Waste, reconsidered: debris turned into cement-alternative building materials
Agricultural and mineral-based waste streams are typically incinerated or landfilled due to their poor recyclability. Through formulation processes tailored to […]
TOPIC
Material
Materials influence the appearance, performance and environmental impact of every design project. This section covers natural materials, recycled resources, bio-based alternatives, advanced composites and manufacturing innovations used across architecture, interiors and product design. At DesignWanted, material research is considered a key part of the design process. The editorial selection follows developments in production, sustainability and experimentation, highlighting how new materials continue to expand creative and industrial possibilities.
The Or Foundation: driving systemic change through textile waste
The rapid spread of the fast fashion model – which prioritises volume over value alongside a progressive decline in garment […]
Mad scientist of thread: inside The Fabrick Lab
Elaine Yan Ling Ng runs The Fabrick Lab out of a factory unit in Kwai Hing, on the industrial fringe […]
Desserto’s approach to sustainability: from cactus to responsible design
Desserto was born from the direct experience of Adrián López Velarde and Marte Cázarez in sectors such as furniture design, […]
Flexible plastic alternatives designed for high-performance tailored applications
Balena Science is addressing a persistent gap in the plastic alternatives space: despite the growing range of options available today, […]
ALPI and GamFratesi design a three dimensional silent landscape in wood
Wood has always been a poetic material: natural yet remarkably complex, colourful yet restrained, tactile yet understated. Few materials possess […]
3 Thai biomaterials for circular design: MyraShell, Mush Composites, and Wasoo
Presented during Milan Design Week 2026, this selection of three Thai biomaterials – MyraShell, Mush Composites, and Wasoo – showcases […]
Releaf: the design challenge of making sustainable plastics desirable
During design-related events, new materials have become a kind of background noise. Bio-based, recycled, regenerative, circular: the vocabulary has settled […]
Iris Ceramica Group dresses a former chapel turned restaurant
From April 9 to May 24, 2026, Iris Ceramica Group took part in Casa Decor 2026 by transforming the former […]
An alternative material to petroleum-based plastics for everyday products
Since 2015, the MI Division of Panasonic Holdings Corporation has been engaged in research and development initiatives aimed at reducing […]
Luxury design’s animal fur problem finally has a worthy opponent
Every year at Milan Design Week, there are a few materials that keep popping up everywhere, from technological wallpapers to […]
From handmade ceramics to fine dining: a project shaped by many
A plate arrives at the table. At first glance, it holds what it is meant to hold: a carefully composed […]
View More