Sustainable Manufacturing: How our sites are working towards a more sustainable future

How our sites are working towards a more sustainable future

The significance of sustainability in manufacturing cannot be overstated; as the awareness and research into the environmental impacts of human activity grows, modern manufacturing processes and businesses must evolve and respond to expected sustainability standards.

The topic of water conservation, energy efficiency, recycling, and greenhouse gas emissions are increasingly important points for businesses and consumers alike. For manufacturers, sustainability should not be treated as a buzzword, but actively considered and championed through research and development, and processes throughout production.

At The Vita Group, this is precisely what we have been doing and continue to do.

Our background in sustainable foam manufacturing

As leaders in flexible polyurethane foam conversion and manufacturing, we are globally recognised for our innovative foam products. We are multi-award winners, holding prestigious product development awards for our innovative foam technologies, including: 

• Best of the Best Award from Interzum 2023 for VitaFirst Mattress
• High Quality Product Award from Interzum 2023 for Orbis Plus (100% recycled material foam product)
• Sustainability Manufacturer Award from Made in the North West for RevoSport (shockpad underlay derived from 100% recycled foam).
• As a company we have achieved EcoVadis Platinum, scoring 83/100, placing us in the top 1% of assessed organisations worldwide. Represents continuous improvement and commitment in our sustainability management.

A brief history of driving sustainability through innovation in the foam industry:

• 1992: Developed the first melamine and filler-free combustion modified high resilient foam, satisfying UK flammability regulations and expectations for comfort and durability.
• 1998: Novada launched for automotive applications. Its fine cell and low porosity structure set an industry standard for ester foams.
• 2000: First foam produced using renewable raw materials; a biopolyol made from sunflower oils.
• 2007: Origin launched in the UK as our new brand for delivering ‘Biopolyol based’ products.
• 2017: ECO FOAM launched for Technical and Comfort markets, harnessing and trapping CO2 in its raw material.
• 2019: TCPP-free foam with excellent rebound and compliance with UK flammability regulations is launched and awarded NBF Innovation of the Year.
• 2020: Collaborated with Dow to produce Orbis, a flexible polyurethane foam made with RENUVA polyol, created with raw material from recycled mattress content.
• 2022: The Vita Group became the first flexible PU foam manufacturer globally to have their science-based targets validated by the SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative). 
• 2022: Awarded Gold EcoVadis rating, placing the group within the top 3% of companies assessed globally, this success was repeated in 2023.
• 2023: Winners of four Interzum awards in recognition of its market-leading sustainable foam technologies including the prestigious ‘Best of the Best Award’.
• 2025: As a company we have achieved EcoVadis Platinum, scoring 83/100, placing us in the top 1% of assessed organisations worldwide. 

Vita Product Stewardship:

We actively pursue advancements in sustainable manufacturing. Following a core commitment to product stewardship, we work to substitute materials and reduce use of virgin, petrochemical-derived raw materials and raw materials from non-sustainable sources. Our commitments are integral to our mission of “Creating Comfort, Delivering Performance, Enhancing Everyday Life”, as we set the standard for circularity of foam products for foam converters and manufacturers.

What our sustainable manufacturing means to you

We are dedicated to the discovery of materials and technologies with reduced environmental impacts, placing environmental management and sustainability at the heart of product design. As a result, we have built a reputation for solving existing problems in society, such as unlocking the value of waste destined for landfill, using this as a raw material. Our product innovation and commitment to use of renewable and recycled feedstock materials at scale has resulted in seismic changes in the foam conversion and manufacturing industry, and industries where our foam products are used.

The result: Vita provides a range of foam products that prioritise sustainability while maintaining exceptional functionality, durability, and quality. Leading businesses work with us to maximise product quality and improve environmental impacts through sustainable foam technologies. We deliver to leading brands and businesses, including in the following sectors: furniture, bedding and mattresses, automotive, aviation, rail, flooring underlay, medical, packaging, acoustic treatment, insulation, and more.

Download our latest sustainability report, or get in touch to discuss your sustainable foam technology options today.

The future of sustainable foam manufacturing:

How Vita are increasing our lead in quality foam technologies

We are actively working to expand our reputation as leaders in foam technologies and manufacturing processes, setting the standard for the industry and what users of foams should come to expect.

In addition to our cradle-to-gate product innovations driven by our multinational innovation centres, we are driving progress across our 33 international sites in modifying how we operate. Here are the key ways we will improve our sustainability as leading foam manufacturers:

Optimising materials conversion index in foam production:

The materials conversion index (MCI) is a key metric in measuring the yield and efficiency of sustainable manufacturing processes. By optimising the extent of useful material output to total material input, the total volume of landfill waste produced in manufacturing processes can be reduced.

By continuing to maximise and increase the volume of raw materials that end up in our final product, the total extent of waste produced can be reduced, leading to more efficient, higher yield, and more economically friendly manufacturing processes.

Eliminating waste in foam conversion and manufacturing:

Waste elimination and recycling is already crucial to our manufacturing processes. Our ambitions to increase sustainability and reduce environmental impacts will continue to drive R&D and innovation into waste reduction and sustainable foam product development.
The reduction of absolute waste will reduce the volume of waste reaching landfill sites, lessening our environmental impact further. At The Vita Group, we aim to achieve and pursue this through a number of strategies, including:

• Improving process efficiency: By amending and refining production processes, raw materials can be used more efficiently meaning less is discarded. Current processes followed to maximise process efficiency include optimising ratios of polyols, isocyanates, and additional raw materials to minimise raw material loss, and reconstituting foam scraps from conversion/processing operations such as CNC machining and cutting.
• Recycling waste materials: We have won a number of awards for our innovative foam technologies using recycled foam materials as raw materials, to reduce total absolute waste. The use of waste by-products of manufacturing and foam conversion processes has been, and will continue to remain, integral to our product stewardship efforts and cradle-to-gate developments.
• Redesigning with fewer materials: As part of our product stewardship and development processes, we will continue to explore methods to reduce dependence on non-renewable raw materials. As part of this process, we shall actively re-evaluate product designs and formulas to ensure consistent and improved product quality, whilst reducing the cumulative environmental impacts of the end foam product for our customers. This process shall include revising ratios and types of reactants used in foam manufacturing, through to structural and design modifications, and improving process efficiencies.

Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions:

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is an integral part of increasing the sustainability of manufacturing processes. From the delivery of raw materials by logistics vehicles, to the individual manufacturing processes used and waste by-products, every stage of manufacturing and plant operations accounts to a business’ total greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint.

At The Vita Group, we aim to reduce our carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions through every area of our business and site operations to pursue more sustainable operations. As part of this process, we have and will continue to accurately account and monitor the emissions on every vita site in accordance with our science-based targets – validated by SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative).

With our commitment to thorough emissions monitoring and accounting, we will be able to intervene at the earliest point, allowing us to identify spikes in emissions and implement the necessary actions across any site. Environmental impact accounting will also enable us to explore alternative and cleaner production options earlier, to result in the largest magnitude of environmental impact improvement.

By implementing cleaner production methods, we can reduce our carbon footprint and help mitigate the effects of global warming.

Conservation of water and responsible water use:

Water conservation is critical to sustainable manufacturing processes. As a multinational foam manufacturer, we will continue to endeavour to reduce water consumption with responsible water use, safeguarding against water scarcity. To assess the extent of water consumption and to address spikes early, we shall continue to implement a thorough and accurate monitoring program to manage excessive water usage early.

The Foam Manufacturing and Conversion Experts

At The Vita Group, we have a longstanding and worldwide renowned reputation for delivering high-quality, high-performance, foam technologies. We own and operate a number of leading foam manufacturing brands, including: Reflex, Adormo, Pantera, Tiger Touch, Metzeler Airline, Vita Talalay, Cloud 9, and RevoSport.

With 33 manufacturing sites across Europe, we supply leading businesses across the world with innovative foam technologies. Our flexible polyurethane (PU) foams can be found in a complete range of consumer, public, and industrial markets, including in: automotive interiors and gaskets, aviation and rail seating, carpet underlay, mattresses and bedding products, furniture, and more.

With over 75 years of industry innovation and experience, we are your trusted experts for large-scale foam supplies. To learn more about our sustainability practices, our brands, or how our products can support your business, get in touch with our expert team today.