
We manufacture every horsehair mattress following the Swiss tradition; by hand in our workshop in Berlin - Schöneberg. Our promise: to make a good mattress according to your wishes from natural materials.
How do you sleep on a horsehair mattress?
Visit our Berlin workshop to learn about the traditional craft, and explore a wide range of textiles, colors, and formats from our material archive. Or spend a whole night in our guestroom. Either alone or as a couple, including a complimentary breakfast.
The Horsehair
The horsehair commonly used in HEER mattresses is sourced from the tails and manes of horses. Just like his great-grandfather, Daniel Heer sources the material from Toggenburger & Co, a horsehair Spinnery in Switzerland. Here, the pure horsetail hair is cleansed and boiled with natural soaps, rinsed, brushed, and finely spun into tight coils. In his workshop, Daniel Heer opens and loosens these coils, then builds up the horsehair layer by layer into an elastic surface.
Why Horsehair?
Horsehair is inherently supple, at once firm, and provides cushioning. It supports the body and conforms to the spine. Hypoallergenic, permeable to air, moisture, and temperature-regulating: the horsehair mattress feels warm in winter and cooling in summer, ensuring a hygienic sleep environment. Horsehair is naturally long-lasting and resilient; with regular care and refurbishment, a horsehair mattress is durable for several generations.
Upon request, Daniel Heer reconditions horsehair mattresses after 15 to 20 years. After each reconditioning, the horsehair returns to its natural elasticity and filling power: the horsehair mattress is like new again.
The classic mattress fabric
A ticking stripe is a sturdy fabric in pure cotton. This traditional mattress fabric has been woven in the classic Herringbone pattern by John Spencer Textiles Ltd. in Burnley, Lancashire, England since 1871. The ticking stripe carries the Organic Soil Association seal of approval. From raw fiber to finished woven fabric–sustainable production is guaranteed. The classic colour patterns in blue or red have been used by HEER since 1907 to build long-lasting horsehair mattresses. For the 115th anniversary of the Heer Saddlery, Daniel Heer has redesigned the classical ticking in racing green – The Jubilee Ticking.