Is there foam in a Hästens?
The construction described in the Hästens catalogue contains no foam: cotton, wool, horsehair, flax, pocket springs, Bonnell springs and a pine frame. Always ask for the exact construction of a specific model.
Wool, cotton and flax
Short answer
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.
Cotton: closest to the skin
The outside of the mattress is a hand-cut cotton canvas, and the tufts that hold the filling in place are tied by hand with cotton thread.
Hästens combs the cotton and uses only the longest fibres. According to Hästens, no chemicals are used to soften it. Like horsehair, cotton is a hollow fibre: it absorbs moisture and releases it again, where synthetic materials hold on to it.
Wool: the thermostat
A Hästens contains a felt of New Zealand wool and cotton. Wool warms when it is cold and cools when it is warm, because a lot of air stays between the crimped fibres. According to Hästens, wool can absorb up to thirty percent of its weight in moisture without feeling wet.
Wool is also one of the most flame-resistant natural fibres. Hästens additionally soaks the wool in a sea-salt solution to increase its fire resistance, instead of using chemical flame retardants.
Flax: the silent strength
Flax sits where the bed would otherwise creak or tick. Under the springs it stops steel touching steel, and the frame joints are lined with it. It dampens sound and vibration, and that is what people notice first when they lie on a Hästens: you never hear a spring.
The flax is flattened, cut and soaked in water into a pulp that is strong and pliable.
What we don't repeat
Hästens writes that lying on flax gives the same health benefits as walking barefoot outdoors, that it absorbs negative electrons and neutralises free radicals, and that it eases headaches and allergies.
We know of no research showing this for a mattress, so we leave it out here. What is established is enough: flax makes a bed silent.
Sources
- Hästens (2026). Catalog (EN), p. 81, 91, 93, 95.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Hästens fire-safe without chemical flame retardants?
Hästens uses wool, which is naturally flame-resistant, and soaks it in a sea-salt solution. Which fire standard applies to your situation differs by country and use; ask your dealer.