Naturally luxurious: Why we upholster our sofas with coconut and wool instead of foam
Posted posted on October 02, 2025
Our sofas feel different because we upholster them with coconut husk and sheep’s wool — a craft the rest of the industry has virtually abandoned.
Most sofas today are upholstered with slabs of petrochemical foam: cheap, quick, landfill-bound. At Schplendid, we do the exact opposite: we layer natural coconut husk and sheep’s wool over our springs. It’s fiddly, more expensive, and anything but straightforward — but the result is extraordinary comfort, built to last and kinder to the planet.
Almost nobody does this anymore
Pull the fabric back on most sofas and you’ll find the same thing: a big block of foam. It’s the fast-food version of upholstery. Easy to cut, easy to glue, cheap to buy. But like fast food, it comes with hidden costs — for comfort, longevity and the environment.
We take a radically different approach. At Schplendid, our sofas are upholstered with layers of coconut husk and sheep’s wool — natural materials that breathe, support, and age gracefully. Hardly anyone else bothers anymore, because it’s expensive and labour-intensive. Which is exactly why we do it.
The joy of natural materials
There’s a reason humans have turned to wool, husk, flax and feathers for centuries: they feel better. They breathe. They adapt. They live.
Coconut husk (coir): A by-product of the coconut industry, pressed into springy mats and infused with natural rubber latex. It’s breathable, hypoallergenic and temperature-regulating. Foam, by contrast, is a sealed block — hot in summer, clammy in winter, a breeding ground for dust and mites. Coir lets air move, so you stay fresh and comfortable.
Sheep’s wool: The ultimate natural comfort layer. Wool is springy, resilient, and self-regulating — keeping you cool when it’s warm and warm when it’s cool. It’s naturally fire-resistant, naturally renewable, and simply feels wonderful to sit on.
But as well as outperforming synthetics, natural materials have another wonderful quality; they age with grace. Foam flattens, and dacron (the industry’s favourite plastic wadding) collapses. Coconut and wool recover, soften, and develop a character that feels more inviting over time.
Comfort that feels properly, luxuriously ‘schplendid’
When you sit on a foam sofa, you’re sitting on plastic. It has one trick: squish down, spring back. But it doesn’t breathe, it doesn’t cradle, it doesn’t give you that “ahhh” moment.
Coconut and wool, layered above our hand-tied springs, create a depth of comfort that feels alive. It’s soft but supportive. Buoyant but yielding. You sink in just enough, then the fibres lift you back, perfectly balanced.
It’s the kind of comfort that makes you linger longer, that turns a sofa into a little psychological haven rather than just a seat. It’s not ‘luxurious’ because it’s showy or blingy, but because it feels absolutely, perfect right. Or, as we put it, ‘Schplendid’.
Why it’s rare (and why we’re proud of it)
Foam is quick. Our way is not. Every layer of coconut husk has to be cut and fitted by hand. The wool must be carefully teased, placed and secured. It’s a slower, craft-driven process.
Is it more expensive? Absolutely. Is it more complicated? Undeniably. But the payoff is sofas that are both naturally luxurious and naturally sustainable.
Another way of putting it is that the industry has moved on to convenience, but at Splendid we've stayed faithful to comfort.
How we make using these ingredients affordable
Here’s the remarkable bit. Despite using materials that cost far more than foam, our sofas aren’t priced out of reach. Why? Because unlike most sofa brands, we don’t multiply costs by a percentage margin.
If coconut and wool cost us more, you pay only the true difference. Nothing hidden, nothing inflated. That’s how we can build sofas upholstered with the best natural materials and still sell them at prices real people can actually afford.
The Schplendid Difference
Most sofas are upholstered for speed: plastic foam, dacron, fibre. Easy to make, easy to market, easy to dump.
We upholster the slow way: natural coconut husk, natural wool, hand-laid in layers above hand-tied springs. It’s harder, pricier, and anything but straightforward — but it gives you a sofa that breathes, supports, and welcomes you like no foam ever could.
This is what true comfort feels like: alive, luxurious, and lasting. Or, as we like to say, Schplendid.
Naturally luxurious: Why we upholster our sofas with coconut and wool instead of foam
Our sofas feel different because we upholster them with coconut husk and sheep’s wool — a craft the rest of the industry has virtually abandoned.
Most sofas today are upholstered with slabs of petrochemical foam: cheap, quick, landfill-bound. At Schplendid, we do the exact opposite: we layer natural coconut husk and sheep’s wool over our springs. It’s fiddly, more expensive, and anything but straightforward — but the result is extraordinary comfort, built to last and kinder to the planet.
Almost nobody does this anymore
Pull the fabric back on most sofas and you’ll find the same thing: a big block of foam. It’s the fast-food version of upholstery. Easy to cut, easy to glue, cheap to buy. But like fast food, it comes with hidden costs — for comfort, longevity and the environment.
We take a radically different approach. At Schplendid, our sofas are upholstered with layers of coconut husk and sheep’s wool — natural materials that breathe, support, and age gracefully. Hardly anyone else bothers anymore, because it’s expensive and labour-intensive. Which is exactly why we do it.
The joy of natural materials
There’s a reason humans have turned to wool, husk, flax and feathers for centuries: they feel better. They breathe. They adapt. They live.
Coconut husk (coir): A by-product of the coconut industry, pressed into springy mats and infused with natural rubber latex. It’s breathable, hypoallergenic and temperature-regulating. Foam, by contrast, is a sealed block — hot in summer, clammy in winter, a breeding ground for dust and mites. Coir lets air move, so you stay fresh and comfortable.
Sheep’s wool: The ultimate natural comfort layer. Wool is springy, resilient, and self-regulating — keeping you cool when it’s warm and warm when it’s cool. It’s naturally fire-resistant, naturally renewable, and simply feels wonderful to sit on.
But as well as outperforming synthetics, natural materials have another wonderful quality; they age with grace. Foam flattens, and dacron (the industry’s favourite plastic wadding) collapses. Coconut and wool recover, soften, and develop a character that feels more inviting over time.
Comfort that feels properly, luxuriously ‘schplendid’
When you sit on a foam sofa, you’re sitting on plastic. It has one trick: squish down, spring back. But it doesn’t breathe, it doesn’t cradle, it doesn’t give you that “ahhh” moment.
Coconut and wool, layered above our hand-tied springs, create a depth of comfort that feels alive. It’s soft but supportive. Buoyant but yielding. You sink in just enough, then the fibres lift you back, perfectly balanced.
It’s the kind of comfort that makes you linger longer, that turns a sofa into a little psychological haven rather than just a seat. It’s not ‘luxurious’ because it’s showy or blingy, but because it feels absolutely, perfect right. Or, as we put it, ‘Schplendid’.
Why it’s rare (and why we’re proud of it)
Foam is quick. Our way is not. Every layer of coconut husk has to be cut and fitted by hand. The wool must be carefully teased, placed and secured. It’s a slower, craft-driven process.
Is it more expensive? Absolutely. Is it more complicated? Undeniably. But the payoff is sofas that are both naturally luxurious and naturally sustainable.
Another way of putting it is that the industry has moved on to convenience, but at Splendid we've stayed faithful to comfort.
How we make using these ingredients affordable
Here’s the remarkable bit. Despite using materials that cost far more than foam, our sofas aren’t priced out of reach. Why? Because unlike most sofa brands, we don’t multiply costs by a percentage margin.
If coconut and wool cost us more, you pay only the true difference. Nothing hidden, nothing inflated. That’s how we can build sofas upholstered with the best natural materials and still sell them at prices real people can actually afford.
The Schplendid Difference
Most sofas are upholstered for speed: plastic foam, dacron, fibre. Easy to make, easy to market, easy to dump.
We upholster the slow way: natural coconut husk, natural wool, hand-laid in layers above hand-tied springs. It’s harder, pricier, and anything but straightforward — but it gives you a sofa that breathes, supports, and welcomes you like no foam ever could.
This is what true comfort feels like: alive, luxurious, and lasting. Or, as we like to say, Schplendid.
Read more about Schplendid's sofa ingredients here.
Comparison: Schplendid vs. the Rest
Feature
Schplendid
Most Sofas
Main Upholstery Layer
Coconut husk infused with latex + sheep’s wool
Slabs of petrochemical foam
Comfort
Soft, springy, luxurious
Flat, dense, artificial
Breathability
Fully breathable, regulates temperature
Traps air, hot & clammy
Sustainability
Natural by-products, renewable fibres
Plastic-based, non-biodegradable
Craft
Hand-cut, layered by upholsterers
Machine-cut, glued foam blocks
Longevity
Ages gracefully, bounces back
Breaks down, flattens, off-gasses
Cost to You
True difference only, no inflated markup
Inflated markups on cheap materials
See also:
The unique, radical pricing model that makes Schplendid sofas affordable
Why we use Eight-Way Hand-Tied Coil Springs in our sofas
Solid beech hardwood and proper joinery: Why we build Schplendid sofa frames the old-fashioned way
Why we only use pure Italian linen and velvet fabrics for Schplendid sofas
Why we use goose down in Schplendid sofa cushions
Why we only use Biofoam (and as little as possible) and never plastic foam in our sofas