Sustainability Profile: The Mattress Maker

1. What is your company's brand promise, vision or statement of values, and how does it relate to sustainability?

The Mattress Maker (a new venture by Dean Halstead) produces the most sustainable mattress systems available. Our radical design process focuses on custom solutions that use natural fibres, non toxic materials and a zippered covering that allows the components to be serviced, thus extending the life of the mattress and reducing its environmental impact.
2. How are your products or services environmentally and socially sustainable?

Mattresses and furniture comprise 15% of the waste sent to Calgary landfills. The Mattress Maker builds custom mattresses that last longer and that can be serviced (because the edges are zippered rather than tape sealed), reducing new product replacement and waste. We do not use unstable petrochemical products like urethanes, glues and fire retardants, and so eliminate the detrimental effect of chemicals on our bodies and our environment. Because components can be accessed and refreshed, The Mattress Maker is able to recycle parts as necessary.
3. How do your suppliers create positive social and environmental benefits either through their products or through their community partnerships?

Mattress suppliers are basically commodity brokers, so it's difficult to source truly environmental components. Our vision is to create a regional economy for mattress components using local, natural fibres like flax, which is abundant in Alberta.
4. How does your business minimize the environmental impact of its operations?
• We replace quick and easy glues with more labour intensive processes like hand tying and zippers to reduce environmental impact.
• We minimize our use of imports such as latex rubber, which requires 11 lbs of fossil fuels for every 1 lb that is delivered to Western Canada.
• We recycle mattress parts wherever possible.
• We use one vehicle only and strive to schedule our deliveries and in-home consultations as efficiently as possible to reduce environmental impact.
5. How does your business demonstrate ethical business conduct?

As we are a new company without the need for third party audits and other formal procedures, we operate with integrity and commitment to ethical practices. All business activities are directly accountable to the CEO.
6. What strategic community partnerships does your company have in place?

We are a proud member of REAP Business Association, which helps us to connect with other like-minded organizations in the Calgary community.
7. What policy or guidelines exist to support charitable contributions? Or, if no formal policy is in place, what organizations have you previously supported?

We have plans to create a foundation in Canada that will provide medical grade mattresses to children who need them regardless of income. The government provides up to $570 per underprivileged child when he/she has been diagnosed with scoliosis, dysplasia, etc; however, the price of an appropriate mattress for these conditions is often in excess of $2,000. Our foundation will produce the mattresses without compromising quality and provide them to children in need at the price of the government subsidy.
8. How many people do you employ locally?

3 full-time and 4 part-time personnel.
9. In what ways does your business demonstrate its commitment to employee health and safety?

The Mattress Maker works with non toxic materials thereby protecting the health and safety of its employees. As we grow we will pay for courses and seminars that are related to on the job safety for our employees.
10. In what ways does your business demonstrate its commitment to employee development and job satisfaction?

The Mattress Maker pays for courses and seminars that are directly related to mattress making and reimburses for related courses upon successful completion of the program.
11. How does your business support employees to lead balanced lives and be active participants in their communities?

As our numbers of employees grows, we plan to provide child care services on site. The ability to bring their children to work is particularly relevant for seamstresses and other skilled workers in our industry. We are open to flexible arrangements with personnel that are not required on site (marketing, for example), including telecommuting.