Polyurethane foam is one of the most widely used materials in the manufacture of mattresses, seating and furniture. However, recycling it presents a significant technical challenge. As a thermosetting polymer, it cannot be melted down and reprocessed in the same way as conventional thermoplastics. Developing alternative methods to recover its constituent materials and reuse them in the production of new foams is therefore an important step towards more circular manufacturing processes in the sleep industry.

At GOMARCO, we are committed to exploring innovative technologies and supporting solutions that promote the recycling and reuse of materials across our industry.

Against this backdrop, PURELY is a Public-Private Partnership project focused on developing a technology to recycle polyurethane foams through depolymerisation using green chemistry. Following two years of research and development, the technology has been patented and is now ready for production scale-up. The aim is to produce sufficient recycled material to manufacture foam prototypes for use in the mattress industry.

This achievement marks a new milestone for the project, which is now entering its final year. The main challenge ahead is to validate the use of this technology in finished products.

What Sets PURELY Apart from Other Approaches to Foam Recycling?

One of the most significant aspects of the project is that the technology has been tested on different types of flexible foam, as well as mixtures of different foams.

This feature is particularly important when considering real-world recycling conditions. Foam waste does not always have a homogeneous composition. Developing a process that works with different types of materials and mixtures therefore represents progress towards exploring its application in scenarios that more closely reflect those encountered in waste management.

A Technology Tested on Different Types of Foam

During the first two years of the project, the PURELY consortium has focused on optimising the technology through trials involving different process conditions and a range of chemical reagents.

The results obtained have demonstrated that the process works with different types of flexible foam, as well as mixtures of these materials.

This optimisation work is a fundamental part of the technological development, as it helps establish how the process performs with different materials and under varying operating conditions.

The ability to process mixtures is particularly relevant because foam waste from different applications does not necessarily arrive sorted by material type. Being able to work with non-homogeneous materials makes it easier to assess the feasibility of recovering and reusing them under real-world recycling conditions.

The Technology Has Already Been Patented

Another major milestone achieved by PURELY is the granting of a patent for its technology.

Patent protection safeguards the results obtained during the project’s development and facilitates their future commercial exploitation. This represents an important step in the project’s evolution, particularly at a stage when the objective is no longer simply to optimise the process, but also to move towards its implementation on a larger scale.

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What Role Can Recycled Foam Play in Mattress Manufacturing?

Foam is one of the materials used in mattress manufacturing. Therefore, finding processes that make it possible to recover polyurethane components and reintroduce them into the production of new foams represents an interesting area of development for the bedding industry.

At this point, it is important to distinguish between two concepts: recycling foam as a raw material and manufacturing a mattress that incorporates recycled material.

PURELY is currently working in the first of these areas, developing a technology that makes it possible to recover the starting compounds of polyurethane so they can be reused in new foams.

The next step is to obtain sufficient quantities of recycled material to manufacture foam prototypes for the bedding sector. These prototypes will make it possible to validate the application of the technology in finished products.

The project therefore opens up a pathway to exploring the incorporation of recovered materials into new mattress foams, although this validation phase is still among the objectives to be completed.

The aim is not simply to demonstrate that waste can be recycled, but also to establish whether the resulting material can be used to develop new applications within the industry.

PURELY Enters Its Final Year with Its Technology Ready to Scale Up

On 27 October, the project consortium held its third progress meeting at CETEM’s facilities. The meeting provided an opportunity to review the achievements of the first two years and establish priorities for the final year of work.

One of the main results confirmed during this meeting is that the PURELY technology is ready to be scaled up to higher production volumes.

This represents a new phase for the project. Following the optimisation work and testing with different types of flexible foam, the project is now moving towards

The focus is now on obtaining larger quantities of recycled material.

The aim is to secure sufficient recovered material to manufacture foam prototypes for the bedding sector and validate its application in finished products.

Scalability is therefore one of the key elements of this new phase. It makes it possible to move beyond the results achieved during technological development and enter a stage focused on assessing the technology’s feasibility in specific applications.

The meeting held at CETEM also provided an opportunity to align the consortium’s activities and objectives for this final year of the project.

Foam Recycling: A New Area of Innovation for the Bedding Industry

Managing polyurethane waste represents a challenge for industries that use this material in their products. Its thermoset nature makes recycling through melting-based processes difficult, highlighting the need to develop alternative solutions capable of recovering its components.

Against this backdrop, PURELY proposes a solution based on green chemistry-driven depolymerisation, designed to recover the starting compounds and facilitate their reintroduction into the manufacture of new foams.

The project’s progress is particularly relevant to the bedding industry, as it opens up new possibilities for recovering and reusing polyurethane foam waste generated by the industry.

The technology has already been patented, has demonstrated its effectiveness with different types of flexible foam and mixtures, and is ready to move towards higher production volumes.

The next major step will be to manufacture prototypes and validate their application in finished products. This phase will provide further insight into the technology’s potential and its possible contribution to the development of new materials for mattress manufacturing.

One step further towards a circular economy in the furniture and bedding industry.