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
Don Kwaning's Lino Leather is a vegan alternative to leather
Designer Don Kwaning has developed a new material, called Lino Leather, that emulates the texture of leather for interior and furniture design. More
Novameat develops 3D-printed vegan steak from plant-based proteins
Italian bioengineer Giuseppe Scionti from Spanish startup Novameat has invented the "world's first" 3D-printed meat-free steak made from vegetable proteins, which mimics the texture of beef. More
Plasticiet produces terrazzo-like material from recycled plastic
Dutch startup Plasticiet aims to create "something of value" from recycled plastic for use in interior and furniture design. More
Yesenia Thibault-Picazo crafts objects from precious materials of the future
London-based designer Yesenia Thibault-Picazo has created three household objects for the anthropocene era, using materials she believes will be used by craftsmen hundreds of years in the future. More
Oskar Metsavaht makes sustainable fashion garments from Amazonian fish skin
Brazilian designer Oskar Metsavaht has repurposed the skins from the pirarucu fish found in Amazonian rivers and lakes by transforming it into sustainable scaly garments and fashion accessories. More
Zaha Hadid Architects and ETH Zurich debut concrete pavilion with 3D-knitted formwork
A double-curved concrete shelled pavilion, constructed using a 3D-knitted formwork developed by Zaha Hadid Architects and ETH Zurich, has gone on display in Mexico City. More
Christopher Farr launches two patterned textiles from the Anni Albers archive
British textile brand Christopher Farr celebrates Bauhaus pioneer Anni Albers with its latest range of rugs and fabric designs. More
Five materials that could help us design a more sustainable future
Designer Seetal Solanki has released a book exploring natural and manmade materials that could be used to reduce human impact on the planet. In a Dezeen exclusive, she picks out five of the most innovative examples. More
Ellie Birkhead uses human hair and manure to make region-specific bricks
Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Ellie Birkhead has developed a process of brick making that incorporates local waste products from the Chiltern Hills, in an attempt to "forge a future for local industry". More
Reebok launches plant-based Cotton + Corn sneaker
Sportswear brand Reebok has revealed the first product from its sustainability initiative Cotton + Corn — a pair of trainers with a bioplastic sole. More
Halo smart collar designed to protect athletes from concussion
A compression top with an auto-tightening collar that promises to reduce whiplash and concussion is the first product from Canadian sports tech start-up Aexos. More
Reebok's gel-infused PureMove sports bra firms up in response to movement
Sportswear brand Reebok has applied a texture-changing gel used in NASA's spacesuits to make a bra that adapts to support different levels of movement. More
AIA demands "blanket ban" on asbestos following new EPA regulation
The American Institute of Architects has denounced a US government proposal that could allow the manufacture of new asbestos products, following a significant backlash from the architecture community at-large. More
Texture-changing skin lets robot express its feelings
Cornell University engineers have made a robot that gets goosebumps or becomes spiky to communicate its internal state. More
Josh Carmody's clamp system turns material samples into tables
Melbourne-based designer Josh Carmody has designed a system of clamps that can connect architects and designers' unwanted material samples to create tables. More
Oksana Bondar uses human hair to create biodegradable stool
Kingston School of Art graduate Oksana Bondar has created a dressing table stool from human hair to demonstrate the design possibilities of the material. More
Lingxiao Luo combines 3D-printing and knitwear to create playful garments
Royal College of Art graduate Lingxiao Luo has combined 3D-printing with traditional knitwear techniques to create a series of pieces that evoke the playfulness of children's toys. More
Tobias Trübenbacher creates furniture from pig bladders and cow intestines
Industrial design student Tobias Trübenbacher has used pig bladders and cow intestines to create furniture, in a bid to discover the "inner values" of animal offal. More