March 17, 2006

REVISION OF THE COMMUNITY ECO-LABEL CRITERIA FOR BED MATTRESSES

(Decision 98/634/CE)

1. INTRODUCTION
This interim report forms part of a project to prepare a draft Commission Decision
establishing revised ecological criteria for the award of the EU Eco-label to mattress. This
project has been assigned to AFNOR, the French competent body for the EC Eco label. The
practical development of the project is carried out by CTBA (Centre Technique du Bois et de
l’Ameublement / www.ctba.fr).

The project takes place within the framework of the EC Regulation 1980/2000 on a revised
Community Eco-label award scheme.

The objective of the Community eco-label award scheme is to promote products which have
the potential to reduce negative environmental impacts, as compared with the other products
(functional unit) in the same product group, thus contributing to the efficient use of resources
and a high level of environmental protection.
This objective shall be pursued through the provision of guidance and accurate, non
deceptive and scientifically based information to consumers.

The environmental impacts shall be identified on the basis of examination of the interaction
of the products with the environment, including the use of energy and natural resources,
during the life cycle of the product.

The objective of this project is :

To provide a document which can be used as a basis for a draft Commission establishing
revised criteria for the award of the Community Eco-label to bed mattresses.

Sub-objectives of this project are :

In the phase 1 (2006) – 1 (or 2) meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group.

• To form an ad’hoc working group, with all relevant interest group, including industry,
SMEs, trade unions, …
• To evaluate the past, current and likely future success of the product group (bed
mattresses), including the related potential environmental benefits,
• To establish, update and extend as appropriate market information and life cycle
considerations,
• To present the results of these evaluations and estimate whether the ecological criteria
related assessment, as well as compliance verification requirements should be either
prolonged, withdrawn or revised.

In the phase 2 (2006- 2007) – 2 meetings of the Ad How Working Group.

• To develop a revised criteria proposal, covering the relevant environmental aspects
related to the product group, that can be successfully proposed to the Eco-label
Regulatory Committee,
• To prepare a list of relevant options for testing and methods the different proposed
revised criteria,
• To prepare a used manual for applicants and competent bodies

Revision of the Community Eco-label for mattress - 2006 1

• To prepare a final report including :
o related documents used for completing the work and meeting the objectives, list
of interested parties involved in the work or that have been consulted or
expressed their opinion, executive summary.
o Details of the proposed marketing and communication strategy.

2. DEFINITION AND SCOPE OF THE PRODUCT GROUP

The report produced in 1998 by Tauw Milieu regarding LCA and criteria proposals gave an
extensive and comprehensive definition of the scope. The product group “mattresses” was
defined as follows :

Products providing a surface to sleep or rest upon, that are fit for use by
human beings for a long period of time, consisting of a strong cloth cover
filled with materials, and that can be place on an existing supporting bed
structure. This includes framed sprung mattresses, which are defined as an
upholstered bed base consisting of springs, topped with fillings, on a rigid
frame to be used in a bed frame or free standing, combined with a mattress
pad which is not intended to be used separately.

The product group bed mattresses consists of a variety of mattress types. Therefore, it is not
possible to identify one “typical” mattress that covers the entire product group. Due to this
diversity, the product group has to be divided into various categories.

• Latex mattresses (also called latex foam or cellular rubber)

• Polyether mattresses (also called PUR foam or cellular plastics)
• Spring interior mattresses (includes Bonnet, pocket spring, LFK, etc ..)
• Scandinavian mattresses / bdes (wood frame integrated with a spring system, with a
mattress fixed on it. Box spring and mattress are not separable and are sold as one
piece. The whole is covered with a thin replaceable mattress pad).
• Mattresses of other materials (e.g. cotton or coconut fibre core).

Permanent concern should be dedicated to the “fitness for use” property (see point 5).

Product excluded from the scope of the Eco label :

• Inflate air beds are excluded from the scope, as there are not meant to sleep for a long
period of time (they will not meet the criteria “’fitness for use”).
• Water beds are excluded from the scope, as the market for this type of product is below
3% of the demand.
• Mattresses used in hospital are excluded from the scope as the special requirements for
these products (resistance to sweat and urine, prevention of bedstores, …) lead to
functional definition different.

Opened question to interested parties :

Considering the increasing concern of consumers for the health and health impact of
consumer product (and particularly home used product), baby mattress manufacturers
express a special interest on the Community Eco-Label. The relevance of integrating baby
mattress in the scope of the product group should be discussed in the next meeting.

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3. EVALUATION OF THE PAST, CURRENT AND LIKELY FUTURE OF THE
MATTRESS

3.1. The Community Eco label for mattress

Since it has been established, the experience with the Community Eco-label for mattress is
low.

The following table gives the name of the 7 manufacturers and the number of commercial
references with Community Eco-Label.

Manufacturer Origin Number of eco labellised

products (references)
ATHINAIKI Greece 9
STROMATOPIIA SA
IDEAL STROM Greece 1
KARDAKOS BROS
GRECO STROM Greece 1
EVRO STROM VAS. Greece 1
CHANTIRIDIS SA
ELITE STROM Greece 1
CANDIA STROM Greece 1
K. Balling-Engelsen Denmark 1
A/S
CARPENTER APS Denmark 1

TOTAL 16 products

In France, although the manufacturers expressed an interest for the Community Eco-label,
• the multiplicity of official and non official labels,
• a demand for “eco-product” still low, (the demand is more for low range quality product),
are considered as barriers to promote a “eco-product” through the Community Eco-label.

From a more general point of view, the lack of interest for applications may possibly rendered
to the preference of manufacturer to their national eco-label schemes.

All information from competent bodies regarding national situation is welcome.

3.2. National Ecolabels

There is no national ecolabel for bed mattresses in the European Union.

4. MARKET INFORMATION
4.1. General information

Since 2000, the mattress market has undergone a very difficult period.

Information about the impact and export of mattresses is needed among others to assess
whether the market is dominated by large producers.

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Updated information on export and import under progress

The market in Europe is about 64% spring interior, 22% poly ether and 14% latex
mattresses. The evaluation of the production, import and export data indicates that within the
EU, a large part of the mattresses is produced and sold within the same country. This applies
especially to mattresses with a spring interior. There observations are confirmed by several
mattress manufacturer, and for 2 reasons :
• There is a link between national preference as to type of mattress
• The transport of mattresses is cumbersome and expensive, due to the large volume and
weight of mattresses (specially for spring interior mattresses). The expensive transport
also explains why imports mainly originate from neighboring countries.

4.2. Trends

There are national preferences as to the mattress categories.

In several countries, mattress manufacturers and retailers are promoting a more frequent
replacement of mattresses.
Furthermore, several new types of construction have been developed, due mainly to
marketing interest, based mainly on combining existing constructions, e.g. spring mattresses
containing zones with different spring types, or mattresses with spring embedded in foam
materials.

4.3. Production figures

Table 1 presents an overview of the number of mattresses produced annually in the different
member states.

Production in 1995

EU member Rubber Plastic Spring interior Others

France 468 000 2 071000 1 841 100
Bel & Lux Tot : 207 000
NL 325 000 31 162
Germany 510 000 863 000 5 174 000 398 000
Italy
UK
Ireland
Denmark 26 132 50 502 229 707 11 642
Greece 100 000 600 000
Portugal 100 000 350 000 50 000
Spain
Sweden
Finland
Austria
(source : Tauw Milieu report – 1998)

Updated data under collection process. All relevant and updated data from competent bodies
are welcomed.

4.3. Market figures

Table 2 presents the market potential (provisional sales) in 2005 and 2010 in all EU member
states (25).
(The study was carried out by IPEA (http://www.ipea.fr/index.asp) in 2004).

Total Spring PUR Latex Others Bed base

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Germany 7 250 000 65% 14% 12% 9% 4 950 000
Austria 760 000 40 10 35 5 495 000
Belgium 700 000 34 34 20 12 485 000
Cyprian 45 000 80 15 - 5 32 000
Denmark 420 000 75 10 5 10 120 000
Ireland 255 000 92 4 3 1 175 000
Finland 395 000 75 10 5 10 120 000
France 4 750 000 30 53 16 1 3 200 000
Hungary 550 000 60 30 2 8 460 000
Italy 4 400 000 60 30 2 8 2 900 000
Spain 2 950 000 80 17 3 1 850 000
Estonia 75 000 40 000
UK 4 100 000 90 4 5 1 2 800 000
Greece 615 000 75 15 3 7 425 000
Leetonia 120 000 50 40 85 000
Lithuania 180 000 60 30 2 5 160 000
Luxembourg 34 000 65 12 10 13 23 000
Malta 23 000 16 000
Poland 1 900 000 50 42 2 6 1 300 000
Portugal 650 000 92 6 2 460 000
Slovenia 105 000 45 50 1 4 75 000
Sweden 680 000 75 10 5 10 165 000
Netherlands 1 220 000 35 28 23 14 815 000
Slovaquia 270 000 60 30 10 185 000
Swiss 550 000 45 20 20 15 375 000
Tchequia 545 000 60 30 2 8 395 000
Norway 355 000 75 5 5 10 105 000

Table 3 : Previsions for 2010

Total Spring PUR Latex Others Bed base

Germany 7 200 000 67 11 9 4 900 000
Austria 780 000 42 9 31 8 510 000
Belgium 720 000 38 32 19 11 510 000
Cyprian 53 000 75 19 2 4 40 000
Denmark 435 000 75 9 4 12 135 000
Ireland 285 000 90 4 4 2 195 000
Finland 425 000 77 9 3 11 135 000
France 4 950 000 36 47 15 2 3 400 000
Hungary 650 000 65 25 3 7 485 000
Italy 4 600 000 65 25 3 7 3 050 000
Spain 3 100 000 75 20 5 2 050 000
Estonia 90 000 62 000
UK 4 250 000 90 3 5 2 3 100 000
Greece 705 000 80 8 4 8 490 000
Leetonia 125 000 50 38 2 10 105 000
Lithuania 225 000 62 27 3 8 185 000
Luxembourg 36 000 67 10 8 15 24 000
Malta 26 000 17 000
Poland 2 400 000 55 35 3 7 1 700 000
Portugal 650 000 92 6 2 460 000
Slovenia 125 000 50 40 2 8 85 000

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Sweden 710 000 75 7 6 12 175 000
Netherlands 1 300 000 38 26 20 16 850 000
Slovaquia 310 000 60 28 3 9 230 000
Swiss 575 000 45 18 18 19 390 000
Tchequia 615 000 62 25 4 9 430 000
Norway 370 000 73 7 4 11 120 000
(source : IPEA Survey – concept literie – December 2004)

Comments and updated information regarding these results from competent bodies and
interested parties are welcomed.

Previsional sales of mattresses and bed bases in Europe (25)

40 000 000
34 855 000
35 000 000 32 992 000
30 000 000
23 343 000
25 000 000 21 731 000
Mattresses
20 000 000
Bed Base
15 000 000
10 000 000
5 000 000
0
2005 2010

Major comments on theses figures are as follows :

• The future of the mattress market is located in eastern Europe : the market progress is
estimated to 1 217 000 units between 2005 and 2010 for the 10 new EU members, as it
is estimated to 160 000 units for the 15 EU members. The new 10 EU members are
those who will boost the mattress market,
• The general ageing of the population will lead to a more qualitative (and not quantitative)
demand of product,
• The export of mattress is still difficult (at least more than for furniture) due to :
o the high diversity of technologies developed to manufacture the mattress
o the diversity in bedding habits (Scandinavian bed, matrimonial size, …)

National particularities (comments and updated data are welcomed) :

o Germany will suffer from the decrease of the population and corresponding ageing;
leading to a light decrease of the sales (- 50 000 units) but an increase of the quality,
o In France, mattress demand will still increase due to a higher birth rate than in other EU
states. Ageing of the population will increase the demand of higher quality mattress,
although the demand of low range product is increasing.
o The bed and mattress market in the UK will increase, and particularly for high range
products,
o In Spain, the market will increase to an higher ranger of products,

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o Eastern Europe countries, as Hungary or Poland, will probably boost the mattress
market.

5. SECURITY AND FITNESS FOR USE – EUROPEAN STANDARDS

Available European standards with regard to mattresses provide information on among
others the definition of the fitness for use and corresponding test methods. These dates give
a relevant idea for the degree of standardization required for mattress.

The standards cover the following topics :

• Requirements for mattresses and/or materials used in mattresses

• Test methods for mattresses and/or materials used in mattresses,

• Directives for the application and treatment of mattresses,

• Requirements for product information on mattresses.

Competent bodies and interested parties are invited to collect information : this subject will
be discussed during the March 28. meeting.

6. LIFE-CYCLE INFORMATION
Objectives and principles (ext.)

The objective of the Community eco-label award scheme is to promote products which have
the potential to reduce negative environmental impacts, as compared with the other products
(functional unit) in the same product group, thus contributing to the efficient use of resources
and a high level of environmental protection.
This objective shall be pursued through the provision of guidance and accurate, non
deceptive and scientifically based information to consumers.

The environmental impacts shall be identified on the basis of examination of the interaction
of the products with the environment, including the use of energy and natural resources,
during the life cycle of the product.

Scope (ext.)

The product group (ie mattress) must fulfill the following conditions :

- It shall represent a significant volume of sales and trade in the internal market
- It shall involve, at one or more stages of the product’s life, a significant environmental
impact on a global or regional scale and/or of a general nature.

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