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F.acT: What problem is MATR trying to solve and how did MATR come about?
Verena Judmayer: Every year, around 30 million mattresses end up in landfills or incinerators in Europe. A huge waste problem that not only harms the environment, but also shows how little circular economy has been implemented in the mattress industry to date. This is precisely where Verena Judmayer and Michaela Stephen come in - with a vision that rethinks sleeping comfort: sustainable, healthy and future-oriented.
The idea for MATR was born at an event for sustainability-oriented start-ups, the Circle17 Impacthon. There, Verena Judmayer and Michaela Stephen developed the concept of a mattress that not only offers sleeping comfort but also protects the environment. The result is an innovative solution that returns all materials to the material cycle.
F.acT: How does your business concept work in detail?
Verena Judmayer: MATR offers the first recyclable mattress solution on the DACH market. One example of the successful implementation of our concept is our collaboration with the Sportlers Lodge Sölden. Since November 2023, mountain sports enthusiasts and nature lovers have been sleeping on our innovative mattresses in this lifestyle hotel. These are characterized by fully recyclable materials, outstanding ergonomic comfort, take-back and recycling services and a digital product passport for transparent material tracking. As a result, guests effectively reduce their ecological footprint while they sleep - around 50% less CO2 emissions compared to conventional mattresses. Together with Sportlers Lodge Sölden, MATR shows how sustainability and comfort can go hand in hand in the hotel industry.
Our business model also offers hotels flexible options: They can either buy our recyclable mattresses or choose a rental model. With our concept, we ensure that our partners not only have access to high-quality products, but also benefit from a sustainable solution that avoids mattress waste and promotes the circular economy in the industry.
F.acT: Which target group are you addressing with your product?
Verena Judmayer: Our target group is primarily 4- and 5-star city hotels as well as hotels in tourist regions that place particular emphasis on sustainability and the circular economy.
We currently offer 4 mattress models (you can find out more about our first MATR mattress in the videos), which can be flexibly adapted to the individual needs of hotels: They are available in different firmness levels and sizes. The new models have a reversible function that optimally meets the requirements of different guests thanks to two comfort layers.
From a financial perspective, our mattresses offer a clear advantage: over their lifetime, a hotel saves around €200 per mattress compared to conventional models. These savings result from the longevity and sustainable construction of the mattresses, which represent a long-term economic investment.