The Netherlands-headed Avantium N.V., a leader in renewable and circular polymer materials, has announced a collaboration with compatriot Heynen Systems B.V., a Dutch technical textile knitting company and interliner automation plant, to develop and assess applications of Avantium’s plant-based and circular polymer polyethylene furanoate (PEF), marketed under the brand name "releaf", in the bedding and upholstery industry.
For over 40 years, Heynen Systems has provided a system solution for the comfort foam industry, serving both manufacturers and end users.
Its business-to-business solutions are designed to automate the encapsulation process and reduce production costs.
For end users, the technology helps prevent abrasion between comfort foam and outer covers, extending product lifetime. Heynen Systems’ solutions are used by leading international brands such as IKEA and Tempur.
As part of this collaboration, “Tricover” – a Heynen Systems brand – has developed a prototype cushion incorporating releaf, which is being showcased at the Interzum Forum Italy, June 4-5, 2026, in Bergamo, Italy.
The prototype serves as a demonstration to explore the potential of releaf in comfort foam applications.
At Heynen Systems, we continuously explore new materials and technologies that support our customers and enable further development in our field. Innovation has been central to the company since its inception, as reflected in several EU patents registered by our founder, Chris Heijnen. This collaboration allows us to experiment with releaf and explore how we can further reduce environmental impact while remaining competitive. We are pleased to share this first prototype cushion made with releaf with our customers and to start the conversation on circular products ‘Made in Europe’. said Gabriela Caraman, Communication and Sustainability Adviser, Heynen Systems.
The collaboration between Avantium and Tricover focuses on prototyping and exploration. The partners are assessing how releaf can be applied in automated foam encapsulation, enhancing both performance and sustainability.
Exploring new application areas is essential as we scale releaf. Working with Tricover allows us to bring our material into direct contact with real-life applications in bedding and upholstery. This prototype is a valuable step to learn, test, and inspire the industry with what’s possible using our plant-based material PEF, added Laleh Maleki, Business Development Manager at Avantium.
