Have you ever found yourself looking for a new bed or bed frame, and realized you didn’t know where you wanted to purchase from? Maybe you live in Germany and would like to support your local economy. Or, maybe you are just interested in this stuff like I am!
It’s just thrilling to learn about where all of the little things in life are made and find their way into stores from. No matter what your reason, this is the article for you. In this article I’m going to tell you all about beds and bed frames in the Bundesrepublik Deutschland.
Which Companies Sell Beds and Bed Frames Made in Germany(The Short Answer)
It’s taken me quite a bit of work, but I have managed to find 6 different companies which manufacture beds and bed frames in Germany. Those are Hülsta, Noah Living, Rauch, ROLF BENZ, RUF, Wiemann. I think you shouldn’t have any problems finding a bed to suit your needs, even if you do restrict yourself to buying only from German companies. At the very least, you aren’t faced with a shortage of choices.
German-Made Beds and Bed Frames (6 Brands to Choose From)
It’s not a surprise to learn that there are 6 companies manufacturing beds and bed frames in Germany. After all, the German economy is built on manufacturing, and they are the most populous country in the European Union.
If anything, I would be shocked if I found out that there were any fewer companies producing such a bread-and-butter item as beds in Germany. It just wouldn’t make any sense, now would it?
Anyway, read on to learn about the 6 companies I found that manufacture their beds in Germany.
Hülsta
Hülsta was founded more than 75 years ago by one Alois Hüls. The company was originally established in the town of Stadtlohn, Westphalia, and at its inception, it had only 10 employees to its name. In 1960, the company management was taken over by Alois’s son, Karl Hüls.
Hülsta claims to be “the most famous German furniture manufacturer.” I’ll leave it up to the reader to decide if that is true or not. It is notable that Hülsta has been granted over 220 national and international patents.
I quite like its commitment to environmentalism. Hülsta sources its wood from sustainably managed forests, and does not use any tropical wood. It also uses environmentally friendly lacquers and glues.
Hülsta’s beds offer a very minimalist, no-nonsense style which would go well with a lot of more modern decor. If you feel like the words “sleek,” “minimal,” “simple,” or “unadorned” match your personality, you’re likely to be quite attracted to what this company has to offer.
Like many companies, you won’t be able to buy from Hülsta directly. You’ll need to find a furniture dealer that sells this furniture in order to get your hands on one of the products.
Noah Living
Noah Living has an interesting approach to environmentalism, and one that I think is well worth pursuing. Noah Living offers everything in a highly modular form. When you order from this firm you are buying a set of interchangeable pieces which allow you to modify the bed later, if you need to—for example, if you get married and suddenly need a bigger bed—or to repair it.
I love this repair-friendly attitude. How many times have I broken something like a cell phone and wished I could repair it instead of going out and buying something new? I wish more companies would take the approach that Noah Living does.
In addition to this modular approach, Noah Living also uses materials for their value in terms of sustainability and how environmentally friendly they are. The firm tends to use renewable, recycled, or recyclable materials. That means no tropical wood and no non-recyclable plastic! A great win for the environment.
Due to the modular nature of its products, Noah Living makes only one model of couch and one model of bed. All of the variety that it offers comes from the mix-and-match nature of the components on offer.
All of these parts are sourced from German companies, and when you order a piece of furniture from Noah, the staff mail your furniture parts directly to you, cutting out any middle men and saving on transport miles.
The company is located in Berlin.
Rauch
Rauch was founded in 1897 by Wendelin Rauch when he was 25 years old. The company was established in Freudenberg, Baden-Württemberg. In 1934, Wendelin and his son, Otto, purchased a furniture factory, and the two men became joint CEOs of the newly expanded company.
Today, Rauch owns and operates a 14,382 square meter chipboard factory in Markt Bibart, as well as a furniture factory in Bürgstadt, and one additional 65,000 square manufacturing facility in an unnamed location in Germany.
One notable aspect of Rauch is that all of the varnishes that it uses in manufacturing its furniture are water-soluble, making them more environmentally friendly. The company is also the 2014 winner of the National German Sustainability award.
ROLF BENZ
I wasn’t able to find much information about this company! Here’s what I was able to learn:
Rolf Benz is named after its founder (also named Rolf Benz), who established his own upholstery company in Nagold in 1964. The company grew, becoming more successful, and eventually made it into the Cologne Furniture Fair with its own stand in 1971.
The company operates a manufacturing plant in Mötzingen, near its founding town of Nagold, as well as the original upholstery shop in Nagold itself. Rolf Benz has been awarded Blue Angel certification by the German Federal Government.
For those who aren’t in the know, Blue Angel Certification sets very strict standards which an aspiring environmentally friendly product or service must meet. If you are in Germany, and you want to buy something environmentally friendly, follow the angels!
Rolf Benz has also been awarded Golden M Certification, which is a mark of quality granted by the German Furniture Quality Assurance Association.
If you ask me, I’d say that Rolf Benz’s beds very much match the stereotype of German sensibilities: orderly, rule-following, and bureaucratic. These beds are very square, very no-nonsense things. If you want frills, they leave much to be desired. If you want something more minimal, Rolf Benz might be the furniture manufacturer you’ve been looking for.
RUF
Much like Rolf Benz, RUF was established by its namesake. RUF was founded in 1926 in Rastatt by Albin Ruf. At the time, it wasn’t a furniture company at all—the business was entirely dedicated to producing “patented slats” (I don’t know what that means) and protective covers.
In the decades since it was established, RUF became increasingly successful, first in Southern Germany, establishing a new facility in Steißlingen to keep up with demand, and later on the international stage. In 1973, the company changed its name to RUF-Bett International, and this name would better reflect its newfound international name recognition.
By this point, RUF had gone all-in on the production of French-style beds, and a new production facility was built at their original Rastatt location. By 2000, the company had become large and important enough to warrant opening a new showroom in Rastatt.
Rastatt has won numerous awards, including the Interior Design Award, in 2015, and the Wohnidee Leser Award, in the same year.
RUF recently began making sofa beds in 2021.
Wiemann
Wiemann was established in 1900, making it well over a century old. It was founded by Mathias Wiemann. I think I’m sensing a pattern with these companies! They are all named after their founders. One of the more interesting tidbits I was able to dig up about this company is that its production facility is located in what used to be an inn, but has since been expanded to an area of some 98,000 square meters.
Wiemann employs roughly 600 people. This number makes it the second-largest employer in Osnabrück. Even today, Wiemann remains a privately owned company operated by the family that started it. It is currently led by its founder’s great-grandson, Markus Wiemann.
Wiemann sources all of its timber from sustainable sources.
Looking at its furniture (which I’ve linked below, as always), I’d say it’s nothing too remarkable—just your standard (very rectangular) beds. Very sharp, very square. But, if that’s what you’re in the market for, I think this could definitely be a great option for you.
