We use cookies to give you the best personal experience on our website. If you continue to use our site without changing your cookie settings, you agree we may place these cookies on your device. You can change your cookie settings at any time but if you do , you may lose some functionality on our website . More information can be found in our privacy policy.
Please provide more information.
Stylus no longer supports Internet Explorer 7, 8 or 9. Please upgrade to IE 11, Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge. This will ensure you have the best possible experience on the site.
stylus
trends		 consumer
lifestyle		 consumer
product		 consumer
engagement		 topics events
calendar		 blog
view all
reports
 		about
stylus		 login
stylus trends
Consumer Attitudes
Technology
Food & Beverage
Travel & Hospitality
Fashion
Beauty
Product Design
Colour & Materials
Retail
Media & Marketing
topics
view all reports
events calendar
blog
about stylus
T&C
careers
contact us
login
Materials Focus 2014-15

Honest Materials

Recognition for time-honoured craft and modest production methods outline this concept. Simplicity and functionality are crucial. Stylus examines designers and projects that employ practical design solutions to create products from everyday or even waste materials. Pieces are carefully honed for a subtle contemplative aesthetic with an appreciation for the material.

Share:
Published:
15 Nov 2012
DOWNLOAD PDF
RELATED REPORTS
Home Ground: Colour
Home Ground: Colour Home Ground: Colour In reaction to a lack of control over political and economic decisions, a mood for self-sufficiency permeates culture and design across the globe. Natural colour is distilled and refined into rich tones that ground us in our surroundings. The benefits of rural living filter into urban environments where raw colour nourishes our senses.

This season-neutral palette honours grown dyes with vivid Red Onion, Woad Blue, Corn and Dried Primrose. Off-white neutrals, reminiscent of natural wool and unbleached cotton are layered together, while Burnt Umber and Iron Oxide provide an earthy heat.
Colour & Materials
Colour Spectrum A/W 2018-19
10 Nov 2016
New Earth Materials
New Earth Materials New Earth Materials Satellite imagery of the Earth, geological strata and seismic data are influencing a new wave of material and surface design that transposes dramatic landscapes and elemental materials into domestic interiors and commercial spaces. Designers reconsider commonplace materials such as sand, minerals and stone to develop new processes and innovative products.
Colour & Materials
Materials
22 Jul 2016
Jellyfish Leather
Jellyfish Leather Jellyfish Leather Japanese Royal College of Art (RCA) graduate Yurii Kasao has developed a material derived from jellyfish that could offer an alternative to leather for fashion accessories.
Colour & Materials
Materials
09 Oct 2015
DMY Berlin: Experimental Materials
DMY Berlin: Experimental Materials DMY Berlin: Experimental Materials International design festival DMY Berlin played host to a number of designers experimenting and pushing the boundaries of materials this year. Here, we round up the highlights.
Colour & Materials
Materials
22 Jun 2015
Untapped Resources
Untapped Resources Untapped Resources Innovation drives material developments into new domains as designers seek to maximise the potential of untapped matter. Building on our rationale Resource, we see a shift in perception as the status of low-value materials is elevated through the creation of smart and sustainable composites. 
Colour & Materials
Materials
15 Dec 2014
VIEW ALL Reports
Direct From Nature
Direct From Nature Direct From Nature A deeper understanding of material properties emerges as we seek to craft, grow and scientifically replicate the brilliance of nature. Alongside discovery, a nostalgic preciousness kicks in to preserve, narrate and salvage the existing.
Colour & Materials
Materials
07 Oct 2014
Perfect Ordinary S/S 2016
Perfect Ordinary S/S 2016 Perfect Ordinary S/S 2016 A pared-down and refined update to our Autumn/Winter 2015-16 Design Direction Norse, Perfect Ordinary celebrates the perfection of basics and new classics. It’s a hyper-simple new uniform.
Fashion
Overview
26 Aug 2014
Renew S/S 2016
Renew S/S 2016 Renew S/S 2016 Relief from connectivity and stimulation drives Renew’s calm, understated direction, with a focus on Earth’s natural materials. Less raw and more tranquil than its predecessor Unearth A/W 15-16, Renew nurtures and further harnesses nature’s materials for unique and advanced product stories.

Renew carries influence with the luxury and specialty sectors and the mindful consumer seeking wellbeing in provenance and material innovation. 
Product Design
Design Directions S/S 2016
07 Aug 2014
Cork: New Possibilities
Cork: New Possibilities Cork: New Possibilities Long considered a simple and traditional material, cork is being rediscovered as an innovative, sustainable choice for a variety of applications, including fashion, architecture, and performance-based solutions for aerospace and sport.
Colour & Materials
Materials
05 Aug 2014
First Man-Made Bio Leaf
First Man-Made Bio Leaf First Man-Made Bio Leaf London-based Royal College of Art graduate Julian Melchiorri has engineered the first man-made biological leaf. Made from a silk-based material, it uses photosynthesis to transform carbon dioxide into oxygen. 
Colour & Materials
Science & Technology
01 Aug 2014
Plastics from Tomatoes
Plastics from Tomatoes Plastics from Tomatoes Tomato pomace – the fibres from the fruit's stem, skin, and seeds – is the latest bio-based material in the spotlight as a viable alternative to petroleum products in manufacturing.
Product Design
Packaging
14 Jul 2014
Active: Pollution-Ridding Ceramic Tiles
Active: Pollution-Ridding Ceramic Tiles Pollution-Ridding Ceramic Tiles As air pollution becomes a bigger issue, particularly in cities, designers are inventing imaginative ways to solve the problem. The latest example is Active – a ceramic tile with a titanium oxide coating that not only makes it self-cleaning, but also able to purify the air of its surrounding environment. 
Product Design
Colour & Materials
06 Jun 2014
Super Natural
Super Natural Super Natural Super Natural focuses on materials derived from natural geological processes and unique applications of unconventional earth materials. Creatives and specialist makers merge these materials with advanced processing, forming inventive products or harnessing their natural properties for innovative composite materials.
Colour & Materials
Materials Focus 2016
27 May 2014
Unearth A/W 15-16
Unearth A/W 15-16 Unearth A/W 15-16 In carving out new definitions of luxury, Unearth discovers product stories that elevate the natural splendour of materials. We draw from our Materials Focus Autumn/Winter 2015-16 trends Monument and Precious Craft to readdress the appropriateness of raw materials, where preciousness is found in utility.

Unearth carries influence with the specialty and luxury sectors and those addressing the notion of value through a balance of provenance and innovation.
Product Design
Design Directions A/W 2015-16
13 Mar 2014
Francesca Gattello: Made From Waste Marble
Francesca Gattello: Made From Waste Marble Francesca Gattello: Made From Waste During the marble cutting and manufacture process, up to 70% of the material is wasted. Italian designer Francesca Gattello finds alternative uses for this unwanted material in her latest project, the Calcera home accessories collection.
Product Design
Colour & Materials
12 Mar 2014
Broken Wood Seating by Jalmari Laihinen
Broken Wood Seating by Jalmari Laihinen Jalmari Laihinen: Broken Seating Broken: Seatings is a furniture series by Finnish designer Jalmari Laihinen that exploits the natural properties of wood. The series includes a bench made from ash and a stool made from elm and birch.
Colour & Materials
Interiors
02 Jan 2014
Monument
Monument Monument A nod to historic heritage and the appreciation of age and patina on materials, Monument exemplifies statement and crafted forms that combine traditional techniques with refreshed ideas for wood, stone and metal. Rare materials also inspire the curiosity of the designer, bestowing new levels of authenticity and specialty to product.
Colour & Materials
Materials Focus 2015-16
03 Dec 2013
Biomaterials
Biomaterials Biomaterials In the quest for more sustainable solutions, designers are rethinking material choices, selecting natural or recycled materials and hi-tech composites instead. We bring you an update on the most recent innovations.
Technology
Science & Research
29 Aug 2013
Paper Pulp Helmet
Paper Pulp Helmet Paper Pulp Helmet Created by a trio of students at London’s Royal College of Art, the Paper Pulp Helmet is designed to be a low-cost recyclable bike helmet for the London Bike Hire Scheme. Costing less than £1 each to produce, the helmets are made from the free daily newspapers that are discarded throughout the city. 
Product Design
Product Innovation
19 Aug 2013
The New Craftsmen & the New Craft Customer
The New Craftsmen & the New Craft Customer The New Craftsmen Retail pop-up The New Craftsmen returns to London, promoting and selling the work of makers from the length of the British Isles. Co-founder Catherine Lock tells us how important the story of making is when educating and marketing craft to a new customer. 
Product Design
Retail
25 Jul 2013
Knit Like the Wind: Merel Karhof
Knit Like the Wind: Merel Karhof Knit Like the Wind: Merel Karhof In a bid to create wind-made products that are sustainably minded with a modern edge, three windmills have collaboratively manufactured the designer’s latest furniture range. Wind-powered production may be nothing new, but Merel Karhof is taking a fresh look at the industry with her project Windworks.
Product Design
Furniture
05 Jul 2013
Redefining Precious
Redefining Precious Redefining Precious New definitions of what is luxurious or precious are emerging as overlooked natural resources and materials are treated in innovative and refreshing ways to give them a new lease of life.
Trend Reports
Redefine
31 May 2013
Wonder Cabinets of Europe at ICFF
Wonder Cabinets of Europe at ICFF Wonder Cabinets of Europe at ICFF Wonder Cabinets of Europe, an exhibition that exposes the creative process of emerging design talent, is currently on show this week at ICFF (the International Contemporary Furniture Fair) in New York.
Product Design
Art & Design
21 May 2013
Varia Tableware by Gaia Bottari
Varia Tableware by Gaia Bottari Varia Tableware by Gaia Bottari A new range of modular tableware by Milanese designer Gaia Bottari features simple shapes and solid materials reminiscent of the pared-down aesthetic described in Stylus’ Interiors Autumn/Winter 2014-15 Industry Trend, Composed. 
Product Design
Colour & Materials
07 May 2013
Innovation & Technique
Innovation & Technique Innovation & Technique Offering a variety of technical surface treatments and craft techniques, Stylus notes the key innovations and continuing trends for the Lineapelle Spring/Summer 2014 collections.
Colour & Materials
Lineapelle S/S 2014
17 Apr 2013
Profile: Carwan Gallery
Profile: Carwan Gallery Profile: Carwan Gallery Seeking to expand the vocabulary of traditional crafts in the Middle East, Beirut-based Carwan Gallery is a welcoming platform for international designers to reimagine the region’s craft techniques and capabilities for contemporary design.

At an interesting time for design in the Middle East, Stylus profiles the work of the Beirut-based gallery and its focus on internationalising contemporary design related to that region.
Product Design
Art & Design
16 Apr 2013
Truth (?) A/W 14-15 Womenswear
Truth (?) A/W 14-15 Womenswear Truth (?) A/W 14-15 Womenswear As consumers and brands strive to master the execution and articulation of trust, the need for transparency and honesty takes on a whole new meaning. Hyper-reality puts our daily lives under the microscope, creating new visual and sensory codes based on our perception of beauty.
Fashion
Truth (?) A/W 14-15 Womenswear
21 Mar 2013
Styling
Styling Styling Fusing technical abstraction with playful scale and proportion creates a future-focused mood rooted in nature. Spontaneous styling and unexpected details for formal and occasionwear is also minimal and considered, while casualwear and knitwear takes a more rustic, organic approach.

Stylus highlights the four influential styling directions for Autumn 2014 womenswear: Technical Play, Organic Linear, Medical Elegance and Autumnal Abstraction.
Fashion
Truth (?) A/W 14-15 Womenswear
21 Mar 2013
Print & Details
Print & Details Print & Details The Truth print and detail story celebrates a haphazard, graphic appeal. Homespun techniques, fundamental materials and tactile appliques illustrate a humble side to this concept, while modernist, Bauhaus influences create an emotional and personal mood. Stylus explores six key print and detail directions that will influence Autumn 2014 womenswear: Wooden Blocks, Burnt Out, Bauhaus Patchwork, Blanket Stitching and Tactile Appliques.
Fashion
Truth (?) A/W 14-15 Womenswear
21 Mar 2013
Colour & Materials
Colour & Materials Colour & Materials An organic sensibility and natural purity underpins the Autumn 2014 Truth palette. Shades of Earth and Burnt Orange evoke the honesty of wood, soil and patina, while Ink Blue and Orange Red anchor the palette to a place of modernist ideals. Soft shades of Sand Pink add a cosmetic overlay, alongside Eau de Nil, Pearl Gold and Bright White, which bring a scientific quality.

Tactility, homespun minimalism and 3D printing see fabrics reconfigure the form of the body, and blur the line between tech and nature. Stylus outlines the key material directions: Geometric Concertina, Fake Fur, Nature’s PVC and 3D Knits.
Fashion
Truth (?) A/W 14-15 Womenswear
21 Mar 2013
Icons & Muses
Icons & Muses Icons & Muses Stylus profiles four women who personify the independent spirit of the Truth concept for Autumn 2014 womenswear. Chinese albino model Connie Chiu is singled out as different yet progressive, while Italian sisters Carla & Franca Sozzani, musician Janine Rostron and film director Ava DuVernay capture the beauty and honesty of those unafraid of imperfection.
Fashion
Truth (?) A/W 14-15 Womenswear
21 Mar 2013
Truth (?) A/W 14-15: Cosmetic Styling
Truth (?) A/W 14-15: Cosmetic Styling Truth A/W 14-15: Cosmetic Styling Cosmetic Styling for Autumn 2014 plays with the blurred boundaries of reality and an all-knowing non-reality. Natural beauty is celebrated alongside fake imperfection, as outlined in our five directions: Realism Adored, Cracked Plaster, Showroom Dummy and Obviously Fake.
Beauty
Truth (?) A/W 14-15 Womenswear
21 Mar 2013
The Quiet Space: In Search of Comfort & Tranquillity
The Quiet Space: In Search of Comfort & Tranquillity The Quiet Space Spaces saturated with noise or moving imagery are pushing consumers to seek solace in soothing environments with limited distractions. Stylus investigates the noise-management systems, contemporary cocoons and sound-absorbing materials fuelling the desire for quiet.
Consumer Attitudes
Demographics
11 Jan 2013
Interrupted Surfaces
Interrupted Surfaces Interrupted Surfaces The appearance of surfaces and spaces are fascinating artists, architects and designers. Materials that possess highly reflective or responsive qualities are producing complex surfaces and applications. Compelling materials and finishes that respond to their environment through mimicry, refractive qualities or smart interaction challenge our interpretation of a space or object.
Colour & Materials
Materials Focus 2014-15
15 Nov 2012
Materials Focus 2014-15
Materials Focus 2014-15 Materials Focus 2014-15 Materials Focus 2014-15 collates inventive projects and pioneering developments for materials, applications and finishes, influenced by scientific and technological advancement or appreciation of materials and craftsmanship. Stylus presents four key themes: Super-Light, Honest Materials, Interrupted Surfaces and Ultra-Refined.
Colour & Materials
Materials Focus 2014-15
15 Nov 2012
Ultra-Refined
Ultra-Refined Ultra-Refined Materials honed by superior craftsmanship are redefining luxury. Specialist techniques and innovative know-how are being combined to create sophisticated products. Composites materials such as recycled newspaper, carbon fibre and established materials including copper are challenging our perceptions of what defines luxury. Stylus examines the key projects and designers celebrating the skills of the craftsman.
Colour & Materials
Materials Focus 2014-15
15 Nov 2012
Super-Light
Super-Light Super-Light Pioneering research and technical developments have produced some groundbreaking lightweight materials and intriguing applications. Designers and architects are embracing these ideas with their approaches to design. Ingenious uses of fabric are also providing light airy textures or soft ambience to deceptive façades. Stylus presents the most compelling projects.
Colour & Materials
Materials Focus 2014-15
15 Nov 2012
Starbucks’ Experimental Pop-up by Nendo
Starbucks’ Experimental Pop-up by Nendo Starbucks by Nendo Last month, Japanese design studio Nendo launched an experimental pop-up store for US coffee company Starbucks in Tokyo, Japan that looks unlike anything you will have seen from the brand before.
Retail
Advertising & Branding
15 Oct 2012
The Farmery: An Urban Farm
The Farmery: An Urban Farm The Farmery US industrial designer Ben Greene has unveiled his design concept for The Farmery: an urban farm conceived to provide locally grown food for city dwellers. The exact locations of these urban farms are yet to be revealed, but Greene – who has full backing for the projects – is expecting to begin construction next year.
Consumer Attitudes
Work & Education
08 Oct 2012
Trim, Hardware & Skins A/W 13-14
Trim, Hardware & Skins A/W 13-14 Trim, Hardware & Skins A/W 13-14 Some of the world’s most creative suppliers of trim, hardware and skins were gathered at Première Vision. Autumn/Winter 2013-14 is set to welcome a broad array of highly embellished fabrics, decorative hardware and finished leather and fur. Ruffled textiles, ornate zips, bi-coloured buttons, trompe l’oeil trims and laser-cut skins count among some of the best examples of the season’s trends.
Colour & Materials
Première Vision A/W 13-14
02 Oct 2012
SCP and Fort Standard Candelabra Collaboration
SCP and Fort Standard Candelabra Collaboration SCP and Fort Standard British furniture brand SCP chose Paris trade fair Maison et Objet to debut its Autumn/Winter 2012 collection, which includes lighting and accessories produced in collaboration with American designers. A highlight was the Sprue candelabras by Brooklyn-based studio Fort Standard. 
Product Design
Accessories
12 Sep 2012
Silent Machine Tea Set
Silent Machine Tea Set Silent Machine Tea Set Inspired by industrial materials and manufacturing, Eunjae Lee – a recent graduate of Sweden’s Hogskolen School of Design and Crafts – has designed the Silent Machine Tea Set.
Product Design
Colour & Materials
24 Aug 2012
Studio Klass' Petra Lamp
Studio Klass' Petra Lamp Studio Klass' Petra Lamp The Petra lamp by Studio Klass utilises the natural luminescent properties of limestone to create a sculptural yet functional lamp with an ambient glow.
Product Design
Colour & Materials
03 Aug 2012
Sustainable Natural Composites
Sustainable Natural Composites Sustainable Composites Industrial and consumer product developers are focusing on sustainable, natural alternatives to synthetics, challenging definitions of what constitutes a material. Stylus sums up the latest developments.
Colour & Materials
Applications
12 Jul 2012
Windoil
Windoil Windoil Dutch designer Dave Hakkens has created a wind-powered oil press that turns nuts and seeds into handcrafted oils.

Once the nuts have been gathered, they are placed in the funnel of the press. The wind rotates the metal fins – powering the gear mechanism to grind the nuts and extract the oil. Hakkens says: “The wind power is transformed with a worm drive to make the movement slow but very powerful.” The remaining pulp can be used in cooking or be composted to enrich the soil.

This project celebrates a slower attitude to food production and consumption.
Technology
Consumer Electronics
12 Jul 2012
Dalila Gonçalves: Kneaded Memory
Dalila Gonçalves: Kneaded Memory Dalila Gonçalves Portuguese artist Dalila Gonçalves’ Kneaded Memory combines large rocks with traditional Portuguese tile patterns in semi-saturated and rich, mid-tone hues.
Colour & Materials
Arts & Pop Culture
07 May 2012
Experimental Décor Hits the Home
Experimental Décor Hits the Home Experimental Décor In interior design, the general rule has been that risk-taking belongs to commercial projects – hotels, restaurants, and bars – while residential projects take a safer line. However, a growing consumer thirst for more experimental, fantastical design means home décor is taking an unusual turn. Stylus explores some new design twists.
Product Design
Architecture & Spaces
12 Apr 2012
Chinese Indigo: Dyed & Glazed Textiles
Chinese Indigo: Dyed & Glazed Textiles Chinese Indigo The use of natural dyes and traditional finishing processes are a constant source of inspiration to contemporary designers and artists. Stylus investigates the intriguing paper-like qualities of indigo-dyed textiles created in south-west China, noting the preservation of rich traditions by the international fashion industry.
Colour & Materials
Colour
28 Mar 2012
Beautiful Biodegradables
Beautiful Biodegradables Beautiful Biodegradables The words high fashion electronics, covetable tableware and super-sleek lighting are not often uttered in the same breath as biodegradable. But as consumers become increasingly eco-conscious – and equally design conscious – an abundance of aesthetically superior products with biodegradable credentials are filtering into the market.

Stylus explores the huge capabilities of biodegradable materials as brands embrace sustainability without compromising on desirability.
Product Design
Colour & Materials
22 Mar 2012
Chime for Time
Chime for Time Chime for Time Lisbon-based design studio Cabracega and designer André Gonçalves have created a clock without a visual interface.
Consumer Attitudes
Demographics
05 Mar 2012
Studio Visit: Timeline Surface Materials
Studio Visit: Timeline Surface Materials Studio Visit: Timeline Through a specialised process that owes a debt to fine art painting, LA-based studio Timeline focuses on creating a unique brand of sustainable ‘designer wood’ surfaces. Tapping into the growing West Coast taste for bohemian aesthetics, the studio ages new timber by hand to give it a reclaimed look.

Stylus visited Timeline’s space – located in a 100-year-old former paint factory – to learn more about the process behind their work.
Product Design
Colour & Materials
08 Feb 2012
Raku
Raku Raku The carbonised surface of Raku-fired ceramics portrays a raw and imperfect beauty that resonates with time-honoured process. Stylus explores the origins of this traditional Japanese art, and the contemporary artisans who are re-contextualising the technique.
Colour & Materials
Applications
14 Dec 2011
Kueng Caputo: Sand Chair Series
Kueng Caputo: Sand Chair Series Sand Chair Series Designed by Swiss studio Kueng Caputo, the Sand Chair series – exhibited at the recent Art Basel Miami Beach event in the US this month – harnesses rich colours to decorate a collection of sand and mortar stools.
Colour & Materials
Interiors
14 Dec 2011
Bespoke Textiles by Genevieve Bennett
Bespoke Textiles by Genevieve Bennett Bespoke Textiles by Genevieve Benne At London Design Week later this month, London-based textile designer Genevieve Bennett will launch her new collection of bespoke sculptured leather textiles.
Product Design
Colour & Materials
01 Sep 2011
Earthen Treasures
Earthen Treasures Earthen Treasures Perfection is no longer preferable for special pieces of jewellery. Instead, originality and a sense of artisan design are favoured, with earth-hewn materials and stones giving modern jewellery a sense of the ancient and mythological. Stylus highlights brands embracing this rugged luxury.
Fashion
Materials
31 Aug 2011
Studio Visit: Sabbatha, Bali
Studio Visit: Sabbatha, Bali Studio Visit: Sabbatha Trained in Paris and supported by an Oxbridge degree in Economics, Indonesian fashion designer Sabbatha Rahzuardi is making a viable fashion business with a sophisticated international aesthetic from his small studio in the heart of Seminyak, Bali.
Fashion
Designers & Brands
29 Jun 2011
StoneGround Wall Coverings
StoneGround Wall Coverings StoneGround Wall Coverings New York-based design firm Trove launched its first wall coverings collection, made from powdered stone, at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair last week.
Product Design
Colour & Materials
26 May 2011
NewspaperWood
NewspaperWood NewspaperWood Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Meike Meijer has created a new way of working with paper.
Product Design
Colour & Materials
06 May 2011
Joyce 40th Anniversary
Joyce 40th Anniversary Joyce 40th Anniversary Hong Kong designer retailer Joyce’s 40th anniversary exhibition, A Journey Through Fashion, opened at the Joyce Gallery, Jardin du Palais Royal, during Paris Fashion Week. Stylus explores Joyce’s directional buying strategy and the ground-breaking designs the retailer has introduced to the Asian market.
Fashion
Arts & Culture
17 Mar 2011
La Feliz: Textura Material
La Feliz: Textura Material La Feliz: Textura Material Argentinian designers are transforming known materials into something new, sustainable and beautiful.
Colour & Materials
Industrial Design
24 Jan 2011
Spun
Spun Spun Australian based design duo, LifeSpaceJourney, has designed ‘Spun’ Stools.
Product Design
Colour & Materials
21 Dec 2010
The Meaning of Making
The Meaning of Making Meaning of Making Stylus met with Brooklyn-based furniture designer Daniel Michalik of DMFD Studio to discuss how an open approach to making can lead to greater productivity without compromising creative values.
Product Design
Colour & Materials
06 Dec 2010
About Stylus Terms & Conditions Careers Contact Us
Updated
Related
 ©  PANTONE®TPX
 COATED
 RAL
 RGB
 HEX
 NCS