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Until recently, if you threw away an old mattress in Amsterdam, it would likely end up in an incineratorthe same way that most of the 15 million-plus mattresses thrown out in the U.S. each year end up in landfills. Now, however, around half of Dutch mattresses are recycled, and that number is growing. Some of the material is starting to be used in new mattresses, sofas, and other furniture by manufacturers like IKEA. [Photo: IKEA] In one facility near Amsterdam, a company called RetourMatras uses automated equipment to dismantle old beds, beginning with a machine called a peeler that cuts off the mattress cover so the fabric can be recycled. Then the core is separated into materials like polyurethane foam, latex foam, and metal springs, depending on whats inside a particular product. More than 80% of a typical mattress can be recycled. In another corner of the facility, the company has pioneered a process to turn polyurethane foam into the chemical building blocks for making new foam that can be used in furniture. [Photo: Ikea] In the past, shredded foam could only be “downcycled” into a lower-quality material for products like carpet backing. Now, if you buy an Extorp sofa or Poäng chair from IKEA in Europeor a new mattressit will likely contain foam partially made with chemicals that RetourMatras recycled from old mattresses. The investment arm of Ingka Group, IKEA’s largest retailer, first invested in the recycling startup in 2019 to help it scale up. The aim was to help with IKEAs own circularity goals. We would like to recycle as many mattresses as IKEA puts on the market globally, says Alberic Pater, who manages business development at Ingka Investments. (Last year, the company sold more than 11 million mattresses.) At the time of the first investment, there was almost no recycling capacity in the region, Pater says. Incineration or landfill was still commonplace, because the cost was far cheaper than recycling, he says. Cost is still a challenge, though RetourMatras says that automation is helpingalong with the fact that the company can now produce higher-quality materials for use in new furniture. The recycling company now has three facilities in the Netherlands, along with three facilities in the U.K. and one in France. In total, it has the capacity to recycle 2.5 million mattresses in a year; last year, it handled 1.6 million. So far, only the location outside of Amsterdam has the new tech. But another new investment from IKEA will help the startup grow. This month, the furniture giant announced that it planned to invest more than $1 billion in recycling infrastructure, including an unspecified amount in RetourMatras. (The recycler hasn’t yet announced any plans to expand to the U.S., and so far, there aren’t any other American recycling companies with the same type of foam-to-foam recycling technology.) At the same time, IKEA’s product designers are working on making mattresses more recyclable. For example, many of its mattresses now have covers made from 100% recycled polyester, which can be recycled again. The covers also have zippers, so they’re easier to remove. “It’s extremely easy just to unzip the cover, take out the foam, and let the cover go in a different recycling stream,” says Johan Kroon, a product developer for Inter IKEA. (Because they’re removable and washable, it also makes it more likely that consumers will keep the mattresses longer, which can cut the environmental footprint of the product even more.) The company’s product design team is working on multiple projects related to mattress recyclability, including making it easier to separate the materials inside. Other companies are also innovating in the space. Royal Auping, a Dutch company that has made mattresses since 1890, designed a fully circular mattress in 2020. Called Evolve, it’s made from only two materialsPET, the material used in plastic water bottlesand steel springs. A specially-designed adhesive makes it possible to separate the materials with heat instead of energy-intensive shredding. PET is also easier to recycle than foam. The design has fewer than half of the components of a typical mattress, but is as comfortable, the company says, with better ventilation than a foam mattress. RetourMatras says that mattress brands can tour its facilities to better understand how to design for recyclability. It will take time to see the benefits. “We’re dismantling mattresses from 10 years ago,” says Chico van Hemert, managingdirector at RetourMatras. “If we change something now, we’ll benefit in 10 years.” Meanwhile, IKEA’s product developers are also figuring out how to use the new recycled foam. Right now, it only makes up a small percentage of the total material in the company’s products; one IKEA mattress sold in the Netherlands, for example, uses 10% recycled polyol, the main building block for making foam. That percentage can increase as the supply of recycled material keeps growing and costs come down. “The biggest challenge is to get more mattresses,” says Pater. IKEA collects old mattresses at its stores, but governments need the right policies to collect mattresses at a large scale. Several European countries now have “extended producer responsibility” laws that require mattress retailers to figure out how to get old mattresses back for recycling. The U.S. lags behind, but four states also have similar laws. “We need more markets, more countries, to implement the right legislation,” he says.
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E-Commerce
When famous and powerful people open up about their autism experiences, it often gets attention. One example is Bill Gates sharing an excerpt from his upcoming memoir, Source Code: My Beginnings. In it, he writes that “if I were growing up today, I probably would be diagnosed on the autism spectrum. But although this caused some struggles, he also notes: I wouldnt trade the brain I was given for anything. For many in the autistic community, this visibility can feel like a win. Seeing a successful person identifying as autistic can inspire hope and serve as a reminder: An autistic brain is not something to be ashamed of. In fact, there is much to celebrate. But these high-profile disclosures also bring mixed feelings. Along with the celebration comes a concern about autism and success narratives, who benefits from them, and who is harmed by them. The ‘Autistic Genius’ Stereotype and the Superpower Narrative Popular narratives often frame autistic people in extreme ways. We are either geniuses (albeit often misunderstood) destined to revolutionize industries, or tragic figures, defined solely by our struggles. When someone influential comes out as autistic, the story often focuses on their “unstoppable neurodivergent brilliance”their extraordinary talents, creative thinking, superhuman persistence, or unique approach to problem-solving. It feeds into the neurodivergent superpowers narrative. This might seem like a major improvement over the broken and deficient stereotypes, yet it can also be a trap. Innovative talents and the humans who exhibit them are worth celebrating. Yet a powerful mental image of a genius risks obscuring the broader, more nuanced picture of autistic experiences, and creating stereotypes that might be positiveyet still have negative effects on other autistic people. Research indicates that once we categorize something, cognitive schemas and stereotypes guide our memory and perceptions. This means we are stuck in the oversimplification. Challenging and broadening narrativesin this case, understanding the wide range of autistic experiencesbecomes difficult. One of the more obvious consequences of the tech genius stereotype is pushing people toward tech careers that may or may not align with their calling, while restricting opportunities in fields that dont align with that stereotype. Another problem with the fascination with autistic genius is the risk of perpetuating the perception that autistic peoples value is conditional on having extraordinary abilities. It reinforces a hierarchy of worth, where only the most “useful” or “exceptional” are deemed valuable. For many autistic people, this narrative creates an implicit expectation to keep proving our valuea burden that can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy and exclusion or result in a burnout. The risk of burnout also stems from the expectation that autistic people deliver above and beyond in environments where we lack support. Moreover, wealthy genius narratives can obscure the disproportionate economic challenges faced by the majority of autistic people. Policies and programs focused solely on tapping into autistic potential” may miss the mark when it comes to meeting foundational needs like housing, transportation, or healthcare, and protection from blatant workplace discrimination. Everyday Realities of Working While Autistic In his writing, Gates acknowledges both his luck and his privilege. And I am happy to celebrate his story. But there are so many other stories. Untold, and unheard. Most autistic people face complex and painful challenges in their careers and in their lives. In addition to extremely high unemployment, even those who work are held back by poverty, inaccessible environments, and the lack of understanding from their employers. Their stories are far less glamorous, but theyre just as important. They reflect the lives of the majority of autistic peoplethe ones who dont make headlines. Here are a few stories from my book, The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity, and Intersectional Belonging at Work, to provide a broader perspective on the autistic experience at work. In that experience, ability and high performance are often not enough. Working as a HR systems analyst in the U.K., Charlie Hart often received positive feedback about her productivity (eats workload for breakfast) and the quality of her work (meticulous attention to detail), yet she never got anything above achieved in her performance reviews. She was striving for the exceed expectations rating though, and asked the HR director what she needed to do to get it. Well, she needed to be a different person. Charlie was assigned to an interpersonal skills coaching, which was de facto a neurodivergent masking and passing for a neurotypical coachingexacerbating years of trauma and pushing her into depression for months. Burnett Grant, a highly experienced Black, autistic lab technician from the U.S., was advised by their supervisor to get on disability benefits and clean houses for extra money under the table. Burnett was a high performer and didn’t ask for advice, which leaves little explanation for this unsolicited guidance other than stereotyping. Dr. Jacqui Wilmshurst from Beverley, U.K., is a health and environmental psychologist. After she was diagnosed as an adult, she disclosed her neurodivergence to her new manager. She was immediately sent on a mandatory occupational health referral to reassess her ability to do the job. That was the job for which she had been through 11 interviewsafter being recruited by the employer in the first place, for her unusual thinking and innovative approach. After disclosure, Jacquis manager said they needed a playbook to manage Jacqui, and only a doctor could provide that. Jacqui ended up resigning. Justin Donne worked in the U.K. and France for governmental organizations, private companies, and many boards. He was also seen as too much and told to slow down. In one of his roles, Justin broke organizational records for KPIs, facilitated fundraising windfalls, and developed award-winning programs. Then, he was placed under a micromanager who wanted to control everything Justin did and how he did it. That was the end of Justins career with that organization. These stories may not be glamorous, but theyre important. They reflect the experiences of the majority of autistic talentthe ones who are too often left out of workplace conversations or considerations. Canaries in the coal mines whose struggles are signals of broken human resources and management systems. A Broader Vision of Autistic Talent Fairness means building unbiased, outcomes-focused work environments. It means supporting all autistic people in developing their talents, extraordinary or not. It means removing the barriers that hold so many back. It means recognizing autistic peoples value as inherent, not commodified. To move from celebrating the exceptional to creating work environments of ordinary excellence where all autistic people can thrive, where all people can thrive, we need to: 1. Broaden the Narrative: Highlight a range of autistic stories, including those of people who are overlooked, struggling, or simply living ordinary lives. Push back against reductive portrayals of autism as either a “superpower” or a “tragedy.” Autism is a complex human experience, not a marketing slogan. 2. Celebrate Human Value: Celebrate autistic and allistic people for who they are, not for superpowers. Everyone deserves dignity, belonging, and the chance to contribute. 3. Remove Barriers: Design fair and flexible workplaces that offer employment and success opportunities for all people, autistic or allistic, regardless of their economic or social standing. Such workplaces benefit all. They help create more stories to celebrate. When a high-profile person brings a spotlight to autism, its an opportunity to celebrate and educate. But its also a moment to reflect. Whose stories are centered? Whose stories are ignored? And how can we expand the conversation to ensure fairness and opportunities for all? The full story of autistic talent is about peopleall of usdeserving dignity, respect, and the right support to thrive. Helping everyone develop their talents enriches the workplace and the world far beyond the contributions of any one person, however exceptional.
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E-Commerce
This year, 2,500 girls will be able to attend secondary school in Afghanistan. While this shouldn’t be a remarkable feat, it is: The Taliban government forbids girls from receiving an education beyond 6th grade. Ideas Beyond Borders, a nonprofit organization, is helping to support The Underground School Initiative that educates girls in 38 secret locations throughout Afghanistan. In an unexpected turn, this project will be partially funded by The Citizenry, a U.S.-based home goods brand, which raised money during its Black Friday sale last year to pay for teachers, educational supplies, and facilities for these students. [Photo: The Citizenry] Desperate for an Education In 2021, when the United States left Afghanistan and the Taliban took back power, one of the new government’s mandates was that girls would not receive more than a primary education. Schools shuttered overnight. This came as a rude shock to the 850,000 girls who were pulled out of school, when they had previously assumed that an education was a fundamental right. Teenagers were turned away from their old classrooms, some in tears. Faisal Saeed Al Mutar, who founded Ideas Beyond Borders eight years ago, had been paying close attention to this unfolding catastrophe. The goal of his organization is to create a free and prosperous Middle East by spreading knowledge and education. For instance, the organization has added upwards of 40,000 articles onto Wikipedia in local languages, including Arabic, Farsi, and Pashtun. [Photo: Ideas Beyond Borders] After the U.S. left Afghanistan, Al Mutar, who splits time between the U.S. and the UAE, began receiving messages from journalists in Afghanistan saying that there were families and teachers who wanted to defy the ban on education and start creating a network of underground schools. There are now many brave communities across the country that are putting thousands of girls through school. They were taking incredible risks, Al Mutar says. Parents were donating their houses so that girls could continue their education. Ideas Beyond Borders wanted to support this work, so it sent a team to vet these schools. It then served as a link between these schools and the outside world, helping to find individuals and companies who would be willing to fund these underground schools. [Photo: The Citizenry] There appears to be some disagreement among the Taliban’s leadership about whether girls should be allowed to go to school. There have been several points over the past four years when some leaders were open to reversing the decision. But a minority of senior hardliners are committed to this stance, and girls continue to be banned from school. While it is a risk for these girls to attend the underground school, communities have found ways to skirt the rules. Teachers describe their classrooms as madrasas, or Islamic religious schools. And according to CBS News, the Taliban’s involvement and regulation of these madrasas vary by location and local officials involved. In Taliban strongholds in the south and east of the country, authorities tend to enforce the ban, while in other areas, leaders are willing to turn a blind eye. Al Mutar isn’t particularly optimistic that things are going to get better in Afghanistan. He says that regime appears to be set on imposing more restrictions on women. The Taliban is making it harder to work, and there’s a new law that bans women from singing. It’s been more and more challenging, says Al Mutar. Freedoms are declining. [Photo: The Citizenry] Black Friday For Good Rachel Bentley and Carly Nance launched The Citizenry in 2014 as a brand that sold home decor ethically sourced from 4,000 artisans in 23 countries around the world. (Last year, it was acquired by Havenly, which owns mny home furnishing brands.) They partnered with Fair Trade to ensure that all workers were receiving a living wage. We learned that handmade doesn’t always mean fairly paid, Nance says. We want to invest in these communities for many reasons, including that it allows them to deliver the best craftsmanship. Nance says that over the course of working with skilled craftspeople from around the world, they found communities in Afghanistan than made traditional hand-knotted rugs. The company was keen to source rugs made by female artisans. But when the Taliban took over, women were no longer allowed to work outside the home. The Citizenry worked with local organizations committed to helping women continue to work safely, if they chose to do so. This meant rerouting rugs through neighboring countries before sending them to the U.S., rather than shipping them directly from Afghanistan, since this would make it less likely that local authorities would audit the rug-making facilities,” says Nance. “We’ve worked to build a supply chain and shipping rout where we can get the rugs in and out, while protecting the women who are working on them.” [Photo: Ideas Beyond Borders] When Nance discovered the network of underground schools, she was eager to support this work through The Citizenry. She believes giving girls an education is one step toward helping them work across many industries, ultimately creating more possibilities for their lives. She reached out to Ideas Beyond Borders to see how her team could help. The Citizenry turned its Black Friday Sale into an opportunity to raise funds for these schools by donating profits to Ideas Beyond Borders. It raised $30,000 that will fund the education of 2,500 girls in 38 secret locations across the country. Black Friday is our single-biggest day of sales in the year, and we thought it would be a beautiful kickoff to the holiday season, she says. Al Mutar hopes that the education the girls receive will allow them to find work in areas they are interested in. Some are eager to learn English and French so they can find work as translators. Others are eager to become graphic designers. A proportion of these girls are even able to go to university in women’s colleges in Bangladesh. They can then go through a more formal education system and find even more job opportunities, he says.
Category:
E-Commerce
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