Oakdene Hollins, a sustainability consultancy in the Net Zero and Circular Economy spaces, has published its Furniture & Mattress Sustainability Benchmark Report 2025, providing "the most comprehensive snapshot yet" of how the UK furniture and mattress sector is progressing on environmental sustainability.
The report finds that while 100% of surveyed companies view sustainability as critical to their business strategy, fewer than 20% have set science-based carbon targets, exposing "a clear gap between ambition and action".
Drawing on public disclosures from 29 major UK companies, targeted surveys, and in-depth conversations across the value chain, the report examines: top sustainability priorities; customer pressure for data; circularity challenges; and biodiversity efforts.
Sonia Sanchez, senior managing consultant at Oakdene Hollins, says the findings highlight a critical moment for the sector: “The industry is moving from intent to implementation, but progress is uneven. Companies that act now on carbon, circularity and biodiversity will not only meet regulatory demands but gain a competitive edge.”
The report is designed to help furniture and mattress businesses benchmark performance, identify gaps, and prioritise next steps as UK and EU regulatory requirements tighten, including CSRD and deforestation regulations.
"The UK furniture and mattress industry is under growing pressure from regulation, rising customer expectations and volatile resource costs," states Oakdene Hollins. "Sustainability is no longer a 'nice-to-have' but a business-critical priority. Companies that fail to act risk compliance penalties, lost market share, and missed opportunities for cost savings and new revenue through circularity and carbon reduction."
Download the report here, and find out more in February's issue of Furniture News, coming soon.
