Roza Janusz grows edible food packaging
Graduate Roza Janusz has created an alternative to plastic food packaging, which is made from organic material and can either be eaten after use, or composted. More
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Envisions creates a "diptych" of material experiments for Finsa
Dutch collective Envisions will present its latest material research for wood brand Finsa during this year’s Milan design week, in an exhibition that combines process pieces with final collections. More
Innriinnri uses volcanic rock from Iceland to create sculptural table
Natural materials sourced from Iceland's volcanic landscape were used to make this piece of furniture by Reykjavík studio Innriinnri. More
New material made from desert sand could offer low-carbon alternative to concrete
A team of scientists in the UK have developed a biodegradable construction material made from desert sand – a resource that has until now been useless for construction. More
François Bauchet creates "clover-shaped" furniture for Galerie Kreo
French designer François Bauchet used a composite material made from sand, resin and concrete to create this furniture collection for Galerie Kreo, which features clover-shaped details. More
Chair made from flax fibres and bioplastic named best product at Stockholm Furniture Fair
Japanese designer Jin Kuramoto has created a "100 per cent biological chair" using flax fibres – a completely biodegradable material that is most commonly used for banknotes, tea bags and linen. More
Winners of $1 million Circular Materials Challenge prize for plastic alternatives announced
The winners of a lucrative competition tasking designers to come up with new materials to replace plastic packaging have been revealed. More
Joe Doucet creates way-finding running gloves using Reebok Flexweave
Joe Doucet has used Reebok's new Flexweave material to to create an "imaginative fitness prototype" that helps prevent runners from getting lost. More
Robotic 3D printers create terrazzo floors in any pattern
A Dutch company has developed technology for 3D printing floors in an endless variety of colours and patterns. More
Dezeen's top 10 unusual materials of 2017
Animal blood, algae and mushroom mycelium are among some of the unconventional materials used in design this year. Continuing our review of 2017, editorial assistant Gunseli Yalcinkaya selects her top 10. More
Dutch designers showcase furniture and products made from unusual textile
A group of 10 designers from the Netherlands has teamed up with manufacturer Low & Bonar to create a set of products made from its non-woven Colback textile. More
Super Local uses waste glass to produce sustainable terrazzo homeware collection
Discarded glass is transformed into terrazzo to create this range of furniture and objects, which Dutch studio Super Local designed in collaboration with Zanzibari craftspeople. More
Shahar Livne uses waste plastic to create Lithoplast, a precious material of the future
Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Shahar Livne has created a clay-like material using discarded plastic that could be mined by future civilisations. More
Billie van Katwijk transforms discarded cow stomachs into leathery material
Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Billie van Katwijk has developed a process for turning bovine guts into a material that can be used to make bags and accessories, and is presenting the results at Dutch Design Week. More
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Mushroom mycelium used to create suede-like furniture by Sebastian Cox and Ninela Ivanova
Sebastian Cox has become the latest designer to start working with mushroom mycelium – the British furniture maker has teamed up with researcher Ninela Ivanova to investigate the material's potential in commercial furniture design. More
Recycled baths, TV screens and plastics all feature in Ready Made Go 3 collection
Designers including Michael Marriott, James Shaw and Soft Baroque have favoured recycled materials for this year's Ready Made Go collection, presented at Ace Hotel during London Design Festival. More
Fungus used to build arching pavilion in Kerala
A group of Indian and Italian architects has built a pavilion in southwest India using mushroom mycelium, to demonstrate how the material could be used to create temporary venues for major events. More
Nanolab releases own extremely black paint to rival Anish Kapoor's Vantablack
The latest contender in the fight to create the world's blackest black is a paint originally developed for NASA and now made available to the public. More
World's first graphene paint launches in the UK
Miracle material graphene – considered the strongest substance known to science – has been used to make eco-friendly paint by manufacturer Graphenstone. More
"Biotech is the new digital" says MIT Media Lab founder
Biotechnology is going to "govern the next decade of thought" at research institutions like the MIT Media Lab, says its founder Nicholas Negroponte. More