Material Matters: My Highlights from Surface Design Show 2026
The Surface Design Show had such a great energy this year.
There’s something about being surrounded by people who care deeply about materials — how they’re made, how they perform, and how they impact the world — that feels genuinely invigorating. This year felt especially inspiring, with a strong focus on eco-conscious alternatives that are not only responsible but beautifully designed and commercially viable.
The Surface Design Show is also the perfect place to catch up with friends, meet new suppliers, and discover innovative materials that I’m already imagining using on future projects.
I’m always drawn to sustainable solutions, and some of my favourite finds this year included:
Engineered boards made from post-consumer waste wood, with no added formaldehyde. While they acknowledge that a small amount occurs naturally in wood, their production process creates genuinely ecological panels with different emissions classes and a wide range of surface finishes and colours. A smart solution for cabinetry and joinery where performance and sustainability need to sit side by side.
https://www.saviola.com/eng/
Beautiful plasters made from natural materials, offering depth, texture and breathability. Their finishes have that timeless, tactile quality I’m always looking for in interior schemes.
https://www.claylime.com
Wooltech
A fascinating rethink of electronics — using waste wool to create biodegradable product casings. It’s a brilliant example of cross-industry innovation and circular thinking in action.
@hinnakhan.design
Decorative surfaces made from agricultural waste, transforming by-products into expressive, characterful materials suitable for interiors.
www.pit-to-table.com
The UK tile company behind the tiles for A House for Essex. Their craftsmanship and heritage approach to terracotta continues to stand out — rich, characterful and deeply rooted in place.
https://www.darwenterracotta.com
Wonderful wallcoverings and fabrics with artistry and personality — pieces that bring warmth and narrative into a space.
https://themonkeypuzzletree.com
An inspiring charity that restores and fully furnishes homes for women and children who have escaped domestic abuse. Fewer than 2% of social housing properties are provided furnished, leaving many families forced to start again with nothing.
Furnishing Futures partners with the interiors industry to redirect high-quality donated furniture and homeware — pieces that might otherwise end up in landfill — transforming empty properties into thoughtfully designed, healing homes.
These are not simply furnished spaces, but environments created to support physical comfort, emotional wellbeing and a renewed sense of dignity at a pivotal moment of rebuilding. I’m looking forward to exploring how I can support their work and get involved.
www.furnishingfutures.org
These were just a few highlights from a really energising and thoughtful show. It’s encouraging to see how quickly sustainable innovation is evolving — and how much choice we now have when specifying responsibly.
If you haven’t visited before, it’s well worth adding to your calendar:
https://www.surfacedesignshow.com
#SurfaceDesignShow #SustainableDesign #EcoMaterials #CircularDesign #InteriorDesign #MaterialInnovation