innovation and quality

From our history book

Our preference for innovation and quality is ingrained in us from the start. Even before the actual founding of schlafgut, it’s about truly good products with long-lasting durability. This story begins in 1920 when Adam Matheis arrives in Göppingen and, together with his mother and aunts known as “the Palatinate women,” travels from place to place, house to house, selling trousseau goods packed in heavy sailcloth bales such as damasks, linens, bedding fabrics by the meter, and other household linens. At that time, a self-sewn trousseau is a must, and the “Palatinate women” with their high-quality goods are warmly welcomed in the former Göppingen district, Geislingen, and Reutlingen.

Building on this quality concept, Adam Matheis settles in Göppingen in 1927 on “Fischbergle” and, together with his wife, establishes a thriving retail business. In 1932, they move to their own property at Marktstraße 1a, known as the “Poststüble” inn. While customers come and go in Göppingen, Adam Matheis personally continues to visit interested parties in rural areas – now with his own car.

And the company continues to gain momentum: It is constantly being renovated, expanded, and extended. In 1952, Adam Matheis then establishes his own linen factory in Eislingen together with his son Wolfgang, which grows into one of Europe’s best-known bedsheet manufacturers. Over 15,000 schlafgut bedsheets and several thousand pieces of bed and table linens leave the factory daily.

It remains exciting

It’s the year 1963, and schlafgut faces a significant question: How can we design a bedsheet that is so simple that anyone can handle it? The answer to that question is the first bedsheet with integrated elastic all around. schlafgut has invented the fitted sheet! And introduces it to the market as the first provider. This innovative thinking, coupled with our curiosity, continuous pursuit of the best quality, and unwavering commitment to fairness and sustainability, forms the basis for the development of our products since our inception.

Not only have we invented the fitted sheet, but we were also the first company to sew zippers into bed linens, eliminate any toxins from production, and incorporate the highest quality and performance materials from the textile industry – starting in 1990. Here, we introduced jersey bed linens as the first manufacturer. And when it comes to organic, we are pioneers too. In 2000, we introduced Organic Cotton, a revolutionary sustainable bed linen and fitted sheet program. Continuing in 2008 with the first elastane fitted sheet on the market. And we are particularly proud of our latest milestones: organic cotton as the new standard for all our products and the introduction of sustainable packaging, entirely without plastic.

innovation and quality

It’s the year 1963, and schlafgut is faced with a significant question: How can we design a bedsheet that is so easy to handle that anyone can use it? The answer to that question is the first bedsheet with integrated elastic all around. schlafgut has invented the fitted sheet! And becomes the first provider to introduce it to the market. This innovative thinking, coupled with our curiosity, continuous pursuit of the best quality, and unwavering commitment to fairness and sustainability, forms the basis for the development of our products since our inception.

Not only have we invented the fitted sheet, but we were also the first company to sew zippers into bed linens, eliminate any toxins from production, and incorporate the highest quality and performance materials from the textile industry – starting in 1990. Here, we introduced jersey bed linens as the first manufacturer. And when it comes to organic, we are pioneers too. In 2000, we introduced Organic Cotton, a revolutionary sustainable bed linen and fitted sheet program. Continuing in 2008 with the first elastane fitted sheet on the market. And we are particularly proud of our latest milestones: organic cotton as the new standard for all our products and the introduction of sustainable packaging, entirely without plastic.