At Maison&Objet 2026, German design company @pulpoproducts introduces two material-focused developments: the Industrial Art collection and the Alwa Square series. Both lines show how construction materials, industrial finishes and handcrafting techniques can find new roles in interior and furniture design. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #IndustrialDesign #InteriorDesign #FurnitureDesign #DesignInspiration #MaterialResearch

A composite material developed for interior design and architecture. Corcrete by Corcrete / More at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialoftheDay #Materials #Concrete #Cork #InteriorDesign #FurnitureDesign

Researchers at @PennState have developed an unexpectedly accessible, low-cost method for producing wireless, shape-conforming electronic devices — a breakthrough with potential for designers working in wearables, consumer products, interiors and smart packaging. By printing liquid-metal circuits onto heat-shrinkable polymer sheets, the team has created electronics that can adapt to complex 3D surfaces, from the human body to everyday objects. The approach, published in Science Advances, uses the familiar children’s craft material Shrinky Dinks as a functional substrate. When heated, the plastic sheet shrinks uniformly, allowing a printed circuit to miniaturise and wrap itself around curved geometries. This opens the door to customisable, IoT-enabled components that can be produced at low cost and without specialist equipment — a significant advantage for designers aiming to explore smart or responsive materials. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #MaterialInnovation #SmartMaterials #WearableTech #3DElectronics #LiquidMetal #SmartDesign #IoTDesign #FutureMaterials #BiobasedTech #CircularDesign

SAWA, the 50-metre timber residential building on Rotterdam’s Lloydpier, has won the 2025 National Timber Construction Award, just hours after the Dutch queen Máxima officially opened the building, highlighting its national importance and its forward-looking design approach. Developed by @nicedevelopers and @era.contour and designed by Mei architects and planners, SAWA shows how circular and biobased materials can change the way cities grow. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #TimberConstruction #CircularDesign #BiobasedMaterials #SustainableArchitecture #UrbanBiodiversity #CLT #MassTimber #NatureInclusiveDesign #LowCarbonBuilding #MaterialInnovation

A modular brick, made of natural wool with light earth method (LEM), which results in a light-weighted high-density material. Brickwool by @terra___som / More at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #BiobasedMaterials

During crop rotation in the horticultural sector, large amounts of plastic film are removed each year. This material, mainly strip film and walkway film, used to be collected as mixed business waste and sent for incineration. Mertens has now developed a more sustainable and far more cost-effective alternative. In collaboration with a specialist plastics recycler, the company has created a new route in which used film becomes a valuable raw material. A first pilot shows strong results and points to sector-wide potential. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #CircularMaterials #RecycledPlastics #MaterialInnovation #SustainableDesign #HorticultureRecycling #PlasticRecycling #CircularDesign #EcoMaterials #DesignInspiration

Design agency @morramadesign and London-based 3D manufacturing studio @batch.works have created @kibu.family, a pair of children’s headphones that turn hands-on making into part of the listening experience. Designed for five- to eleven-year-olds, the headphones aim to spark creativity, teach practical skills and introduce young users to responsible product design. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #CircularDesign #MaterialInnovation #3DPrinting #RecycledMaterials #BiobasedMaterials #AdditiveManufacturing #SustainableTech #DesignForKids #ModularDesign #RepairCulture #LocalManufacturing #ProductDesign #IndustrialDesign #EducationDesign #FutureMaterials #Kibu #Morrama #BatchWorks

A material made from fruit waste and algae through advanced material engineering. Peelsphere by @Peelsphere / More at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialoftheDay #Materials #ProductDesign #BiobasedMaterials #Algae #WasteBasedMaterials #FashionDesign