The Story Behind Swedish Brand Hästens and Its Handcrafted Horsehair Mattresses

My body feels weightless, as if I am floating in a pool. The mattress below me contours to every curve of my body, and within minutes I am enveloped in a sense of warmth. My racing mind slows into a gentle drift; except it’s far from bedtime, and I am neither home nor in a hotel room. I am in a showroom in Stockholm, Sweden, on a Tuesday afternoon—sunlight streaming in through sheer curtains and the city outside moving to its regular rhythm. I am lying on no ordinary mattress. I am testing the Hästens 2000T, one of the most luxurious beds in the world.

Earlier that morning, I hopped on a train that wound through the Swedish countryside to Köping, home to the Hästens factory where these beds have been handcrafted for generations. I was let in on the secrets behind what makes Hästens one of the world’s finest bedmakers, beloved by royalty, as well as eminent personalities, including Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey, and Beyoncé.

The Hästens story began in 1852 when Pehr Adolf Janson, a saddlemaker, started crafting saddles for royalty. He was so skilled that just four years after starting the business, he was honoured as a master saddler by the King of Sweden. The name Hästens, therefore, means “the horse’s” in Swedish. But as horses made way for automobiles during World War I, the family pivoted from saddle-making to mattresses.

Nearly 174 years later, the business remains within the family. Each generation has contributed to the business, from travelling around the world in search of premium horsehair to introducing the royal blue plaid pattern that has become synonymous with the brand. Hästens is now led by fifth-generation Jan Ryde, and has established a presence in more than 45 countries and some of the world’s most prestigious hotels.

All Hästens’ mattresses are built using horsehair, wool, flax, cotton, and steel springs, but it is horsehair that the foundation is built on. Bundles of “sustainably sourced” hair from horse manes and tails are cleaned, heat-treated, and braided before being steamed into a permanent curl. The result is a springy, airy material that allows air to circulate freely through the mattress. Around it, layers of cotton, wool, and flax play a supporting role—cotton adds softness, wool regulates the temperature, and flax is used for its antistatic properties.

Watching the craftspeople gliding through the processes, from layering the beds to hand-stitching the finer details, made it look like a cakewalk, until I tried my hand at a side stitch. Wielding a needle as long as my arm needed the kind of strength I’d reserve for a day at the gym.

Hästens makes 13 different bed models, all varying in construction, spring system and firmness, and each built to order. Depending on the model, customers might have to wait from eight to 10 weeks for a bed. Then there is the Grand Vividus, which is in a league of its own. Designed in collaboration with the artist Ferris Rafauli, the bed can be customised down to the smallest detail, from its dimensions and upholstery to its wooden accents, taking as many as 600 hours to complete.

Priced at up to $1 million USD (about ₹9.5 crore), the Grand Vividus is considered the world’s most expensive bed. Fortunately, for those investing, it is built to endure and has a 25-year warranty, like all other beds by Hästens.

Every bed is designed with the simple goal: to ensure good sleep. Before I tested the 2000T and Vividus at the store, I had slept on the Hästens Maranga model at my hotel, Stallmästaregården. My jet-lagged body was grateful for what was meant to be a midday nap, but turned into a five-hour recovery sleep.

What Hästens sells is not the idea of a luxury bed, but a “sleep system that promotes overall health and ergonomic support to the body and spine”. So, they do everything to match customers with one best suited to their body. Before making what could be a lifelong investment, you can visit the store and test each of the 13 mattresses on offer, as I did, guided by Hästens’ certified sleep consultants.

Swaddled in a down comforter and booties, I was asked to pay attention to how each mattress felt beneath my head, back, hips, and knees. The consultants encouraged me to switch positions and compare levels of firmness. Never had I paid so much attention to the act of falling asleep. In hindsight, that seems odd, considering we might spend nearly 26 years of our lives asleep.