1DOWNPASS STARSTreude & Metz
With passion and a love of nature

Climate-friendly products and climate protection are embedded in the core of the corporate DNA of
Treude & Metz GmbH & Co. KG. Founded in 1884, Germany's oldest bed feather factory processes feathers and down for pillows and duvets in the Siegerland region. At the end of their product life cycle, reusable products are recycled into a high-quality follow-up product. The down and feathers are processed
into a fine plaster and can then be used as an insulating material in construction, both indoors and outdoors.

Downpass talked to Dr. Paul-Friedrich Metz, the Managing Director of Treude & Metz GmbH & Co. KG.
Treude & Metz is the oldest bed feather factory in Germany. Since 1884, the company in Siegerland has
been processing feathers and down for pillows and duvets. Today, the company is a pioneer in sustainability. What environmentally friendly processes are used in procurement, production and postproduction?
As a company, Treude & Metz takes both economy and ecology into account in all its decisions. We concretise the aspect of sustainability in our entrepreneurial actions and create a transparent, comprehensible decision-making aid for customers with regard to our products.

Photos: © Treude & Metz or information on the picture–1–

DOWNPASS STARS: TREUDE & METZ

Climate-friendly products and climate protection are not just a marketing tool for us, but are deeply embedded in our corporate DNA.
The three most important stages of our work are the knowledgeable, animal welfare-friendly selection, thegentle processing and the careful refinement of the raw materials.

We primarily use natural resources in our value
creation process. Our laundry gets most of its water from the nearby Laasphe river and does notuse any chemical processes at all. The water required for cleaning, as well as the fresh water, isrecycled and reused after the washing process.
Out of conviction, we observe strict ecologicalrules (certified company according to Ökoprofit).
At the end of the production process, there is aproduct with verifiable ecological added value.
However, the life cycle of down and feathers does
not end after the use phase as bedding, but is significantly extended by our innovative processes. At
the end of their life cycle, reusable products arerecycled into a high-quality follow-up product.
Among other things, the down and feathers arefurther processed into the lime-clay-feather-fineplaster Anserit®.

© Eberhard Demtröder, Westfalenpost Wittgenstein

Photos: © Treude & Metz or information on the picture

On the way to climate neutrality and circular
economy, or in other words: from bedding producer to insulation supplier. What are the company's goals and how did this expansion of theportfolio come about?
As a doctor of agricultural science and ecologicallycommitted entrepreneur, I cannot and do notwant to see valuable and multi-layered natural
products such as feathers and down simply end up
in the rubbish. It has become my life's work to create new innovative products with added value forthe customer and society from the leftovers fromproduction or the feathers and down that are nolonger needed in the sense of upcycling. This is
how the patented idea of the lime-loam feather–2–

DOWNPASS STARS: TREUDE & METZ

fine plaster Anserit® came into being.
Our commitment to animal welfare and sustainability is regularly checked and certified by independent auditors and institutes. We are currently working on recertification for Ökoprofit - this will be our third recertification. We are also a member of the German Sustainability Code, a Climate Partner and have been aDOWNPASS partner from the very beginning. Of course, all these certifications also mean a lot of work andconstant "thinking outside the box". We want to change something, we want to make a difference, we don't
want to stand still. The name Treude & Metz stands for quality, passion, tradition and closeness to nature.
Therefore, we will continue to work towards ensuring that Treude & Metz produces the highest quality
products from natural materials in an environmentally friendly way. Our innovation pipeline is well filled andwe will continue to establish new products and production processes on the market.
Treude & Metz is involved in the Ars dormiendi association for goodsleep. From top athletes to schoolchildren, the association advises
and shows ways to reduce stress and get a restful night's sleep.
What is the significance of its health issue, especially in times of corona crisis, and to what extent can choosing the right bedding help?
The Corona pandemic has had a strong negative impact on the quality and quantity of sleep in the population. Recently, a study by Danube University Krems in cooperation with the Medical University ofVienna and the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research(Austria) found that 25 per cent of students suffer from sleep disorders. Depending on the study, this represents a five- to tenfold increase compared to the pre-pandemic period.
Ars dormiendi e.V. is based, among other things, on essential findings in sleep research. In order to guarantee the best sleep, each sleeper must be considered in his or her individuality. This means that the sleep
products must be adapted to the sleeper according to various parameters, e.g. moisture and heat transportor lying firmness, and that good sleep hygiene must be created. Sleep hygiene means, for example, the duration of sleep, brightness or the start of sleep. Only those who optimise all areas can start the new working,sports or school day rested, refreshed, regenerated and concentrated. Those who sleep well and for a sufficiently long time even strengthen their immune system.
In 2019, the University of Tübingen demonstrated that the functionof T cells, i.e. the white blood cells responsible for fighting pathogens, is reduced after sleep deprivation. It is clear that sleep is essential for the regeneration of the body, both in terms of physical andpsychological suffering. Corona has upset the sleep rhythm and thus
also the body's own processes of many people. Anyone who wants to
do something good for their body should therefore make sure tochoose the right bedding and go to bed in good time, ideally at 10pm. This way, all bodily processes such as hormone release and repairs can proceed "according to plan". This is the essential concern of Ars dormiendi e. V.

Photos: © Treude & Metz or information on the picture–3–DOWNPASS STARS: TREUDE & METZ

How important are independent certifications for your success andwhy do you rely on the DOWNPASS seal as a label of animal welfare& quality?
Independent certifications are confidence-building measures for thecustomer!

© Carsten Schmale
Paul-Friedrich Metz
Managing Director
Treude & Metz GmbH & Co. KG

I As part of my dissertation, I was the first person in the world toprove, among other things, that the feather and down coat of water
fowl kept in a species-appropriate manner has better properties thanthose of animals not kept in a species-appropriate manner. To thisday, I continue to update my findings and results in this regard. This
has led to the Treude & Metz core message "Buying down is a matterof trust". Animal welfare has always been established in the company
philosophy. We have never and will never use feathers or down fromlive plucking, poor husbandry or even extra breeding for feather anddown processing. Every creature deserves to be treated with respect,
as do the materials used from it.

We are grateful to nature for this unique product! This way of thinking underlies the DOWNPASS inparticular!
The management of the Association of the German Down and Feather Industry VDFI, my colleagues on theboard and I have been striving for the welfare of waterfowl for almost 30 years, from the development ofthe egg to the harvesting of feathers after slaughter. In the meantime, a broad front of supporters hasemerged, coming from a wide range of disciplines. Thus, agronomists, poultry farmers and breeders, animalwelfare activists and politicians from all political groups are working to ensure that animal welfare is preserved and that consumers can subsequently sleep refreshed in our valuable and transparently created natural products.

Source: Downpass e.V.

Photos: © Treude & Metz or information on the picture–4–