In a major step towards expanding Europe's circular economy infrastructure, Ingka Investments, the investment arm of Ingka Group, the largest IKEA retailer, has announced the opening of a new state-of-the-art mattress recycling facility in La Cavalerie, France, in collaboration with RetourMatras.
© Ingka
The facility, capable of processing up to 750,000 mattresses annually, marks a significant leap in sustainable waste management. RetourMatras' innovative recycling technology recovers up to 80% of mattress materials, including foam, textiles, wood, and metal, and transforms them into reusable resources.
The initiative is supported by Ingka Investments' €1 billion commitment to boost recycling capacity across Europe. RetourMatras, backed by Ingka Investments, Ikano Industry, and Renewi since 2019, is expanding from its established operations in the Netherlands and the UK into France.
'This milestone enables us to significantly increase our recycling capacity,' said Mark Lewis, CEO of RetourMatras. 'We remain committed to supporting additional locations and countries as we continue to contribute to a more sustainable future across Europe.'
The new facility is part of a broader mission to address the roughly 4 million mattresses discarded in France each year, which are collected through Ecomaison. The recycled foam will be chemically converted into repoliol, a key component in new polyurethane foam used in the production of IKEA's HÖJEHALL mattress family, available in France from July 2025. These mattresses will also include recycled metal and textiles.
'Recycling remains an essential enabler for keeping materials in use and reducing reliance on virgin ones. Yet today's recycling system is under increasing pressure, from volatile markets to rising operational costs and inadequate infrastructure,' said Karen Pflug, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ingka Group. 'At Ingka, we recognise that with our scale comes both a responsibility and a unique opportunity to accelerate the transition towards a circular economy through investment and innovation.'
The move supports IKEA's vision of recycling the equivalent number of mattresses it sells by 2030.
'Transitioning to a circular economy is essential for us to stay within the limits of one planet,' added Peter van der Poel, Managing Director, Ingka Investments. 'Through our investment in RetourMatras we are on a journey to recycle the equivalent number of mattresses we sell by 2030, and this new facility brings us a step closer. But we don't stop there; RetourMatras is transforming end-of-life mattresses into valuable resources allowing the materials to be repurposed and used in 31 product families, including sofas and mattresses.'
Ingka Group is also urging stronger legislation to prioritise recycling over incineration and landfilling. 'What would help us go further is if legislation was stronger at prioritizing recycling over incineration and landfilling, for example, by ensuring that Extended Producer Responsibility schemes were resulting in higher recycling rates. We also welcome eco-design regulations to encourage the demand for these recycled materials, and we are actively collaborating with relevant authorities and other stakeholders to address these issues,' van der Poel said.
This landmark development underscores Ingka Group's strategic focus on sustainable investment and its commitment to a circular, low-carbon future.
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