The new site will eventually recycle 750,000 mattresses a year. Some of the recycled foam will go into the manufacture of new IKEA mattresses made from 80% recycled materials: a concrete step towards a circular economy model.
Boosting recycling capacity in France
Every year in France, 4 million discarded mattresses are collected via Ecomaison for sorting, reuse and recycling. In total, almost 66,000 tonnes of metal, foam, latex, wool and textile are processed for recycling or energy recovery.
At its new site in La Cavalerie (Aveyron), RetourMat is helping to significantly increase recycling capacity in France. In the first year, 125,000 mattresses (the equivalent of 13,000 tonnes of material) will be recycled, and in the long term, 750,000 mattresses (the equivalent of 13,000 tonnes of material) will be recycled, creating a potential 40 local jobs. Thanks to its dismantling technology, RetourMat will be able to recycle and reuse 80% of the materials processed on site.
"We are proud to support the deployment of our advanced mattress recycling solution in France. This is a major step forward, enabling us to significantly increase our annual recycling capacity. We are continuing our development to contribute to a more sustainable future."
Iwan van es, Director France Retourmat
Through its investment in RetourMat, the Ingka Group (IKEA) supports and accelerates the development of solutions and infrastructures for a circular economy model. By enabling the reintegration of recycled materials, and reducing dependence on virgin resources.
HÖJEHALL: a new step towards a circular economy in France
Sorting and recycling is the first step towards a circular economy, conserving materials and enabling them to be reused. RetourMat and IKEA are taking the next step by reintegrating post-consumer recycled materials into the design of new products.
After dismantling, some of the polyurethane foam recovered is chemically transformed into Repoliol, a component used to manufacture new PU foams. IKEA will use this recycled foam in the manufacture of its new HÖJEHALL mattress range. Made from 80% recycled materials (foam, steel, textile), they will be available in France from July 2025.
"At IKEA, our ambition is to offer ever more sustainable and affordable home furnishing solutions to as many people as possible. With RetourMat, we are facilitating mattress recycling in France? And by increasing the use of recycled materials in products like HÖJEHALL, we can concretely reduce the impact of our products."
Johan Laurell, General Manager, IKEA France
Ecomaison encourages closed-loop recycling thanks to the "incorporation of recycled materials" bonus, which limits the cost difference between virgin and recycled materials. This financial support system encourages companies to incorporate recycled materials into the manufacture of their mattresses, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of new products, without impacting on the price for the end consumer.
The effectiveness of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme
Before Ecomaison was created, 100% of mattresses thrown away in France were landfilled. Since 2012, Ecomaison has been organizing and developing the mattress recycling industry in France. This pioneering collection method in Europe has made it possible to recycle and recover almost 650,000 tonnes of used mattresses, avoiding the emission of almost 380,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent into the atmosphere.
Today, almost 100% of the mattresses handled by Ecomaison are recycled or recovered in one of the 8 mattress dismantling centers, such as RetourMat in La Cavalerie. This enables the production of recycled raw materials in France and Europe, and helps to boost the local industry and jobs.
"The opening of our eighth mattress dismantling center marks an important milestone for Ecomaison. It illustrates our determination to anchor recycling processes in local communities over the long term. These centers, located as close as possible to the sources of waste, help to limit transport, create local jobs that cannot be relocated, and structure a truly efficient circular economy."
Dominique Mignon, President Ecomaison
About RetourMatras
Founded by Nanne Fioole in 2009, RetourMatras is a pioneering mattress recycling company based on a new technology that makes mattress recycling possible. It operates 4 sites in the Netherlands, 3 in the UK and 1 in France. In collaboration with partners committed to a sustainable approach, RetourMatras recovers materials from used mattresses and gives them a second life by producing insulating foam and repoliol, an essential component in the manufacture of new polyurethane foams. To find out more, visit retourmatras.nl.
Ecomaison is the state-approved eco-organization for the sorting, collection, reuse and recycling of household objects and materials: furniture, bedding, decorative textiles, building products and building materials, DIY and garden items, toys.
By 2023, Ecomaison had collected 1.6 million tons of household and building objects and materials, 97% of which were recycled (reuse, recycling, energy recovery). Before its creation, 55% of furniture was landfilled, but Ecomaison's progress and innovations have made the eco-organization a benchmark player in the Circular Economy.