UNStudio develops The Coolest White paint to cool down our cities
UNStudio and Monopol Colors have created an extremely reflective white paint that can reduce the amount of heat buildings absorb and cool cities in the face of climate change. More
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Sophie Rowley designs marble-like furniture from repurposed denim
New Zealand-born designer Sophie Rowley gives new life to discarded denim offcuts by recycling them into pieces of furniture with marble-like markings. More
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Scientists create temperature-regulating fabric
Researchers at University of Maryland have invented a smart material capable of warming up a person when they're cold and cooling them down when they're hot. More
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Shellworks turns discarded lobster shells into recyclable bioplastic objects
Four designers from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College have developed a series of machines that turn seafood waste into a biodegradable and recyclable bioplastic. More
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Studio Drift deconstructs everyday objects for Materialism series at Frieze LA
Amsterdam-based Studio Drift "de-produced" a bicycle and a pencil into the chunks of the materials used to make them for an exhibit at the inaugural Frieze Art Fair in Los Angeles. More
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Layer's smart Move seating for Airbus adapts to the passengers' needs
Layer has developed a smart textile for use in Airbus' economy class seating, which would allow passengers to monitor and control their seat conditions using their phone. More
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Margrethe Odgaard designs curtains for Kvadrat that take cues from wainscoting
Copenhagen-based textile designer Margrethe Odgaard plays with perception of colour and space in this line of satin-woven curtains for Danish brand Kvadrat. More
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Simone Post makes rugs from old Adidas trainers
Dutch designer Simone Post has created a series of graphic rugs from old trainers – one of the hardest fashion products to recycle – for sportswear giant Adidas. More
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"Metallic wood" is as strong as titanium but five times lighter
University of Pennsylvania engineers have altered a sheet of nickel to produce a material they call "metallic wood", which is extremely strong and light. More
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Tessa Spierings' tactile sound system explores the acoustic properties of materials
Spierings' Echo combines bespoke speakers with removable tubes made of different materials that can be used to alter the properties of the music played by the system. More
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Tom Dixon unveils "mysterious" marbled material called Swirl
Tom Dixon has designed a collection of candle holders and bookends, made from a newly developed material that resembles three-dimensional marbled paper. More
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Margarita Talep develops algae-based alternative to single-use plastic packaging
Chile-based designer Margarita Talep has created a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to single-use packaging, using raw material extracted from algae. More
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Bastian Beyer uses bacteria to calcify knitting into construction materials
London-based architect and designer Bastian Beyer's project explores the potential of using knitted textile structures that have been biologically solidified as sustainable construction materials. More
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The Guardian newspaper switches from plastic to compostable wrapping
UK national newspaper The Guardian has scrapped its polythene packaging in favour of a compostable wrapping made from potato starch, in a bid to reduce its plastic waste. More
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BMW and North Face debut futuristic Futurelight camper concept at CES
BMW's creative division Designworks has teamed up with The North Face to design a futuristic camper concept, which utilises nanospinning technology to shelter its inhabitants from extreme weather conditions. More
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Nir Meiri makes sustainable lamps from mushroom mycelium
London-based designer Nir Meiri has created a series of table lamps using mushroom mycelium, as an alternative to synthetic materials. More
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Columbia University researchers create 3D-printed "wood" with realistic internal grain
Engineers at Columbia University have 3D-printed a block of "digital wood", using a voxel technique that enables the creation of objects with rich internal textures. More
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Tim Teven creates Recycling Reject furniture from paper-recycling waste
Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Tim Teven has developed a process for making furniture and building blocks using the waste separated from paper fibre during the recycling process. More
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Dezeen's top 10 innovative materials of 2018
Designers experimented with unusual materials throughout 2018, from innovative new products to waste. Design editor Augusta Pownall picks out 10 of the best for our review of the year. More
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Rowan Minkley and Robert Nicoll recycle potato peelings into MDF substitute
London-based designers Rowan Minkley and Robert Nicoll use waste potato peelings to create an eco-friendly alternative to single-use materials like MDF and chipboard, called Chip[s] Board. More
