THE PUNCH PEOPLE
Meet Stefan Magnus:
Founder of Heveya Organic
Mattresses
Meet Stefan Magnus:
Founder of Heveya Organic Mattresses
After dedicating 25 years to the art of crafting mattresses, Heveya’s founder Stefan had a personal revelation. He saw that most mattress makers and brands were focused on two things: cutting costs or dazzling consumers with external appearances, all while neglecting what truly mattered – what lay beneath the surface.
November 2024 • By The Punch Editors
INTERVIEW
“I truly believe that it is what’s on the inside that truly counts! You can create a bedroom that exudes opulence, all while being gentle on both your body and our precious Earth.”
Fueled by his passion for environmental stewardship and the well-being of sleepers, Stefan embarked on an extraordinary journey. He worked on crafting a sleep system that not only oozed luxury but was inherently comfortable, free from harmful toxins, and sustainable, fashioned from the most exquisite materials available. In their quest for excellence, Heveya journeyed across the globe, leaving no stone unturned in search of the finest suppliers who shared their unwavering commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
WHAT IS HEVEYA'S VISION & MISSION?
“The long-term vision for Heveya is to become a world leader in sustainable bedding products. Currently, we are the leader in Asia, and in the medium-term, we will continue to focus on Asia, as well as the Pacific and the Middle East. Our goal is to create an ecosystem with our staff, suppliers, consumers, partners, and competitors, where mattresses and bedding products can enter the circular economy. We achieve this by offering luxurious products made primarily from natural, eco-friendly materials and by ensuring eco-friendly production, packaging, and transportation. We set an example through our behaviour and share our values with customers, partners, and suppliers.
As the founder of Heveya, I try to set an example in my daily life through various ways including cycling to work, having a permaculture farm, having my child attending the Green School Bali and working towards B-Corp Certification. I also emphasize transparency and the use of recyclable materials in our supply chain. All our mattresses are designed to be circular, and our ultimate aim is to collaborate with other manufacturers to develop a system where all mattresses can be circular. We are on a mission to help the world sleep peacefully and sustainably. When your bedroom transforms into a sanctuary of peace, furnished with sustainable products with genuine care for your health, comfort and the environment, not only are your more likely to experience a peaceful sleep, but also contributes to our world as in Mother Earth, being less stressed.”
COMMITMENT 1
Sustainable Management
By documenting and implementing a clear sustainability plan, Heveya is demonstrating its commitment to the environment and their communities.
COMMITMENT 2
Sustainable Building & Design
By designing clean and functional products, Heveya is minimizing the use of resources, unnecessary waste, and harmful emissions.
COMMITMENT 3
Sustainable & Local Sourcing
By giving priority to sustainable, local, Fairtrade, organic and/ or recycled produce, Heveya is emitting less carbon emissions while celebrating the local economy.
COMMITMENT 4
Equal & Local Employment
By giving equal opportunities to local residents including management positions, Heveya is promoting diversity and elevating employees engagement.
COMMITMENT 5
Staff Engagement
By engaging their staff in the implementation of the company’s sustainability goals, Heveya is increasing sustainability knowledge, competence and action.
COMMITMENT 6
Waste Management
By having a clear waste management plan in place with actions to reduce, separate and reuse / recycle waste, Heveya is not only minimizing the amount of waste in Bali; the brand is also leading the example to their employees and customers.
COMMITMENT 7
Sustainable Packaging
By using sustainable, natural, recycled and/or biodegradable packaging, Heveya is significantly reducing their environmental impact.
COMMITMENT 8
Biodiversity Conservation
By actively supporting, protecting, and promoting biodiversity, Heveya is contributing to ecosystem productivity and improving the life support system for our planet.
COMMITMENT 9
Community Support
By supporting their local community through various ways, Heveya is offering jobs, providing goods, services, and financial support to their community.
COMMITMENT 10
Guest Awareness
By providing accurate and transparent communication regarding the company’s sustainable practices and goals, Heveya is helping guests make better purchase decisions.
WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN BUSINESS ACTIVITIES?
"We commercialize organic mattresses and sustainable bedding products to health-conscious customers who value sustainable products. Currently, our product range includes:
Mattresses and Pillows: Made from natural latex, sourced from plantations that holds certifications such as FSC, organic and sustainable agroforestry.
Bedsheets: Crafted from luxurious soft bamboo-lyocell or natural linen (flax) for a soothing and earthly feel.
Vegan Towels: Made from organic cotton, without the use of animal-derived components in the coloring process. These towels feature a waffle design structure, enabling faster drying and reduced water and detergent consumption during washing.
Duvets & Mattress Protectors: Filled with bamboo fibers for optimal breathability and finished with organic cotton. We also offer hand-made, hand-women throws and linen decorative fabrics."
WHAT ARE THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF HEVEYA?
"We genuinely care about our customers, employees, the environment and all our partners. To us, the purchase of a mattress is a very important decision in one’s life. You sleep on it for the next 10-15 years of your life, night after night and how you sleep determines how he feel and perform in the day. We therefore offer a 100-day trial period for our mattresses. If a customer is not satisfied, we will adjust the feel of the mattress until it's right or offer a refund. Heveya is built on three core principles:
Quality: We are known for exceptional comfort, durability and aesthetics and will never compromise on quality.
Experience: We strive to provide customers with an extraordinary experience, from the ambiance of our flagship stores with very knowledgeable salespeople, to white glove delivery, and after-sales service. Consequently, we have more positive online reviews than any other mattress brand.
Sustainability: Caring for the environment is part of our DNA and we select our suppliers, partners and staff based on their like-mindedness."
"Our mattresses are exclusively made with 100% natural latex due to various reasons."
WHAT MAKE HEVEYA MATTRESSES TRULY DIFFERENT?
"Traditional mattresses commonly contain springs and polyurethane foam. However, at Heveya®, we have made a deliberate choice to exclude these materials. Our mattresses are exclusively made with 100% natural latex due to the following reasons:
Springs, similar to radio antennas, generate electromagnetic fields that can have adverse effects. Steven Magee discusses this phenomenon in his book "Toxic Electricity" and provides online demonstrations showing compass needles pointing towards spring mattresses or amplifiers receiving signals when near them.
Polyurethane foam, derived from petroleum, undergoes a chemical reaction during production, releasing gases that continue to be emitted for a certain period.
Traditional spring mattresses, with their tape-edge construction, cannot be opened and cleaned. This leads, at the bottom of the mattress, to the accumulation of dust and mites over time.
On the other hand, Heveya® mattresses boast the following characteristics:
They are also built up with a firmer base and softer layers towards the top, resulting in progressive support and an incredibly luxurious and comfortable feel. Additionally, the modular system enables customization of each side of the mattress, providing personalized hardness options for individual partners. In short, while other materials all have some benefits in terms of comfort, support, durability or breathability, natural latex has them all. When it comes to sleep, it is the best component existing. That is why we decided to make our mattresses with only natural latex.
Crafted with 100% natural latex sourced from the sap of rubber trees, which is a sustainable resource. Featuring removable covers, allowing customers to inspect the contents while also ensuring hygienic maintenance through washing or replacement. No empty spaces within the mattress, preventing the development of any life forms. Natural Latex additional benefits include optimal ventilation, excellent elasticity, high durability."
HOW HEVEYA SUPPORTS THE TRANSITION TO A LOWER CARBON, MORE SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY?
"Sustainability and Social Responsible is ingrained in the DNA of Heveya. Our commitment to supporting a sustainable economy can be seen throughout our production and supplier practices."
Production & Suppliers: "We prioritize assembling our mattresses in the country where we have a business structure, such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Indonesia, thereby minimizing transport." We carefully select suppliers based on their sustainability commitments, considering factors such as local sourcing, recyclable packaging, sustainable raw materials, recyclability of end-products, and energy efficiency. Above all, we value the mindset of the management. Being sustainable is a continuous process, certificates are important, but more important is what they really do."
Products: Natural latex → Organic plantation→ Agroforest plantation
"One of our notable sustainability initiatives is our collaboration with an organic certified plantation in Sri Lanka for natural latex production. This organic plantation helps protect the soil and rivers from toxic pesticides. Going a step further, we have also engaged in agroforest plantations in collaboration with our supplier. At first farmers were very resistant to the idea, because they like their plantation to be clean and easily accessible. Agroforestry involves planting crops like peanuts, pineapples, papayas, and bananas in between the rubber trees, making navigation on the plantation more challenging. The result has been remarkable though. Unlike organic plantations, agroforest plantations resemble real forests, full of greenery and life. Carefully selected crops and the expertise of environmental scientist Dr. Dedunu Gunathilakadunu have led to the restoration of entire ecosystems. Farmers have benefited as well, selling additional crops like bananas and papayas. They have even introduced beehives and fishponds. Furthermore, the enriched soil has increased rubber tree yields by 20%. The Hevea Brasiliensis, or rubber tree (hence our name ‘Heveya’), already contributes to environmental preservation by absorbing over a ton of CO2 in its lifetime. Through ecosystem restoration, we move closer to replicating the effects of a real rainforest. Our next step involves sourcing latex from trees growing naturally in rainforests in Borneo, leaving nature completely intact. In addition to our natural latex mattresses, we offer a range of other sustainable products. This includes bamboo-lyocell bedsheets, which utilize a production process that recycles 95% of the water and avoids the need for toxic chemicals, as opposed to the cheaper viscose process. We also provide linen sheets made from flax, vegan cotton towels produced and coloured without animal traces, and handwoven, hand-dyed throws—each item with its own eco or socio-friendly story."
Charities
"In cooperation with Replant.world, we plant trees in the rainforests of Borneo and provide these trees to our customers. Through our program, customers receive a certain number of trees based on the size of their purchase. These trees are given as digital tokens in a personalized wallet we create for them. Customers can also gift these trees to their friends. For each tree they give away, we plant an additional tree. This initiative not only allows us to expand our tree planting efforts but also helps us connect with like-minded individuals through our customers' referrals. On average, we plant approximately 12,000 trees per year. Each year, we sponsor students from the Sumba Hospitality Foundation (SHF). The SHF aims to provide opportunities for the people of Sumba to participate in the growing hospitality sector on their island. Given the low education levels in Sumba, without the foundation, locals would miss out on the benefits of the emerging tourism industry. The SHF prioritizes sustainability and witnessing the transformation of its students within a year is truly inspiring. It is worth mentioning that both Phil Dickenson, the founder of Replant.World, and Inge De Lathauwer, the founder of The Sumba Hospitality Foundation, are valued customers and friends of Heveya®. Our team is actively involved and connected with their respective activities, which adds a sense of fulfillment to our collaboration. We are committed to allocating 1% of our annual sales revenue to support sustainable and socially responsible initiatives, regardless of our profit."
