands like Harrison Spinks want to put a stop to this. As a result, it has pledged to recycle all its mattresses that contain our Cortec spring technology. In 2021, the brand opened its own recycling centre, working towards our vision to be the most sustainable bed manufacturer in the world.
2021 has also been a hugely successful year with multiple product launches in our Hospitality division. The Sprint Collection, offering three mattress types featuring multiple layers of sustainable and synthetic fillings alongside the brand’s innovative pocket spring systems all available in a rolled format, should you wish, for ease of installation. The Signature collection, a range of six mattresses, all featuring sustainably and supremely comfortable natural fillings.
And in October the brand launched the Exclusive Collection, a range of four mattresses that are the ultimate definition of handmade luxury, with the very finest natural fillings, handmade to order, and all 100 per cent recyclable.
Harrison Spinks Hospitality Beds Division now offers the most comprehensive hospitality collection available with pocket counts from 750 through to 42,000, essentially a mattress to suit every hotel. Harrison Spinks works with some of the most prestigious names in the industry to understand their requirements, while helping every customer to improve their own green footprint our mission is to deliver the ultimate sleep experience for every guest.
With unrivalled sustainability credentials, 180 years of manufacturing excellence and multiple Queens Awards, Harrison Spinks are proving themselves to be “the true bedmakers” and will continue we hope to change the way the world sleeps in 2022 and beyond.
Harrison Spinks is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.
Main image: Harrison Spinks
