Dutch artist and designer @natasja_van_der_meer has introduced Soil Stones, a collection of sculptural objects positioned between art, design and functional furniture. The series was presented during Milan Design Week 2025 as part of Roots, a sustainable exhibition organised by Masterly. According to the designer, the collection takes inspiration from landscapes shaped by natural processes such as wind, earth and time. The objects feature rounded, stone-like forms and can be used as side tables, footstools or decorative pieces. Their appearance references naturally weathered stones, with a focus on earthy colours and tactile surfaces. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #SoilStones #NatasjaVanDerMeer #RecycledCork #CircularDesign #SustainableDesign #MaterialInnovation #CollectibleDesign #DesignObjects #NaturalMaterials #BiobasedDesign #InteriorDesign #ProductDesign #HandcraftedDesign #MilanDesignWeek #MaterialDistrict

The profiles are manufactured from European oak and consist largely of pre-consumer wood recovered from furniture production. WoodFrame Slim Oak PreConsumer by @Intermontage.nl / More at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialoftheDay #Materials #Wood #Profiles #Windows #Doors #InteriorDesign #Architecture #ReclaimedMaterials #RecycledMaterials

The chemical industry underpins almost every aspect of modern life, supplying the building blocks for products ranging from textiles and cosmetics to insulation materials and plastics. Yet the sector is also responsible for approximately six percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers at @ETHZurich are working to address this challenge by transforming carbon dioxide from a waste product into a valuable resource. Through the planned spin-off Teno Bioworks, biotechnologist Ronja Rappold and her team are developing a microbial production platform that converts captured CO₂ into high-value chemicals. The approach could help reduce the chemical industry’s dependence on fossil feedstocks while creating more sustainable pathways for manufacturing materials used across multiple design sectors. Read more MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #CO2Utilisation #CarbonCapture #GreenChemistry #Biotechnology #MaterialInnovation #SustainableMaterials #CircularEconomy #ClimateTech #BioBasedMaterials #SustainablePlastics #IndustrialBiotech #MaterialDesign #ProductDesign #PackagingDesign #ETHZurich #TenoBioworks

Italian 3D printing company @3dwasp has completed Itaca, a self-sufficient farm building at the newly opened Shamballa research site in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The project serves as a testing ground for architectural 3D printing technologies and alternative construction materials. WASP produced the building with its Crane WASP construction printer. The project explores how digital fabrication can create compliant and repeatable building systems. The team integrated electrical installations and radiant heating directly during the printing process. This approach reduces the number of construction stages and simplifies on-site assembly. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #Architectural3DPrinting #3DPrintedConstruction #3DPrinting #AdditiveManufacturing #MaterialInnovation #BuildingMaterials #LowCarbonMaterials #BioBasedMaterials #DigitalFabrication #SustainableConstruction

A lightweight, high-strength thermoplastic tape-ribbon designed for repair, reinforcement and custom fabrication applications. Forj Thermoplastic Tape-Ribbon by @forjribbon / More at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialoftheDay #Materials #ThermoPlastic #Repair #ProductDesign

Researchers at Graz University of Technology (@tugraz_official), together with Austrian brick manufacturer @worldofwienerberger, have developed a reusable brick wall system that can be dismantled and rebuilt without damaging the masonry elements. The innovation supports circular construction by extending the lifespan of building materials beyond that of the buildings themselves. The construction sector remains one of the largest consumers of raw materials and a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Demolition waste continues to be a significant challenge, especially for buildings with relatively short service lives such as supermarkets and retail facilities. The new system addresses this issue by allowing brick components to be reused several times instead of being discarded after demolition. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #ReusableBrickWalls #CircularConstruction #SustainableConstruction #BrickArchitecture #CircularBuilding #ConstructionInnovation #BuildingMaterials #LowCarbonConstruction #EmbodiedCarbon #MaterialInnovation #Prefabrication #Masonry #ResourceEfficiency #TUGratz #Wienerberger #Architecture #SustainableArchitecture #CircularEconomy #BuiltEnvironment #MaterialDistrict

Phyto Symbiotic Seat, designed at @royalcollegeofart, is an experimental seating concept that rethinks the relationship between furniture, vegetation and the built environment. Recognised by the @nydesignawards, the project combines a structural seating system with integrated planting, creating a piece that functions both as public furniture and as a living ecosystem. Read more at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialInspiration #Materials #PhytoSymbioticSeat #LivingFurniture #BiophilicDesign #UrbanGreening #ProductDesign #SustainableDesign #MaterialInnovation #GreenInfrastructure #LandscapeArchitecture #NatureInclusiveDesign #CircularDesign #ModularDesign #UrbanFurniture #DesignForBiodiversity #RegenerativeDesign #PublicSpaceDesign #BiobasedDesign #EcoDesign #FutureMaterials #MaterialDistrict

The material utilises recovered polyvinyl butyral (PVB), the interlayer film found in laminated safety glass, transforming a challenging waste stream into flexible sheet materials and closed-cell foams. Filie by @filie_materials / More at MaterialDistrict.com #MaterialoftheDay #Materials #FoamMaterials #RecycledMaterials #PVB #InteriorDesign #ProductDesign