As the global mattress industry races to cut costs, simplify sourcing, and scale up margins, one British manufacturer is taking a radically different approach.
Norfolk, UK. April 23rd 2025 – Wrought Iron and Brass Bed Company, a Royal Warrant-holding heritage brand based in Norfolk, has just launched its Traceable Wool Mattress Collection — and in doing so, it’s challenging long- standing industry norms around wool sourcing, transparency, and sustainability.
This new collection is crafted using hand-teased British wool but unlike other manufacturers that rely on a single large-scale wool supplier, Wrought Iron and Brass Bed Co. has created a network of British farms supplying fleece of varying scale, location, and character.
From shepherds with just a few sheep to larger flocks of over 3,000, every farm is paid above market rate, with fast, fair compensation that allows even the smallest holdings to remain viable.
The Status Quo: Profitable for Retailers, Devastating for Farmers. The problem? It’s systemic.
Across the UK, sheep farmers face a harsh reality. The value of raw fleece has plummeted in recent years. For many, the price paid by British Wool doesn’t even cover the cost of shearing, and in some cases, farmers have opted to burn wool because selling it results in a net loss.
“We’ve seen the disconnect up close,” says Amanda Oldfield, Managing Director and founder of Wrought Iron and Brass Bed Co. “Farmers are being squeezed while the market keeps charging more. It’s a model that rewards volume and convenience — not fairness, sustainability, or true quality.”
By going against the grain, Wrought Iron and Brass Bed Co. is demonstrating that it’s possible to build a product that is ethically sourced, beautifully made, and commercially viable — all while restoring value to the material itself.
A Cooperative-Led Sourcing Model
Rather than purchasing from a centralised depot or aggregator, the company has built a small cooperative of British farms. Some are multi-generational businesses on the moors. Others are new entrants with a few dozen animals. This diverse model reflects the real face of British sheep farming and directly supports those who are often left behind in mass-market economics.
“The reality is that larger farms can often survive on meat alone,” says Amanda. “But smaller farms rely heavily on wool. By paying more, and paying quickly, we’re helping rebalance an economy that’s been skewed for too long.”
The company hopes this model will inspire other manufacturers to reconsider their sourcing chains, not just from an ethical standpoint, but as a business opportunity. “Consumers are ready for products with meaning, provenance, and principle,” Amanda adds. “And we believe the future belongs to companies who are willing to lead, not follow.”
Handcrafted in Britain – Built to Last
Each mattress in the Traceable Wool Collection is handmade using traditional techniques, including hand-teasing of wool — a process that enhances comfort, airflow, and longevity.
There are no foams, no fillers, and no synthetic fire retardants — just layers of natural fibres like British wool, alpaca, cotton, horsetail, and cashmere (in the Signature Collection).
The company has designed three mattress ranges to cater to different needs:
- Natural Comfort Collection – Combining adaptive pocket springs with hand-teased wool and cotton, this range offers restorative comfort, temperature control, and support. From £1,149 (King Size)
- Bedstead Collection – A no-turn design made with practicality in mind, using breathable natural fibres and a balanced spring system. From £899 (King Size)
- Signature Traceable Collection – The flagship range, featuring a chemical-free build with the most luxurious natural materials, 100% traceable to the farm. From £3,949 (King Size)
Why Traceability Matters Now More Than Ever
The growing consumer demand for traceability has put pressure on brands to show their working. But transparency without real-world impact is just marketing. This collection offers traceability with teeth — including named farm sourcing, direct engagement, and on-the-ground insight into how the wool was raised and handled.
It’s a genuine effort to realign customer values with production practices — not just because it sounds good, but because it’s what the industry should have been doing all along.
The Environmental Cost of the Current System
Beyond economic fairness, there’s a clear ecological argument for change. Unsold or underpaid wool is often treated as waste, even though it is biodegradable, renewable, and naturally fire-retardant. In contrast, the foams and petrochemical fillers used by mainstream manufacturers are resource-intensive and land-fill bound.
“Wool is one of the most sustainable materials on earth,” Amanda says. “It regulates temperature, repels dust mites, and doesn’t require flame-retardant chemicals. Ignoring its value is not just bad economics — it’s bad for the planet.”
Wrought Iron and Brass Bed Co.’s direct-to-farm model also helps reduce carbon emissions, bypassing the delays and detours that fleece typically endures when processed through the centralised supply chain.
Rethinking the Supply Chain — from Soil to Sleep
As sustainability becomes a non-negotiable in modern manufacturing, the question is no longer “can we afford to do this?” — but rather, “can we afford not to?”
This collection is a blueprint for what mattress manufacturing can look like when principle drives practice. It’s slower. It’s more complex. But it’s undeniably better.
ENDS