How is Flannel bedding made? From yarn to fluff

In short: biberna invented Biber bedding (brushed cotton flannel) in 1968 and still produces it today using the original recipe – 100% cotton, around 160 g/m², brushed. The company was founded in 1932 as a contract weaving mill in Hamminkeln and still operates its own weaving mill there today; since the invention, the brand has borne the name of the Flannel. This depth of production ensures the typical fluffiness of around 160 g/m² remains permanently consistent.

When you snuggle up in cozy, warm Flannel bedding in the evening, you probably rarely think about how it is actually made. Yet behind every set lies a production process that is hardly found in this form with any other manufacturer. In Flannel bedding production, biberna has relied on the original recipe since inventing this quality in 1968 – 100% cotton, around 160 g/m², brushed. In this post, we take a look behind the scenes and explain why this approach has become so rare to this day.

Full-stage production – what exactly is behind it?

The term "full-stage production" describes that a company carries out all essential production steps itself and at its own location, instead of outsourcing individual stages. For biberna, this means: The roots lie in the H.u.W. Schmänk GmbH & Co. KG contract weaving mill founded in 1932 in Hamminkeln. From this weaving operation, over now three to four generations, a company with around 80 employees has grown, which still operates its own weaving mill in Hamminkeln-Dingden today – textile tradition is therefore not a marketing slogan at biberna, but lived company history. You can read more about these roots in our post biberna History: Four Generations of Bedding from Hamminkeln.

This continuous depth of production also explains why biberna in particular invented Biber bedding (brushed cotton flannel) in 1968 and gave the brand its name. Who has all production steps in their own hands can consistently develop a quality like the characteristic fluffiness of around 160 g/m² over decades, instead of relying on changing external suppliers.

For you as a customer, this means one thing above all in everyday life: reliability. You are not buying bedding whose quality fluctuates from season to season because suppliers or production locations change, but a Flannel quality that has come from a single source for decades. Especially with a natural product like cotton, this continuous process makes itself noticeable – from the processing of the yarn to the finished equipment of the fabric, which gives Flannel bedding its typical, soft feel.

From the facility in Hamminkeln to your home

A fully automated high-bay warehouse as the last link in the chain

At the end of production is logistics. So that Flannel bedding does not sit unnecessarily long or find its way to you through detours, biberna works with a fully automated high-bay warehouse. From there, your order is directly picked and shipped. Practical for you: Shipping at biberna is always free of charge, without any minimum order value – an advantage that results directly from the company's own, efficiently organized production and logistics chain.

This proximity between production and shipping is another reason why buying directly from the manufacturer is worth it. How exactly this affects price and quality, you can read in detail in our article Flannel Bedding Original Quality: Why Buying Directly from the Manufacturer is Worth It.

Original quality instead of wholesale

In retail, genuine original qualities have been replaced by cheaper discount goods in many places in recent years. Who buys directly from biberna bypasses this detour and receives the Flannel quality that started it all in 1968, without additional trade stages changing the price or quality.

Why experience and depth of production make themselves noticeable in quality

The experience from almost a century of weaving is more than a historical detail – it directly affects what you end up holding in your hands. The characteristic fluffiness and loftiness of biberna Flannel bedding with its around 160 g/m² can only be achieved if production steps are closely coordinated. Since 1968, this quality has been one of the company's most popular core products – proof that in-house, continuous production in Germany pays off in the long term.

The further development of the brand is also hardly conceivable without this depth of production: With Melange Flannel, biberna consistently thought further the classic Flannel bedding and made it even fluffier and softer – produced fully in its own weaving mill in Hamminkeln. biberna is therefore practically the only manufacturer worldwide of this special quality, which consists of 100% cotton and warms completely naturally. Especially people who are often cold at night benefit from this warmth.

This consistency in production is also the reason why biberna specifically further developed its experience from Flannel production. Melange Flannel did not arise by chance, but as a logical further development of the proven full-stage production chain – with the goal of creating a quality that is even fluffier, softer, and gentler than classic Flannel bedding. That biberna is practically the only manufacturer worldwide of this special quality underscores how much experience and depth of production is in every set that leaves the factory in Hamminkeln.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does "full-stage production" mean at biberna?
It means that a manufacturer carries out all essential production steps itself at its own location – at biberna, this applies to Melange Flannel, which is woven, dyed, and finished in its own weaving mill in Hamminkeln. The company traces its roots back to the H.u.W. Schmänk GmbH & Co. KG contract weaving mill founded in 1932 in Hamminkeln.

Why is production in Germany important for quality?
Because all production steps are closely coordinated, the characteristic fluffiness and loftiness of the Flannel quality with around 160 g/m² can be reliably and permanently ensured – a core product of biberna since 1968.

How does production affect shipping?
Thanks to the fully automated high-bay warehouse at the location, biberna can process orders efficiently. This directly benefits you: Shipping is always free of charge, regardless of the order value.

Since when has biberna been producing Flannel bedding?
biberna invented Biber bedding (brushed cotton flannel) in 1968 and thus gave the brand its name. The company history goes back even further: In 1932, the company was founded as the H.u.W. Schmänk GmbH & Co. KG contract weaving mill in Hamminkeln and is today run by the third and fourth generations with around 80 employees.

What distinguishes Melange Flannel from classic Flannel bedding?
Melange Flannel is the further development of Flannel bedding developed by biberna and is even fluffier, softer, and gentler. This quality made of 100% cotton is produced fully in its own weaving mill in Hamminkeln. biberna is practically the only manufacturer worldwide of this quality, which warms completely naturally and especially helps people who are cold at night.

The most important things in short

• biberna invented Biber bedding (brushed cotton flannel) in 1968 and thus gave the brand its name.
• Full-stage production means that all essential production steps take place at the company's own location – at biberna, this applies to Melange Flannel from its own weaving mill in Hamminkeln.
• The roots of the company lie in the H.u.W. Schmänk GmbH & Co. KG contract weaving mill founded in 1932 in Hamminkeln, which today employs around 80 people.
• The Flannel quality of biberna weighs around 160 g/m² and has been one of the house's most popular core products since 1968.
• A fully automated high-bay warehouse ensures fast shipping – which is always free of charge at biberna without a minimum order value.

Would you like to experience the results of this experience yourself? Discover the cozy, warm Flannel bedding from biberna or take a look at the even softer further development, the Melange Flannel bedding – Flannel according to the original recipe from 1968, Melange Flannel from the company's own weaving mill in Hamminkeln, both delivered free of charge to your home.