Kuala Lumpur, October 16, 2025 — nornnorn’s Founder and CEO, Nophol “Naps” Techaphangam, joined a distinguished panel at the ASEAN Circular Economy Forum 2025 (ACEF2025) to discuss “Green Skills and Innovative Solutions — Unlocking the Potential of SMEs in ASEAN.”

Held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), ACEF2025 brought together over 200 participants from government, academia, and the private sector across ASEAN under the theme “Accelerating the Circular Economy Transition in ASEAN with Green Skills, Innovative Solutions, and Investments.”

Building ASEAN’s Circular Future

The session delved into how academia, business councils, and SMEs can work together to develop green skills and foster a dynamic, inclusive circular economy ecosystem across the region. As ASEAN accelerates its transition toward sustainability, new skillsets, circular business models, and innovative financing mechanisms have become vital for growth.

Key objectives of the discussion included:

• Showcasing innovative circular business models and green SMEs in ASEAN.

• Identifying the skills and capacities needed to drive circular entrepreneurship.

• Highlighting best practices in public–private–academic collaboration.

• Exploring investment and policy mechanisms to scale circular innovation.

A Cross-Sector Dialogue

Moderated by Dada Bacudo, Climate Finance and Partnership Engagement Expert at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the panel featured leaders from GIZ Vietnam, Siam Cement Group (SCG), Mycotech Lab, nornnorn, Pan-Pacific University of the Philippines, the EU-SCOPE Higher Education Programme, and the EU-ASEAN Business Council & ASEAN Circularity Coalition.

Together, the panelists emphasised the shared responsibility among governments, financial institutions, and private enterprises to invest in green skills, data-driven innovation, and collaborative platforms to accelerate ASEAN’s circular transition.

nornnorn’s Circular Vision

Naps shared insights into nornnorn’s Circular Economy Product-as-a-Service model, which allows customers to enjoy brand-new premium mattresses through a subscription system while reducing environmental impact via an end-of-life collection and recycling programme.

He highlighted how the nornnorn model creates measurable environmental impact and contributes to broader sustainability goals, referencing findings from our Life Cycle Assessment that shows significant potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutions and toxicity impacts.

Naps also spoke about the mindset shift needed for the green transformation — urging the region to embrace “degrowth and conscious consumption” as essential principles for long-term sustainability.

“We need to train young people not only with technical green skills, but also with a sustainability mindset,” Naps stated. “Want doesn’t equal need. Our desire for better and more must always be balanced by awareness of environmental impact.”

A Regional Effort for Circular Change

ACEF2025 was jointly organised by the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD) and its ASEAN Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ACESP), together with the European Union (through its Enhanced Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument – E-READI), the ASEAN Secretariat, the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), and other partners, with support from the Malaysian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRES).

nornnorn is proud to contribute to ASEAN’s journey toward a more circular and sustainable economy — one where innovation, collaboration, and conscious consumption shape a greener future for all.

Watch the session (4:58–6:35)

nornnorn was recently highlighted in Thai PBS World’s special report, “What Startups Are Doing to Help the Environment,” which profiles innovative Thai startups tackling the nation’s growing waste challenges.

The feature spotlights nornnorn’s circular economy mattress subscription model, which minimises landfill waste and environmental impact by offering brand-new, premium mattresses through a subscription system — while collecting, disassembling, and responsibly recycling used ones at the end of every subscription.

Thai PBS World also notes nornnorn’s strong alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8–13 and highlights our use of green bonds and digital investment tokens as innovative approaches to financing sustainability — demonstrating how FinTech and green finance can accelerate environmental progress.

The article further cites the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) conducted by Thailand’s Technology and Informatics Institute for Sustainability (TIIS), which found that nornnorn’s model could reduce global warming potential, air pollution, and human non-carcinogenic toxicity by at least 31%, 28%, and 24% respectively over the mattress life cycle.

nornnorn is proud to be part of Thailand’s green innovation movement — transforming better sleep into a better future.

Read the article.

nornnorn is featured in the newly released Creatives for Climate Action - Thailand Toolkit 2024, developed by Creatives for Climate Action - Thailand (CCAT) to promote sustainability and climate action in the country’s cultural sector.

Included in the “Locally-Sourced Products” section, nornnorn is recognised for its Circular Economy premium mattress subscription model that combines product-as-a-service with end-of-life product recycling to reduce waste, lower emissions, and increase affordability.

To be officially launched in Bangkok at the end of September during the inaugural Bangkok Climate Action Week, the CCAT Toolkit is designed as an open-source resource for creative professionals, entrepreneurs, event organisers, and brands committed to driving climate-conscious change. It's more than a guide - it's a call-to-action that challenges us to rethink our roles in shaping our work, our communities, and our world.

The Toolkit is a part of the CCAT project by the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) Cluster Thailand that is supported by Alliance Française, British Council, Goethe-Institut, Camões - Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, and the Embassies of Austria, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain as well as the EUNIC Cluster Fund.

Read the toolkit in English: Toolkit_English.pdf
Read the toolkit in Thai: Toolkit_Thai.pdf

“Reinventing Sleep: 4th-Gen Heir of 95-Year Mattress Legacy Launches Subscription-and-Recycle nornnorn”

nornnorn has been featured in Bangkok Biz News for pioneering a unique business model that combines digital green financing with product subscription and end-of-life product recycling.

• Rather than selling premium mattresses outright, nornnorn provides them on a monthly subscription basis for both hospitality businesses and households.

• At the end of each subscription, mattresses are collected, disassembled, and their components recycled.

• This approach not only delivers financial benefits for customers, but also drives a more circular economy and directly supports Thailand’s ESG and sustainable consumption agenda.

Coverage by one of Thailand’s leading news outlets highlights nornnorn’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and building a business that creates both economic and environmental impact.

Read the article (in Thai only)

nornnorn, a circular economy startup, has been spotlighted by SD Thailand for pioneering a business model that merges E-commerce, FinTech, and RecyclingTech.

• Premium mattresses are offered on a subscription basis, collected at end-of-terms, and disassembled for recycling.

• nornnorn’s business model addresses affordability, reduces bulky waste, and promotes sustainable consumption.

• With the application of digital green financing and green bonds, nornnorn is positioning Thailand as a leader in green financing and the circular economy.

Read the article (in Thai only)

Bangkok, August 8, 2025 — Drawing on his pioneering work in the Circular Economy sector and leadership in sustainable business practices, Nophol “Naps” Techaphangam, Founder & CEO of nornnorn, had the honour of joining CIMB Thai Bank’s “Cooler Earth, Warmer Ventures: Igniting Sustainable Entrepreneurship for a Greener Future” sustainability forum as the “Fireside Chat: The Green Opportunity - Building Successful Businesses with a Purpose” session speaker at the JW Marriott Bangkok.

The session, moderated by Jason Lee, CIMB Thai’s Head of Sustainability, highlighted the insights and lessons Naps has gained from building nornnorn. Speaking to an audience of business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and sustainability advocates, Naps shared his perspectives on sustainable business leadership, innovation strategies, and entrepreneurship in Thailand’s rapidly evolving green economy.

Other Featured Speakers

With a special emphasis on the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economic model and its transformative potential for Southeast Asia’s future, the forum brought together thought leaders working to advance Thailand’s sustainable business landscape.

In addition to Naps, the forum also welcomed contributions from:

• Kritsada Rueangchatwit, Secretary, Circular Economy Development, Thai Chamber of Commerce

• Smitthi Harueanphuech, Head of Nature-based Solutions and Special Project, Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage

• Krisada Kritayakirana, CEO & Co-Founder, MuvMi

• Soranun Choochut, CEO & Founder, ETRAN.

A Platform for Sustainable Change

The forum was a part of the Cooler Earth Sustainability Series, CIMB Thai and CIMB Group’s flagship sustainability initiative that has since its inception served as a platform for global thought leaders, industry experts, and changemakers to share insights and drive meaningful conversations on the most critical environmental and social issues facing our region and beyond.

Read: Redesigning Sleep: How nornnorn is Reinventing Mattresses for a Sustainable Future

On August 4–6 in Bangkok, nornnorn Founder & CEO Nophol “Naps” Techaphangam joined 60 early- to mid-career circular economy academics, industry professionals, NGO leaders, and policymakers from around the world at the UK Royal Academy of Engineering’s Frontiers Symposium 2025.

The 2.5-day symposium explored The Business Case for Circular Economy through three sub-themes:

1. Digital solutions and creative design – using technology, design, and digital tools to prevent and convert waste.

2. Inclusive systems and policy development – creating frameworks and policies for a just, effective circular economy.

3. Waste valorisation and financing strategies – building the business case for waste and financing waste valorisation initiatives.

Digital Solutions and Creative Design Sub-theme

As one of three co-chairs of the first sub-theme, Naps presented nornnorn’s work and facilitated interactive activities and discussions on how advanced technologies, digital tools, and creative design can be leveraged not only to convert waste, but also to prevent it at its source. The goal was to inspire upstream circular product and service design—where waste is intentionally designed out of the system. Examples covered in the session ranged from nornnorn’s “product-as-a-service + end-of-life recycling” business model to waste management platforms to waste banks, all underscoring how innovations and technologies can strengthen circular business models.

Naps co-chaired the first sub-theme with:

• Miho Hayashi, Programme Manager, Sustainable Consumption and Production, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan

• Mary Ngechu, Founder & Patron, TakaTaka ni Mali, Kenya

Global Collaboration for a Circular Economy

Hosted by the Royal Academy of Engineering in partnership with Thailand’s Programme Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMU-C), Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO), the symposium is a part of the Frontiers programme that connects and empowers passionate researchers, innovators, and practitioners from across the globe to collaborate on solutions to complex global challenges—fostering engagement, network-building, and diverse partnerships.

Read: From Circular Thinking to Real-World Change: Building the Circular Economy — One Mattress at a Time

Bangkok, July 15, 2025 — As the Founder & CEO of nornnorn, a next-generation service business driven by data, Nophol “Naps” Techaphangam was invited by Thailand’s Big Data Institute (BDI) to speak on the topic “Turning Data into Stories: Generating Profit from Customer Insights” at the BDI Connect the Dots: Data-Driven Service Businesses of the Future seminar, held at Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn.

Joining Naps at the event was Thakoon Chartsuthipol, Co-Founder & CEO of FoodStory—a startup that merged with LINE MAN Wongnai—who delivered a talk under the theme “Data-Driven: A Game Changer for Entrepreneurs.”

The event brought together service-sector entrepreneurs eager to leverage data to drive their businesses as well as learn how to collect and utilise data to boost sales and better understand their customers.

Read: Driving Impact with Data: How nornnorn is Reprogramming the Circular Economy

Nonthaburi, Thailand, May 30, 2025 — As the leader of a start-up that has received a research and development (R&D) grant from the Programme Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMU-C), Thailand’s Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO), Nophol Techaphangam, nornnorn’s Founder & CEO, was invited to be join a panel on “Entrepreneur and Researcher Matching: Success Case Studies” at InnoMarket Scale Up 2025. 

Organised by the country’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) in collaboration with PMU-C, the event aimed to help spur Thai R&D initiatives into high-quality, innovative products and services capable of competing on the global stage.

“Mattresses-as-a-Service with Thailand’s nornnorn” - Nophol Techaphangam, nornnorn’s Founder & CEO, shares with Renewable Matter, an international magazine on the bioeconomy and circular economy, how nornnorn helps provide financially viable access to high-quality mattresses and reduce the amount of wastes and pollutions generated over a mattress lifecycle. 

Download the full magazine

As one of ASEAN’s circular economy business pioneers, nornnorn is one of the eight case studies and the only enterprise from Thailand featured in the ASEAN Secretariat’s “Study on MSME Participation in the Circular Economy” report published this month.

“By implementing a circular economy, nornnorn has emerged as a leader in the mattress industry and is well-equipped to meet the growing demand for sustainable services from businesses and consumers alike,” the report states.

In addition to identifying the patterns of circular economy business models already implemented by ASEAN MSMEs, the landmark study also identifies barriers, challenges and enabling factors to create a framework that could help accelerate the model adoption in the region. This along with its examination of sectoral and stakeholder synergies across the ASEAN Member States as well as insights into consumption and production pattern transformation have made the report an actionable reference for policymakers and business leaders alike.

Read the full report.

Bangkok, March 19, 2025 — As a circular economy entrepreneur operating in a textile-related industry, Nophol Techaphangam, nornnorn’s Founder & CEO, had the honour of joining the Corporate Sustainability and Environmental Rights in Asia Conference (CSERA 2025) as a panelist in the “Sustaining Textile SMEs in Asia: Responsible Water Management for Growth and Resilience” session along side:

• Arvinda Singh, Head Power Plant & Utility, Thai Acrylic Fibre Co., Ltd. (an Aditya Birla Group company)

• Mousumi Sarangi, Country Manager - India, FairWear

• Nahidun Nabi, Ethical Trades Manager, Echotex Ltd., Bangladesh

• Dr. Piriya Uraiwong, Expert in climate change adaptation, integrated water resources management, and corporate sustainability, Thailand 

The session was moderated by Belinda Hlatshwayo, Business and Human Rights Project Manager, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and Sagita Adesywi, UNDP Indonesia’s Business and Human Rights Specialist.

Organised by UNDP in partnership with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and International Union on the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), CSERA 2025 was held on March 18-19 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok. 

The conference brought together “select business leaders, investors, policy makers, academics and civil society champions to exchange views on the role of businesses and governments in supporting and strengthening the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.” The event helped facilitate learning and dialogue around emerging regulatory norms involving biodiversity impacts and disclosure, environmental and human rights due diligence, decarbonisation strategies and carbon markets, and ESG reporting. 

As one of Asia Pacific’s circular economy business model pioneers, nornnorn is cited as one of the five case studies by PwC’s “Reinventing Asia Pacific - Embracing a circular economy for a resilient tomorrow” report published last month. nornnorn is the only start-up featured alongside global giants, such as CATL, Renault and Dole.

“nornnorn…, a Bangkok-based, Singapore-incorporated start-up, is pioneering a pay-as-you-use subscription service for premium quality recyclable mattresses. It makes mattresses more financially viable for hospitality businesses, related industries and individual consumers, while minimising waste generation and reducing emissions by collecting and recycling used mattresses.”

Read the full report.

As the leader of a start-up that has received a research and development (R&D) grant from the Programme Management Unit for Competitiveness (PMU-C), Thailand’s Office of National Higher Education Science Research and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO), Nophol Techaphangam, nornnorn’s Founder & CEO, was invited to take part in PMU-C’s “Circular Economy R&D Grant Proposal Development Strategy” webinar on December 24.

The webinar’s goal was to prepare researchers from various sectors to develop high-calibre grant proposals that could ultimately help drive Circular Economy R&D in Thailand and tangibly enhance the country’s competitiveness.

As one of Thailand’s leading impact entrepreneurs, Nophol Techaphangam, nornnorn’s Founder & CEO, had the pleasure of joining an Entrepreneurship class at the Faculty of Economics, Thammasat University, Bangkok, as a guest speaker on November 23.

The goal of the talk was to use nornnorn’s business model, journey and challenges to help the third and fourth-year Bachelor of Economics (International Programme) students broaden their horizons toward professional practices and bring entrepreneurship theories to life.

As a circular economy business pioneer and a member of the NEXUS community, Nophol Techaphangam, nornnorn’s Founder & CEO, had the pleasure of sharing his experience in starting and scaling nornnorn on the “Eat, Sleep, Scale: Cultivating Circularity in Everyday Essentials” panel at the NEXUS Asia Summit 2024 on Bintan Island, Indonesia, on October 18. 

Joining him as a fellow panelist and the session’s moderator were Felix Böck, ChopValue’s Founder & CEO, and Tomo Hamakawa, a Co-Founder of Mana Earthly Paradise, an ultra sustainable resort in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, and one of nornnorn’s earliest customers.

NEXUS is a global community with over 6,000 members from 70 countries founded to bridge communities of wealth and social entrepreneurship. It has since 2011 worked to unite young investors, social entrepreneurs, philanthropists and allies to catalyse new leadership and accelerate needed political, societal, indigenous, financial, environmental and equal justice solutions.

“‘nornnorn’ - A Thai start-up providing the world’s first “Mattress Subscription + Recycling” service driving forward its green, GHG-reducing business with R&D under the support of NXPO-PMU-C.”

Read more.

As a circular economy thought leader, Nophol Techaphangam, nornnorn’s Founder & CEO, had the honour of joining the ASEAN Circular Economy Forum 2024 (ACEF 2024) as a panelist in the “Strengthening the Regional Ecosystem for Circular Startups” session alongside:

• Nguyen Hong Long, Director, Centre for Creativity and Sustainability, Vietnam

• Tam Phan Hanh, Country Director, Circo Hub Vietnam, Vietnam

• Nicholas Gandolfo, Director, ESG Finance, MUFG, Singapore.

Held on October 2, the session was moderated by Rene van Berkel, a Co-Convenor of the ASEAN Circular Economy Business Alliance (ACEBA).

Hosted by the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD) at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok on October 1-2, ACEF 2024 served as a platform for the ASEAN policy community to engage in dialogue with stakeholders on advancing a circular transition through national policies and regional initiatives. The event supported innovation and entrepreneurship for a circular transition, highlighted existing circular economy practices in ASEAN and the EU, and built on the region’s traditions and values for a sustainable future. 

"nornnorn - New business concept - Mattress subscriptions together with recycling”

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On September 5, nornnorn, under Circularity Co., Ltd., received a THB2.3-million grant (USD68,000) from Thailand’s National Innovation Agency (NIA) in support of our circular economy product subscription platform development.

The grant is a part of the agency’s “economic innovations necessary for Thailand’s development” grant programme (“Mandatory Grant”) that aims to help transition Thailand towards the economy of the future.