Welcome to the latest edition of enki’s Meet the Maker series. Here, we chat to Sophie Lang, founder of Leisurely; a new bedding brand that’s threading sustainability into the art of a good night’s sleep.
“While sustainability was gaining more traction, I became increasingly frustrated by the issue of overproduction being overlooked” shares Sophie Lang, founder of Leisurely, as she looks back on her time working in the fashion industry. “We may be using more sustainable fabrics such as organic cotton, but the rate of production still demands more resources than our planet can provide” she continues.
Keen to open up a deeper dialogue about the transparency of the products we consume, combined with a very telling bout of burnout, Sophie decided it was time to focus on her priorities. To spend time with family, connect more with nature and focus on her health. To take life a little slower… more leisurely if you will.
And so, in 2022 Leisurely was born. Utilising her knowledge of textiles and supply chains, Sophie wanted to create a product that “gives true comfort and restoration.” Read on as Sophie reveals her journey to the first launch, the ins and outs of Leisurely’s sustainable supply chain, how working within the architecture field has influenced her designs (because she’s also Practice & Marketing Manager of architecture practice Studio Bark!) and just how investing in these fibres can improve our sleep quality.
What was your experience of launching on Kickstarter?
“Finding funding can be a major hurdle when starting a new brand, especially when you need to invest in stock. I settled on a Kickstarter campaign so that we could offer the sheets on pre-order while reaching a new audience and securing funds for production. This route gave me security by testing how people would respond to both Leisurely’s ideas and the sheets themselves. The campaign exceeded my expectations, reaching 50% of our goal in the first 24 hours and surpassing our target in just three weeks.”
“What made the experience truly special was transitioning from working alone to finding a supportive community in a matter of weeks. There’s something quite vulnerable about launching a brand, especially as it was inspired by my personal experience of burnout and disillusionment with the industry. Crowdfunding showed me I wasn’t alone in my wish for a slower, kinder way of living and doing business, and gifted me the most encouraging, generous community. That community and sense of support still spurs me on when times get hard.”
What makes Leisurely bedding different from offerings out there?
“I invested significant time in the sampling process to make sure our sheets would give a truly soothing experience, and the best possible environment for sleep. We decided on a sateen weave fabric made from 100% TENCEL lyocell, a wood-based fibre made in Austria that meets exceptional sustainability standards. It’s perfect for bedding being breathable in summer, comforting in winter, and gentle on sensitive skin. It’s also moisture wicking, which makes it harder for bacteria to grow so that your sheets keep that freshly washed feeling for longer.”
“I also think it’s really important to tell the stories behind our things, which is why at Leisurely we’re going for radical transparency, displaying the entire journey of our sheets. Learning the stories behind the things we buy gives them more meaning, beyond the function or a fleeting emotion their purchase provides. I’ve visited the factory who make the sheets from weaving to finished set, as well as the fibre producer. The next step is to go right back to wood sourcing level. You can see our supply chain story on our website here.”
Where in Portugal is the bedding made? How did you find producers?
“Our Leisurely bedding is made at Lameirinho, a family-run factory in Guimaraes, a small city near Porto in Portugal and home of some the best home textiles factories in the world. Our partnership with Lameirinho has been critical to achieving the level of quality we wanted, and the factory is a really special place with a lot of heart! We’ve recently interviewed the team to find out more about life at the factory.”
“When I set out to find a factory, I knew I wanted them to be as local as possible, to reduce air miles as well as to make it easier to visit in person. Producing in the UK was unfeasible due to pricing, so Portugal offered the perfect combination of exceptional product quality, high ethical standards, and proximity to home. I collaborated with Lenzing, who make TENCEL, to source suitable factories, and from there it was a process of sampling to check product quality, prices, factory culture and conditions. Lameirinho came up top, and above all we clicked on a personal level based on shared aspirations for product quality and sustainability.”
What makes your fabric of choice a more sustainable option?
“All our sheets are made from 100% TENCEL, a branded version of lyocell which is a man-made cellulosic fibre (meaning it’s made from wood). TENCEL is produced by Lenzing and is strictly regulated to make sure it maintains high quality and sourcing standards. It’s made in a closed-loop process so that no chemicals or dirty wastewater is emitted in production. Meanwhile the raw material is wood from FSC and PEFC certified forests – these certifications ensure a healthy and biodiverse future for the forest, and make sure that no ancient or endangered species are affected.”
“We think TENCEL lyocell is preferable to organic cotton for bedding, as there is currently a shortage of organic cotton, and it doesn’t always have the same level of transparency as TENCEL. Bamboo is often seen as another option, but to process bamboo into fibre you need a lot of chemicals and energy so the environmental impact is far greater. For those looking for other sustainable fabric options, linen is a great alternative, but comes at a higher price point and the rougher feel isn’t to everyone’s taste.”
How can investing in good bedding improve sleep quality?
“There’s nothing worse than lying awake at night trying to get to sleep, so we wanted to do all we can to create a cosy, immersive sleep environment that completely embraces you. Picking the right fabric is the starting point, ensuring breathability and temperature regulation so that you don’t overheat.”
“A key factor to look for is fibre choice, which is why choosing TENCEL was our starting point, as on a microscopic level it’s the smoothest fibre. Fabric construction (how the fabric is woven) is also really important, so we chose a sateen weave which feels really smooth and silky. Thread count gets a lot of airtime, but can be quite misleading because fibre quality and fabric construction are the biggest indicators for how a fabric feels to sleep in.”
“We also often forget the impact of our bedding on our health – yet we spend every night sleeping in it. TENCEL lyocell is unfavourable for bacteria growth so your bedding will stay fresher longer, and its extra smooth surface makes it gentle for those with sensitive skin or conditions such as eczema. Our Leisurely sheets are also Oeko-Tex certified so that no toxic chemicals are used in production – our skin is our biggest organ so it’s really important what we put on it!”
What other things are you doing to be sustainable other than fabric selection?
“We chose 100% TENCEL Lyocell because it’s easier to recycle a single fibre type than a blend. The lack of print or fussy stitching detail also makes it easier to upcycle the sheets into other items once they’re no longer usable for bedding. Our partner factory Lameirinho run on renewable energy, and recycle all off-cuts into their own zero-waste yarn, which then gets made into new fabric. They recover wastewater with 50% of water being reused on site, and any discharged water treated at their on-site treatment station. They report annually on resource use, emissions, and reductions made each year, which we’ll soon be reporting back to our customers too.”
“We’ve joined CanopyStyle to identify risks in our packaging supply chain and prevent materials from ancient or endangered forests; you can find our commitment to CanopyStyle on our website, and with the team’s support we’re working on finding more sustainable packaging options. The most difficult element of packaging is the polybags we use to protect the sheets from damage in transit. Our best current solution is to keep the sheets in the bags they arrive in from the factory, instead of repackaging into branded bags (as is common practice). These polybags are made from BioXpand, which does not generate microplastics.”
“The key to our sustainability approach is slow growth. We won’t encourage mindless consumption by doing aggressive sales or limited time discounting, only producing in limited batches to avoid overstock. This is a slower way to start up a business, but we hope it encourages more considered shopping behaviours in our customers. By retaining full ownership of the business, I’m able to fully control these decisions, without being pressured into focusing on short-term profits.”
On a personal note, how do you manage running a start-up alongside your role at Studio Bark?
“Working with a team of such knowledgeable and passionate practitioners at Studio Bark has been hugely inspiring. I’ve picked up some great habits from the team in terms of being really strategic and disciplined, while also being supported by a team of really lovely people – not to be taken for granted when you otherwise work alone! They also have an incredibly rigorous approach to sustainability, for instance developing their own carbon counting tool; which has certainly sharpened my sustainability goals and expectations for Leisurely.”
“Studio Bark share a lot of the same ideals as me about work-life balance, and work to a 9-day fortnight so that the team can explore life and pursuits outside of work. Not only does this mean I can be completely transparent about my business, it’s also really inspiring seeing what the rest of the team get up to in their free time; from activism, to pottery and boat-building! Around the studio it’s clear the energy and creativity these outside pursuits bring to their architecture.”
Do you think your experience in the world of architecture means you look at interior spaces and what we fill them with differently?
“Absolutely, being in the world of architecture has influenced not just how I view interiors but my whole approach to the design process. While fashion is all about speed and novelty, architecture demands a focus on functionality, permanence, and creating lasting meaning. It’s given me more patience and reinforced the idea that good things take time; a building project will take years to complete compared to the weeks or months of a garment’s lifespan.”
“For Leisurely, this means expanding the timeframe to consider the sheets lifetime as decades rather than years. It means not just considering how our bedding looks, but how it can enhance wellbeing and that sense of immersive comfort. And the transparency of our sourcing is equally important, so that we can be sure our bedding is produced using the best available processes for people and the planet.”
“The approach to interior spaces I hope to encourage is all about taking the time to choose objects, textures, and colours that reflect who you are, your memories, and how you want to feel, rather than simply following trends. It’s tempting to reach for the dopamine hit of a new purchase when it pops up on Instagram, but that doesn’t last. There’s much more lasting enjoyment to be found in a considered purchase, when you know who made it, the material comfort it’s going to bring, and that its production aligns with your values.”
Discover Leisurely’s full collection of super soft sustainable bedding here.
Click here for more Meet the Maker stories on enki.
