1DOWNPASS STARS

Otto Keller
With sleeping comfort for a better quality of life

The family business of Otto Keller GmbH & Co. KG in Altenberge, Westphalia, has been manufacturinghigh-quality down and feather-filled bedding for 75 years. As one of the leading bed feather factories on
the European market, it attaches particular importance to ecological and animal-friendly production: theproportion of cotton used for the shells of pillows and duvets comes increasingly from sustainable cultivation, and species-appropriate animal husbandry is a must. All products filled with down and feathers
are audited according to the zero-tolerance standard DOWNPASS. Electricity is supplied by the company's own solar power system.

Downpass talked to Nils Wienker, responsible for Sales & Management at Otto Keller GmbH & Co. KG.
Otto Keller is not only a producer of bedding, but also a marketing partner for retail companies. Amongother things, they offer product training, develop private label collections and provide support at thepoint of sale. The latest project is a lifestyle magazine that revolves around the topics of family, health,food and travel. How is the response to such offerings?
As a family business, we have been dealing with the topic of sleep since 1946, which for us is the basis for abalanced and happy life. As a manufacturer of high-quality pillows and duvets, we try to actively improve
the quality of our customers' sleep, but we also know that it only contributes – even if significantly - to aPhotos: © Otto Keller–1–

DOWNPASS STARS: BETTFEDERNFABRIK OTTO KELLER

better quality of life.
We are convinced that sleep comfort and quality of life are interdependent. That's why we want to start atexactly this point and, in addition to high-quality duvets and pillows, develop products that improve our customers' quality of life beyond sleep.

With the magazine, we would therefore like to support the consumer with exciting interviews, reports and expert knowledge on the journey to a healthy,mindful and sustainable life. The feedback from our retail partners has been
consistently positive. The magazine is an additional service for consumers whowant to ensure a better quality of life in their lives. We are pleased that theadded value is seen and that the next issue will already be published in November.

Down bedding is a purely natural product and promises a long service life if cared for properly. So thatduvets and pillows keep their optimal quality, in a maintenance platform you offer tips to instruct consumers for the down care. Can the right care extend the service life?
We manufacture our bedding to the highest
quality standards and want our customers toenjoy their down and feather products for along time. That is why we have developed thecare website. It provides consumers with important down care tips and tricks to keep pillows, duvets, comforters and even down jackets in top shape. Daily fluffing helps to keep theproducts cozy. At the same time, it is sustainable, because consumers enjoy their products
longer.
To protect nature, we have developed a natural down detergent. With this natural care power, environmentally friendly washing becomes as easy as a feather - and the customer can sleep peacefully.

Your andeo collection presents the first down duvets and feather pillows awarded by the German ecolabel The Blue Angel for Textiles. What else are you doing in the company in terms of sustainability, climate and environmental protection?

Photos: © Otto Keller–2–

DOWNPASS STARS: BETTFEDERNFABRIK OTTO KELLER

For the andeo collection, we were the first bed feather factory to be awarded the Blue Angel for Textiles, theGerman government's ecolabel for the highest requirements in terms of eco-balance.

Nils Wienker
Sales & Management

We believe that every company must do its part to treat our living
space with care. Sustainability means treating our living space withcare. Sustainability is not a trend for us, but part of our company philosophy. Our vision is to improve the quality of people's sleep in thelong term through sustainable products. That is why we only workwith natural down and feathers and try to drastically reduce theamount of plastic - be it through cotton carrier bags or recycled auxiliary materials - in all our products.

Through employee discussions and company internal initiatives, we manage to reduce our waste and avoid
materials that cannot be recycled as far as possible. To this end, we consistently invest in and avoid materials that are not recyclable as far as possible. To this end, we consistently invest in state-of-the-art machinery, because state-of-the-art machines work much more efficiently. This enables us to save valuable resources. It is also important for our customers that we produce exclusively in Altenberge, Westphalia.
Thanks to "Made in Germany", we avoid environmental pollution. “Made in Germany" means that we avoid
environmentally damaging transports from other regions of the world and can better control compliancewith our sustainability standards.

How important are independent certifications for your success, and why do you rely on the DOWNPASS
label as a sign of animal welfare & quality?
For our duvets and pillows, we place particular emphasis on ecological and animal-friendly manufacturing:
we increasingly use cotton from sustainable cultivation for our shells, as well as for our packaging. In addition, we consider the species-appropriate husbandry of geese and ducks to be an absolute fact.

Photos: © Otto Keller–3–

DOWNPASS STARS: BETTFEDERNFABRIK OTTO KELLER

That is why we have chosen to follow the strict guidelines of theDownpass standard. Our complete assortment is tested according tothe Downpass-Standard. We do not buy any goods that do not meetthe requirements.
We particularly like the fact that, in addition to the strict animal welfare guidelines, the quality of the products is also tested on a regularbasis.
For all our products, we only use fillings that comply with DIN EN 12934 Class I (best new goods). This is very
important for our customers.
Source: Downpass e.V.

Photos: © Otto Keller–4–