Horsehair
Washed, heated to 140 °C under pressure and spun into braids. In two kinds: firmer and more pliable.
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- Natural sleep
Natural sleep
What a Hästens is made of
Short answer
A Hästens is made of natural fibres, wood and steel: a cotton canvas, felt of cotton and wool, hand-laid horsehair, flax, a frame of Swedish pine, and pocket and Bonnell springs. The construction Hästens describes contains no foam, and every bed is latex-free. This guide follows that construction layer by layer, and says plainly where the manufacturer's claims end.
The construction
From top to bottom
A Hästens consists of three parts: the top mattress, the middle mattress and the base. This is what is inside, in the order your body meets it.
- Top mattress
Cotton canvas
Hand-cut cotton, in direct contact with your body. According to Hästens, chemically untreated.
Cotton tufts
Small knots that hold the filling in place, each tied by hand with cotton thread.
Cotton and wool felt
A blend that regulates the sleeping climate and keeps the bed supple, tucked in by hand.
Horsehair
Curled hairs that act as tiny springs, let air through and carry away moisture.
Flax felt
Lines every joint and dampens sound, so the bed doesn't creak.
Pine frame
Slow-grown Swedish pine, lined with flax for a silent night.
- Middle mattress
More wool, cotton and horsehair
Softer under the shoulders and firmer under the hips, to spread pressure.
Pocket springs
A patented system in soft, medium or firm; each spring in its own fabric pocket.
- Base
Bonnell springs
Conical, non-galvanised springs that act as a shock absorber beneath the whole bed.
The materials
Six materials, each with a job
Cotton
Combed, only the longest fibres, no chemical softener. Breathes and carries away moisture.
Read moreWool
From New Zealand, blended with cotton. Regulates temperature and is naturally flame-resistant.
Read moreFlax
Under and around the springs. Dampens sound and vibration, and stops steel touching steel.
Read moreSteel
Pocket and Bonnell springs, made in Sweden and heat-treated. 25-year warranty.
Read morePine
From northern Sweden, FSC-certified, slow-grown for strength. 25-year warranty on the frame.
Read moreFact and brochure
What we don't repeat
A catalogue is written to sell, and Hästens' is no exception. Where the catalogue describes something that can be checked — materials, processing, construction, warranty — we repeat it, with the page reference. Where it promises something about your body, we are stricter.
Flax, according to Hästens, gives the same health benefits as walking barefoot outdoors, absorbs negative electrons, neutralises free radicals and eases headaches and allergies. We know of no research showing this for a mattress.
Horsehair is said to be hypoallergenic according to independent research, with dust mites standing no chance in a Hästens. We have not seen that research; we pass it on as the manufacturer's claim.
Your body is said to enjoy better circulation, deeper breathing and organs that ‘breathe and heal’ in a Hästens. That a good bed lets you lie and sleep better, we believe. Medical promises we leave to doctors.
Read on
The materials in depth
Read
Horsehair in a Hästens: what it is and how it is processed
Horsehair is the heart of a Hästens: hair from horses' tails that is washed, heated under pressure and spun into braids, so that it curls and springs like a tiny coil. Hästens has used it since 1852 and lays it into the layers by hand. There are two kinds: a firmer one for more support and a more pliable one for a softer bed.
Read
Wool, cotton and flax in a Hästens: three fibres, three jobs
Around the horsehair lie three natural fibres, each with its own job. Cotton sits closest to the skin and breathes. Wool, from New Zealand and blended with cotton, regulates temperature and is naturally flame-resistant. Flax lies under and around the springs: it dampens sound and stops steel touching steel. That is why a Hästens stays silent.
Read
The springs and frame of a Hästens: pocket springs, Bonnell springs and pine
Beneath the natural fibres lie two spring systems and a frame of Swedish pine. Pocket springs, each in its own fabric pocket, move independently and come in soft, medium and firm. Below them are Bonnell springs: conical, non-galvanised, acting as a shock absorber. The springs are made in Sweden; Hästens gives a 25-year warranty on springs and frame.
Read
Choosing the right Hästens pillow: low, one, and after the bed
Hästens recommends one low pillow for sleeping, measuring 50 by 60 centimetres, and higher pillows only for reading. Which pillow suits you depends on your bed, your shoulder width and how you lie: broad-shouldered side sleepers need more height. The pillows are filled with down and feathers in different ratios, with no synthetic filling.
Questions
What is a Hästens made of?
Natural fibres, wood and steel: cotton, wool, horsehair and flax, a frame of Swedish pine, and pocket and Bonnell springs. According to Hästens' catalogue, the construction contains no foam and every bed is latex-free.
Is there foam or latex in a Hästens?
The construction Hästens describes in its catalogue contains no foam, and its comparison table lists every bed as latex-free. For a specific model, always ask your dealer for the exact construction.
Is a Hästens sustainable?
The materials are natural, the wood is FSC-certified according to Hästens, and a bed that lasts twenty years or more needs replacing less often. We have not seen a full environmental assessment of a Hästens, so we go no further than that.
Source
All information on materials and construction comes from Hästens' English-language catalogue (2026), pages 74–101, 126–127 and the comparison on 356–357. Where we pass on a Hästens claim, we say so.
Feeling is knowing
Horsehair, wool and flax can be described, but not explained. A night on them says more than this whole page.