Designing sustainable furniture and spaces is easier than ever before with these materials made from natural sources and recycled or repurposed waste. They aren’t just for sitting around and looking pretty – they’re for making a statement and a difference.
MC 1052402 / Senilia by HighSociety is a circular design inspired lampshade collection made from the byproducts of beer production and coffee consumption. To reduce environmental impact, Senilia uses discarded coffee bean peels and leftover hops and barley to create handcrafted lampshades that are biodegradable and recyclable. These materials can be formed into any desired shape in two colorways, by preserving the natural pigmentation of the different forms of waste.
The lights are held together without screws, meaning the electrical components can easily be removed so that the lampshade body can be composted. Other than sustainable furniture, applications include molded parts for consumer electronics, sustainable furniture, homewares, and interior design products.
MC 1065001 / Bark of Color by ADELE Collections is decorative coating, handcrafted in Uganda from 100% recycled cork. This material is eco-friendly and reduces energy usage in heating systems. It is highly resistant, insensitive to humidity and moisture, and shock-resistant.
When this cork coating is applied to interior surfaces, it improves acoustic performance by reducing reverberation in the room. The material can also be dyed or printed for custom color applications. This decorative coating is suitable for hospitality, residential and commercial environments, and can be easily installed with a vinyl adhesive.
MC 1067401 / EVERBOARD™ Roof Cover Board by Continuus Materials, LLC is a high-performance roof cover board designed to provide a durable protective surface for low-slope commercial roofing. It consists of 95% post-consumer paper and plastic that are derived from a variety of sources. To date, this is the only building panel that is diverting post-consumer paper/plastic at scale while also performing equal or better when compared to competitive products.
This durable mold- and moisture-resistant panel delivers superior hail and wind uplift performance. The material has very high compressive strength for foot and wheel traffic, and it has strong mechanical fastening capabilities. The material is not visible once it is installed, so there are no color or texture options available. Applications include commercial low-slope roofing.
MC 1036001 ECOncrete® by ECOncrete tech is an environmentally sensitive concrete solution that helps restore marine infrastructure. Marine life suffers from traditional concrete structures that are often built underwater. This material solution is a unique combination of bio-enhancing concrete admixtures, complex surface textures that mimic nature, and science-based designs that provide desirable biological needs.
After this material is submerged in water, it encourages the growth of marine life. For example, seaweed starts to grow on top of it, and fish, corals, and oysters live around the structure. Applications include concrete additives for coastal and marine applications such as ports, breakwaters, and seawalls.
Looking for more innovative materials check out Climate Resilient Interiors.
“This article was written by the Material ConneXion Research team, a subsidiary of Material Bank. With over 25 years of experience Material ConneXion specializes in helping the world’s leading brands find innovative & sustainable material solutions – helping their clients reach new levels of performance while ensuring they are making the most environmentally responsible material choices. To learn more about how MCX can help your product development & packaging journey click here”
