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    Exploring Surface Matter's innovative materials for architecture, design, making and more.
    Expertise

    Materials used better

    We’re here to help your ideas become the best builds they can be, from quality to sustainability. Talk to us about your project, and we’ll help you choose the right processes to keep them valuable forever.

    The most sustainable material? That depends on you.

    We often get asked what the most sustainable materials in the world are. But the truth is, there is no ‘unicorn’ that has zero impact on the planet. 

    A surface’s potential has less to do with its properties and more to do with planning and criteria. How long will your material be used? How are you going to treat it? What are you taking on next?

    If your process leaves room for waste, it doesn’t matter what material you buy. 

    Move forward.
    Work backwards.

    We’ll help you choose a material with every phase of the
project in mind - from the design stages and fit out to the ripout and beyond. It’s about taking the right steps to make reuse and recycling easier for whoever wants your materials next.

    Book time with usBook time with us
    Recycled composite materials with eco certifications and takeback

    Valuable forever

    But what happens when you’re done? We help you complete the circle and keep your materials valuable forever.

    Organise a takebackOrganise a takeback
    Surface materials rescued by Surface Matter in a stack of offcuts and waste material reclaimed

    Our latest

    Surface Matter educational session table with samples of recycled and takeback materials

    Material sessions

    Events
    Durat recycled plastic vanity sink in D0270-08

    Design-driven vanities

    Q+A
    Revived Richlite worktop by Material Rescue showing a worn section of Black Diamond surrounded by refreshed surfaces

    Material Rescue

    News
    Durat Orange Kitchen island worktop

    Durat kitchens + baths

    Q+A
    Chef preparing pizza on a Richlite countertop in a busy commercial kitchen, surrounded by fresh herbs and prep equipment

    Food service

    News
    Sample swatches of Durat overlaid with large black speckles and minerals from a paint mill for the Palace collection

    Durat speckles

    Q+A
    Darkroom blue canyon kitchen

    Richlite kitchens

    News
    CNC cut out numbers, crafted from Little Tahoma, a recycled paper composite material from Richlite, great for design details.

    Wayfinding materials

    News
    News and eventsNews and events

    Evaluating sustainability

    Sustainability means a lot of things to a lot of different people – everything from credentials and certificates to individual qualities and values.

    Ultimately, we believe sustainability is about how useful a material stays, with the least amount of waste in every stage. We’re always evolving our own processes to make reuse easier, and work with manufacturers who are reusing difficult materials, continually improving processes, and better yet, have a certified EPD.

    What’s an EPD?

    An Environmental Product Declaration is a simple way to benchmark a company’s processes, waste and energy use. But it’s important to know which baseline you’re comparing - volume, weight or functional unit.

    Book a virtual meeting or join us in our studio to learn more about sustainability claims, credentials, takeback and the materials we love.

    Learn about materialsLearn about materials
    Our material sessions
    Material studio full of samples and process pieces to explore
    Surface Matter studio with panels in formats you can see and touch like these made from recycled paper Richilte, Durat Palace basin + Plasticiet Black Rock display panel

    Book time with us

    Talk to us about your project, and we’ll help you choose the right processes and materials.

    Get in touch
    Surface Matter - HomeMaterials used better.B Corp

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