Why Sleep Is a Foundation of Sustainable Living – and Why We Chose Comfi

Our first day with our new Comfi mattress

My grandma always used to say: you should invest in good shoes and a good bed… because if you’re not in one, you’re in the other.

That line has stuck with me my whole life and the older I get, the more true it feels.

Sleep has always mattered to me. Not in a luxury or “treat yourself” way, but in a deeply foundational way. I even dedicated a whole chapter to sleep in my book and reading Why We Sleep by neuroscientist Matthew Walker years ago completely shifted how I thought about rest, health, and decision-making.

Sleep may sound like an odd thing for a sustainable lifestyle educator to harp on about, but hear me out: when we’re sleep deprived, our ability to make good choices drops dramatically. Our patience shrinks. Our resilience disappears. Living sustainably or ethically - which so often requires effort, intentionality, and going against the grain - becomes much harder.

Sleep isn’t indulgent. Sleep directly affects our ability to live a more sustainable (and generally joyful) life.

Sleep, Sustainability, and Daily Habits

Living sustainably isn’t just about what we buy; it’s about how we live. I believe good sleep hygiene is a non-negotiable part of that.

That looks like no phone in the bedroom. Charging devices elsewhere. No screens before bed. Reading most nights. Often lying on my Shakti mat to help my nervous system wind down. These habits help me show up better the next day - for work, for parenting, and for living out my values.

Which brings me to the thing we spend around a third of our lives on… our mattress.

Three Years of Sleeping Everywhere

Over the past three years, Tim and I have been house-sitting our way around New Zealand. We also spent three months in India. In that time, we’ve experienced just about every type of bed imaginable.

Old mattresses. Brand new ones. Rock hard beds. Super soft beds. Spare room mattresses that had definitely seen better days.

It was a crash course in sleep quality.

Some beds were too soft and left us sore. Others were too firm and unforgiving. Very few felt “just right”. You know that Goldilocks zone where your body actually rests, recovers, and feels supported.

Living this way really opened our eyes. You can eat well, move your body, and do all the “right” things… but if your sleep is off, everything feels harder.

That’s why after three years away, upon moving back into our home (The Rose Garden) one of the very first intentional purchases we made was a new mattress.

In true Ethically Kate style, it wasn’t just any old mattress. We did our research.

But before getting into who we chose, it’s worth understanding the bigger picture.

The Problem With The Mattress Industry

The mattress industry has a bit of a sustainability problem.

Each year in New Zealand, an estimated 300,000 mattresses and bed bases are sent to landfill. Mattresses are bulky, hard to dispose of, and often made from materials that simply don’t last. Many end up being replaced far sooner than expected.

Once you notice the scale of mattress waste in NZ, it becomes clear that choosing a bed isn’t just about comfort…it’s a sustainability decision too.

One of the biggest levers we have isn’t only what mattresses are made from, but how long they last. A high-quality, long-lasting mattress that holds its shape and support for 10 years is arguably far better for the planet than a mattress that sounds “eco” but needs replacing after five years.

Longevity matters.

Here’s where it gets even more interesting. If New Zealanders kept their mattresses for just two years longer on average (because they were better made, not because we pushed through poor sleep), it’s estimated that 45,000 to 60,000 fewer mattresses could end up in landfill every single year.

How can we achieve this? …Fewer replacements, less often.

Longevity is only part of the picture. When mattresses are designed with end-of-life in mind, around 70% of their components can be recycled or downcycled rather than dumped. Steel springs, foams, and fabrics all have second-life potential when the right systems are in place.

A longer-lasting mattress, followed by responsible dismantling, dramatically reduces waste across the entire lifecycle.

This is also where NZ-made mattresses really come into their own. Mattresses are heavy and carbon-intensive to ship halfway around the world. Making mattresses locally reduces freight emissions, shortens supply chains, and makes product stewardship programmes genuinely achievable.

It also brings transparency. When a mattress is made in Aotearoa, you can trace how it’s built, what materials are inside it, and who’s accountable when it reaches the end of its life.

And beyond the environmental argument, there’s a human one too. Choosing New Zealand-made bedding supports skilled Kiwi jobs, local manufacturing, and businesses that prioritise quality over shortcuts.

Buying better, buying once, and buying locally might not feel flashy…but over time, those choices add up.

Why We Chose Comfi

Kate trialing the mattress options at the Comfi Sleep Hub in Auckland

With all of that in mind, we landed on Comfi.

One of the reasons we were drawn to Comfi, a NZ-made mattress brand, is how intentionally simple they’ve made the process.

They offer three mattress types, each with three feels - soft, medium, and firm. That’s it.

After years of sleeping on everything from futons to sagging guest beds, this clarity felt incredibly refreshing. Instead of endless choice, Comfi focuses on helping you find what’s right for your body.

They’ve taken the same approach with their pillows too, with a pillow trial station to help you work out what actually works for you at their mattress hub.

Add in bedroom delivery, a 100-night Rest Easy Trial, and the option to remove your old mattress sustainably, and the whole experience feels simple rather than stressful.

Sustainable Mattresses Made with Natural Materials

Comfi mattresses are built using materials chosen for both comfort and longevity.

They use NZ wool for breathability and excellent temperature regulation, natural latex for durable support and hypo-allergenic benefits, and NZ-made foams designed to hold their shape over time.

A mattress that lasts 10+ years is a sustainable choice. Fewer replacements mean fewer resources used and less waste overall. Buying once, and buying well, matters.

Mattress Recycling in NZ – Return and Downcycle Schemes

Around 300,000 mattresses go to landfill in New Zealand every year.

Comfi is actively working to change this through their “You Return, We Downcycle” programme, in partnership with All Heart NZ - having already diverted 2,000kgs from landfill so far. Around 77% of mattress components can be recycled, including steel, foam, and fabric. Mattresses that still have plenty of life left are repurposed to support the community, while those that are more worn are carefully downcycled instead of sent to landfill.

Sustainability doesn’t stop at the checkout. It includes what happens at the end of a product’s life.

Note: There’s also a lovely full-circle moment here for me personally. As someone who sits on the board of All Heart NZ, I’ve seen first-hand how repurposed, good-quality mattresses can make a real difference - offering dignified, practical support to Kiwi families when they need it most.

Comfi’s “You Buy, We Give” Programme

How good is this!?! For every five beds Comfi sells, they donate one full sleep solution to a family in need. A proper mattress, given with dignity.

As the business grows, so does the giving. It’s a values-led model that aligns strongly with what we look for when partnering with brands.

Meet the Founders Behind Comfi

Meet Vicki and Susie, the co-founders of Comfi

Another thing that stood out was speaking directly with the founders, Vicki and Susie.

They’re deeply passionate about sleep quality and want to help people find the right solution for their life stage. To me, Comfi doesn’t feel like a faceless mattress company…it feels human, thoughtful, and genuine.

Our Honest Take on Comfi Mattresses

Our faces say it all… we’re happy with Comfi

Comfi won’t be the right choice for everyone. And that’s okay.

But for us, in this season of life, it made a lot of sense. NZ-made. Built to last. Responsible end-of-life options. A simple buying experience. And values that genuinely align with ours.

After three years of sleeping everywhere, finding something that feels “just right” has been a gift.

So if you can't tell already… Tim and I wholeheartedly endorse Comfi mattresses! 

A Good Night’s Sleep Is a Sustainable Act

Caring for the planet is deeply connected to caring for ourselves.

Sometimes sustainability looks like composting or choosing secondhand. Sometimes it looks like investing in the foundations of your home so you can live well, make good decisions, and show up fully.

If a new mattress is on your radar, you can explore Comfi via this link. We’ve also secured an Ethically Kate community discount - use ETHICALLY30 at checkout for 30% off if it feels like the right fit for you.

As always… no pressure. Just sharing something that’s supported us well.

Sleep well.

Can you really visit a mattress shop without having a pillow fight?! (Though Vicki and Susie may have a different opinion about that…)