Bed firm classed as carbon neutral for its sustainability work

A BED manufacturer in Leeds has further boosted its sustainability credentials after being classed as carbon neutral by an independent auditor.

Harrison Spinks has been rated as ‘Carbon Neutral +’ following an assessment by sustainability experts at Carbon Footprint.

The Leeds-based firm has its own farm where it rears sheep and grows hemp to create natural mattress fillings. Harrison Spinks also owns a 56-acre sustainable forest which provides wood for its beds.

The tree planting follows the business offsetting 3,824 tonnes of carbon dioxide by supporting the Solar Power Generation Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) project in India.

Simon Spinks, inset, managing director at Harrison Spinks, said: “We started our sustainability journey ten years ago, growing our own fillings and committing to sourcing natural fibres locally, and for the last decade our core business objective has been to change the way the world sleeps.

“We’ve been relentless in looking for more sustainable ways of working so we can look after our planet for future generations. It is for this reason we have made a pledge to not develop any new mattresses containing foam or glue and to eliminate foam from any existing product by 2020.

“We will soon be launching our foam-free and glue-free mattresses which not only offer better comfort, but avoid unnecessary landfill or incineration which happens to foam mattresses at the end of their useable life.

“This latest independent audit places us at the top of the carbon neutrality tree and we wanted to build on that, so we have approached schools and groups in neighbouring communities and offered to plant one-year-old trees – known as whips – for them.”

Harrison Spinks says it grows nearly 800 tonnes of natural fibre fillings for its mattresses every year.

John Buckley, managing director of Carbon Footprint, said: “In these times of climate emergency, Harrison Spinks has taken the responsible step of having a robust measurement of its own green-house gas emissions completed and energy audits done across its sites.”