The Comfort Group

Foundation Member | Tracking Since August 2022

The Comfort Group Sustainability Actions

Soft Landing Mattress Recycling

As a founding partner of the Recycle My Mattress initiative and Soft Landing, The Comfort Group actively works on solutions to improve the environmental and social outcomes of the bedding industry in Australia. We saw an urgent need to help reduce the amount of mattresses that wind up in landfill, especially when the internal components may be recycled to create a wide range of new household products. Soft Landing can recycle up to 75% of internal mattress components, with steel springs becoming roof sheeting, foam becoming carpet underlay, and wood and husk becoming kindling, weed matting, mulch, acoustic paneling, and even animal bedding.

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Sensitive Choice Partnership

Sensitive Choice helps millions of consumers worldwide live better with asthma and allergies. The National Asthma Council Australia created the program to help people identify products and services that are asthma and allergy aware, through the trusted blue butterfly. Dunlop Foams Ultra-Fresh treated chiropractic products, furniture, mattresses and baby nursery ranges are Sensitive Choice approved, as are our Fresh Protect treated premium flooring underlays.

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Australian Bedding Stewardship Council Founding Member

The Australian Bedding Stewardship Council is a for-purpose organisation established in 2020 to deal with the issue of end of life mattresses. Australians dispose of 1.8 million mattresses every year. The bedding industry is working with ABSC to divert these away from landfill, and help to find innovative ways to reuse these materials.

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Project Zero

In 2019, we launched Project Zero across all our markets. Project Zero is the journey we are undertaking towards a more sustainable future as a leading Australasian business. As part of this project, we have made a commitment to creating bedding products that are gentler on the planet and working towards a more circular process. We started by developing a range of beds that are 100% recyclable, followed by moving away from virgin polyester and working towards using more materials that are either sustainably sourced or upcycled. We have also started to include more natural materials, like natural latex, bamboo, Australian wool, sustainably sourced TENCEL and cotton.

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Made with GECA-certified Dunlop Foams

We use Dunlop Foam products in our beds. Dunlop Foams products are independently certified as meeting the environmental health and social and ethical criteria of the GECA standard. This independent ‘tick’ is given to products that are better for the environment, have a lower impact on human health, and that have been ethically made.

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Planet-friendlier materials

We use natural and local components where possible, including cotton, cashmere, silk, TENCEL from Australian Eucalyptus trees, EcoSmart, and latex from sustainable Sri Lankan rubber tree plantations. Almost every square inch of our mattresses can be recycled and repurposed. Even our bed bases use locally-sourced materials, like pine from sustainably accredited suppliers. We have started using smart fibres made from sanitised recycled plastic bottles that would have otherwise gone to landfill. Our SmartFibre Pillows are made from this ‘Down Alternative’ recycled material that mimics the feel and fluffiness of down, without the associated allergens or ethical concerns. Our foam is manufactured using CO2, which results in reduced VOCs and a higher quality product. Crafted from upcycled PET plastic bottles, EcoSmart is a super soft and super durable fabric that’s more efficient than producing new PET by using less water, less energy, and fewer CO2 emissions. And our Fresh Protect antimicrobial underlay treatment is derived from lauric acid in coconuts and is a natural and highly effective anti bacterial, anti fungal, and anti viral protection. Fresh Protect therefore is non-toxic, unlike other antimicrobials, and is safe for use around people and animals.

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Supporting local

The Comfort Group proudly upholds its commitment to local. We manufacture our beds in Australia, relying on local suppliers, workers, and materials whenever possible. And this commitment to local goes beyond just beds – it extends to our entire supply chain: minimizing reliance on carbon-intensive international transportation, reducing greenhouse gases and prioritizing sustainable production methods. We produce high-quality, safe, and sleep-friendly materials in line with exacting Australian standards, and implement responsible waste recycling practices. This ensures our products not only meet the highest Australian standards but also contribute to a healthier environment for all Australians. In addition, we support the Soft Landing mattress recycling scheme, which is dedicated to providing jobs to Australians experiencing barriers to employment.

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Sedex Member

The Comfort Group is a member of Sedex. We analyse and report on sustainability practices within our supply chain, share critical business information with customers and other stakeholders, undertake regular audits and focus on improving our sustainability performance.

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Optimised Waste Management

We are committed to optimising waste. This includes using materials economically, prioritizing recycled and sustainable options, favoring eco-conscious suppliers, encouraging equipment reuse, implementing repurposing and recycling programs, providing training, and collaborating with employees, contractors, and visitors on responsible practices.

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Sustainable sites

We are working hard to develop the Comfort Group business ecosystem, moving towards being fully sustainable, and ensuring all activities carried out internally are respectful of the planet: from hybrid vehicles and water reduction to printing less, and everything in between.

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Supplier Code of Conduct

We expect our suppliers to share our progressive approach to minimising negative impacts on the environment, and they're required to continuously monitor their environmental impact.

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Clean Up Australia Day

We're committed to keeping Australia's natural environment healthy, and have been inspired by the Clean Up Australia Day movement to pledge towards a Zero Waste Policy. Clean Up Australia Day is the country's largest community-led environmental event, with millions of participants over the past thirty years.

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