1DOWNPASS STARS

Seibersdorfer
Sleep as you dream of it

Seibersdorfer Bettfedern- und Daunenfabrik GmbH celebrated its 60th birthday in 2021. The company, located in Lower Austria, manufactures duvets and pillows in studio work. After a fire in 1999, one of themost modern bed feather and down processing plants in Europe was built in just two years, wherearound 1,000 kg of feathers are processed daily in two independent production lines. For almost 30years, the family business has been working with the harmony teachings of Feng Shui, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), kinesiology and computer-assisted meridian analysis for special product innovations.

Downpass talked to Manuela Schneidergruber, managing partner of Seibersdorfer Bettfedern- und Daunenfabrik GmbH.
In 2021 you celebrated 60 years of Seibersdorfer Bettfedern- und Daunenfabrik GmbH. What challenges
have you faced in the past and what are your expectations of your company for the coming decades?
What is the significance of your high level of service competence, for which you were awarded the title ofleading company in Austria a few years ago?
As in so many areas, our down industry is currently affected by an escalating purchasing situation with ashortage of materials and rapidly rising material prices, as if the pandemic-related challenges of the past two

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years were not enough of an unpleasant experience. In 1999, our entire company was completely destroyed
in a major fire and within one night we were left with nothing. Presumably, this dramatic experience at thattime and the tireless fight back to the top made us so solution-oriented that nothing can shake us so easily
now.
Thinking in a solution-oriented way and acting responsibly is also our motto for the main focus of our familybusiness, namely to guarantee our customers the best, most natural sleep in harmony with nature, the environment and sustainability. Which is why we are constantly expanding our cooperation with local goose
farmers - animal welfare and regional added value in harmony. Innovation and top service in the product itself as well as our production location in Austria also led to the award as a leading company. This is an honour and an obligation for us to continue on this path.

How “crazy” is Seibersdorfer? Or to put it differently: Why do you develop such special product ideas andwhat makes them stand out from the crowd? As keywords, let's just mention the music pillow or the Energy Oasis sleeping system according to Feng Shui.
As early as 20 years ago, we began to develop products in symbiotic cooperation with energeticists andradiesthesians in order to offer our customers a maximum of "good vibrations" during sleep, so that they
can start the new morning well rested. Our Feng Shui products are the best example of this.
We are currently working on a music cushion that lets you drift off into the realm of dreams with gentle relaxation music. Thanks to our studio work, we can produce everything in-house, from samples to series
products.
Photos: © Seibersdorfer–2–

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Which projects are you particularly proud of in the context of your environmental management and how
does Seibersdorfer deal with natural resources?
Our entire company - production and administration - is energy selfsufficient. The electrical energy we need comes from our own hydroelectric power plant. The Leitha, the border river between Lower
Austria and Burgenland, is used with two turbines to produce electricity, and approx. 20 % that is not needed is fed into the public grid.
All process heat - from the down drying facilities to the heating of thecompany premises - is provided in a CO2-neutral way by a state-ofthe-art company-owned wood chip heating system. A large photovoltaic system is currently being planned, especially as our industrial flat roofs are logically suited for this purpose. Of course, all waste water is also purified in a biological sewage plant, made possible by a state-of-theart grease separation plant for the down washing water.
How important are independent certifications for your success, and why do
you rely on the DOWNPASS label as a sign of animal welfare & quality?
Certifications such as DOWNPASS are immensely important for us, especiallyas we work in an extremely sensitive area with down and feathers. It is therefore all the more essential for us to clearly and unequivocally stand up for active animal welfare.
DOWNPASS serves as an incorruptible guarantee for the end customer thatthe chain of traceability of our down and feathers with regard to animal welfare is unbroken and transparent. For six decades, the name SEIBERSDORFER
has stood for top quality as well as for the highest responsibility towards ouranimal suppliers.

Manuela Schneidergruber
managing partner

Source: Downpass e.V.

Photos: © Seibersdorfer–3–