ReMat II: Reinforcing Circular-Functional Mattress Implementation in Public Cure and Care Sector

The Dutch population is experiencing rapid aging, with 900,000 individuals aged 80 and older in 2024, projected to increase to 1.38 million by 2035 [1]. At the same time, around 113,000 people with severe Intellectual Disabilities (ID) require continuous, lifelong care [2-3]. Both groups face challenges in achieving adequate sleep comfort and overall well-being. The mattresses used in cure and care sectors are too warm, heavy, stiff, plastic-like, and, non-breathable. This causes discomfort for caretakers and physical strain for caregivers. It can also lead to problems like pressure ulcers [4–6].
In addition to functional challenges, healthcare is facing significant sustainability issues. Over recent decades, there has been a growing reliance on single-use products rather than reusable alternatives, resulting in medical waste of up to 8.4 kilograms per patient per day [7-8]. Healthcare mattresses are not designed for circularity and are often incinerated or landfilled after use, adding substantially to waste [8-9]. Therefore, this project aims to design, develop and test a mattress solution (TRL 6) that addresses both functionality and circularity for intramural and extramural settings. This is done in collaboration with public institutions including MST Hospital, De Twentse Zorgcentra (DTZC), and Zorgfederatie Oldenzaal (ZFO). DCW, the social employment organisation of Gemeente Enschede, supports local mattress cover production, focusing on skill development, employment, and supply chain reduction.
Particularly, this project integrates Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and a product journey. A User Acceptance Study (UAS) will be conducted with diverse end user groups to gather insights from caretakers and caregives. Although benefits for pressure ulcer prevention are anticipated, the study mainly focuses on sleep quality, comfort, and sustainabiliy. The study does not involve medical interventions or invasive procedures. Therefore, it falls outside the scope of medical research requiring METC approval.