A sponge made from a fusion of cotton fibre and squid bone could help to clear some of the world's microplastic pollution after a team of Chinese researchers found it can soak up as much as 99.8 per cent of the particles from water samples. More about Squid-bone sponge found to soak up 99.8 per cent of microplastics
The realities of climate change have driven another big year in material innovation in 2024. Here are 10 of the best solutions that have put a promising spin on cement, plastic, fur, linoleum, or even introduced something new. More about The top 10 material innovations of 2024
The Coca-Cola Company – named the world's worst plastic polluter for six consecutive years – appears to have dropped its pledge to pivot to 25 per cent reusable packaging by 2030. More about Coca‑Cola accused of abandoning reusable-packaging target
Fossil fuel-based polyurethane foam has been a firm favourite in furniture manufacturing for over half a century. Jane Englefield investigates the consequences of this dependable but unsustainable material. More about The "knotty problem" of polyurethane foam
Textile brand Kvadrat has worked with designer Teruhiro Yanagihara to launch its first recycled polyester textile made of waste fabric instead of the usual plastic bottles. More about Kvadrat launches first recycled polyester textile actually made from polyester
Dutch designers Suzanne Oude Hengel and Joris de Groot have developed a shoe using just one material – a recyclable thermoplastic that can be knitted, 3D-printed and welded. More about Welded Loop's experimental shoes are made from only one material
Dezeen Showroom: global materials brand The Good Plastic Company aimed to make recycled plastic lustrous and elegant with its Polygood Translucent panel collection, made from old CD cases. More about Polygood Translucent collection panels by The Good Plastic Company
Tech start-up Pentaform has devised a potential solution to e-waste: making gadgets that dissolve in water and leave behind only their electronic components for recycling. More about Aquafade water-soluble electronics provide way to tackle e-waste
Dutch designer Rik van Veen has created a bench made from leftover plastic pipes that are fused together and carved to create a textural pattern reminiscent of a leopard's fur. More about Rik van Veen transforms old gas pipes into spotted Leopard bench
South Korean designer Jeonghwa Seo has used purpose-cast aluminium tubes to create a collection of tables and benches, with their structure obscured behind frosted acrylic. More about Metal tubes poke through slabs of acrylic in furniture by Jeonghwa Seo
Promotion: Welsh brand Smile Plastics' products promote the "imaginative, repetitive reuse" of plastic in a bid to mitigate its environmental impact. More about "Is plastic the problem or the future?" asks Smile Plastics
Global design agency Ogilvy has developed a compact water filtration device that can attach to any plastic bottle, offering an accessible and affordable way to provide communities with clean drinking water. More about Filter Caps transform bottles into handheld water treatment system
Promotion: plastic can remain a useful material long into the future with a thoughtful approach, argues Smile Plastics co-founder Rosalie McMillan. More about "We have a duty to honour plastics" says Smile Plastics co-founder Rosalie McMillan
Danish designer Kasper Kyster has showcased the Crafting Plastic collection of furniture, which was constructed through bending plastic sheets by hand, at 3 Days of Design. More about Kasper Kyster handcrafts "organic" plastic furniture
Electronics accessory brand Casetify has launched a series of public art installations in five cities around the world using recycled phone cases as the key material. More about Casetify launches global installations made out of recycled phone cases
Insects are an unlikely "collaborator" in British designer William Eliot's Digested Objects stool, which was shaped by plastic-eating mealworms as they gnawed their way through blocks of polystyrene. More about Plastic-eating mealworms "collaborate" in stool design by William Eliot
Dutch designer Gijs Schalkx has retrofitted an old car to run on an unusual fuel source: waste plastic that is turned back into oil. More about Gijs Schalkx converts car to run on plastic waste
This month's Dezeen In Depth newsletter delves into the debate surrounding the future of plastics and features an exclusive interview with interior designer Kelly Wearstler. More about Dezeen In Depth explores the prospect of a plastic-free future
With Earth Day 2024 and an increasing number of environmental campaigners calling for an end to plastics, is time finally up for the 20th century's miracle material? Rima Sabina Aouf finds out if we can – and should – abolish plastic. More about Is a plastic-free future possible?
We need to end our use of plastics for the sake of the planet and human's health, writes the director of Earth Day's end plastic initiatives Aidan Charron. More about "A 60 per cent reduction in plastic is the bare minimum we need the world to do"