Resortecs and BekaertDeslee join forces to transform mattress cover recycling
Resortecs has partnered with BekaertDeslee, a global leader in the production of mattress textiles, covers, and modern sleep solutions. Together, both companies are taking Design for Disassembly beyond fashion to offer a groundbreaking solution for mattress cover recycling – reducing waste and increasing the recyclability of one of the most complex textiles products.
Currently, less than 1% of all textiles are effectively recycled. The remaining 99% end up landfilled or incinerated. The challenge of disassembling and sorting multi-material textile products is largely behind these staggering figures. In the case of mattresses, the textile cover is especially difficult to recycle due to its mixed materials and several components.
To tackle that, Resortecs and BeekaertDeslee have developed a unique and cost-efficient solution to make mattress covers that are made for being unmade. With the ultimate goal of easily dismantling, sorting, and recycling as much fabric as possible, BekaertDeslee will allow its clients to make mattresses using Resortecs’ Smart Stitch™ heat-dissolvable threads. The two companies have been working together since 2022 to create the first multi-material covers designed for industrial-scale disassembly and recycling.
At the end of the cover’s life, mattress brands will be able to use Resortecs’ low-emission Smart Disassembly™ systems for easy pre-recycling disassembly. This will help the industry to avoid polluting end-of-life processes (e.g. incineration), boost its recycling rates, and reduce each product’s carbon footprint.
As a circularity leader, Resortecs sees the partnership with BekaertDeslee as a significant step towards achieving industry-wide textile circularity. The two companies will continue to work together to develop innovative solutions that reduce waste, increase recyclability and promote a greener future for the industry and the planet.
Resortecs is one of the 13 winners of the Make it Circular Challenge!
On May 3, the 13 winners of the Make it Circular Challenge were announced. A total of 650 circular initiatives from over 20 different countries participated in the highly competitive challenge organized by the IKEA Foundation and What Design Can Do.
According to the challenge’s international jury, Smart Stitch™ and Smart Disassembly™ “represent the very best of design innovation and have the potential to make a significant impact in promoting sustainability and circularity.”
The Make it Circular Challenge
The competition was launched last year by WDCD and the IKEA Foundation to identify and support some of the world’s most promising circular innovations and enterprises. From hundreds of entries worldwide, 13 exciting visions for a restorative and regenerative future were selected, from seaweed packaging to waste-based textiles and upcycling marketplaces.
In addition to a €10.000 prize fund, the winners of the Make it Circular Challenge will have access to a six-month-long development program. The program was co-created by experts from the global Impact Hub network, providing the winning teams with the expert mentorship, guidance, and tools they need to grow their businesses and expand their impact on the world. The International Jury, consisting of 11 influential figures in circular design and entrepreneurship, including Bas van Abel (Fairphone), Corinne Gray (Unreasonable Group), Arthur Huang (Miniwiz), and Tamara Streefland (Built By Nature), was responsible for determining which of the 50 nominees had the most potential and would best benefit from this development program.
Selected by Secrid
Resortecs is also one of the three special projects to receive additional press and assistance. Secrid, a carbon neutral wallet producer, has chosen the 3 winning projects as part of their Impact Fund program, pledging to devote 1% of its revenue to bringing together designers and supporting their efforts to create products that enhance the planet’s natural and social equilibrium. By supporting Resortecs, Secrid aims to accelerate the development of the next generation of designers and promote change in our industries.