Take back, backed up: Surface Matter introduces its circular Material Rescue initiative.

Surface Matter is a sweet shop for designers.

Vibrant flecks of multicolour. Textures with dapples, waves, and grooves. Matt, woollen, and pearlescent finishes. All harmoniously sitting side-by-side as part of its material offering.

Not only do these surface solutions look good. But they contribute to the circular economy too.

As well as Surface Matter supplying its collections, from manufacturers such as Durat, Richlite, Plasticiet, and Pierreplume, to commercial designers working on a range of projects, it actively seeks to keep these materials in circulation. Its Material Rescue initiative being a take back service designed to make it just as easy to return material as it is to get it in the first place. And then the cycle begins again.

This, the team says, is key to its vision to keep materials valuable forever.

Having recently joined Material Source Studio Manchester as a partner, we were keen to find out more about Surface Matter's unique approach to materiality to share more of their story with you.

Here, Scott Campbell, managing director, chats to us about how Material Rescue works in practice, the process of shifting perspectives, and why there's "no unicorn material" when it comes to sustainability.

Firstly, can you please introduce us to Surface Matter?

"Surface Matter work to keep quality materials in circulation – helping designers use materials better. We sell, supply + prototype interesting materials made by ambitious manufacturers and share our knowledge and expertise to help architects minimise waste with every phase of a project in mind – that’s why we created Material Rescue – a take back service designed to make it just as easy to return material as it is to get it in the first place. It's key to our vision to keep materials valuable forever."

How do you choose the brands you work with?

"We love working with great people - good partnerships are crucial to us. The brands we partner with work in sustainable ways and are determined to create value from often unwanted or discarded materials."

You’re not just a supplier, but lend your expertise to the full cycle material specification journey - can you explain how you work with clients to help them make conscious, circular choices?

"We’re often asked what the most sustainable material is, and also does it come in pink? But the reality is there is no unicorn material. Most design choices come with some level of compromise and ultimately most of the time the most sustainable option is simply not to make it. Don’t create anything new. But that doesn’t fit with a progressive society or support inclusive spaces and future generations.

"We try to share as much information as we can – helping designers understand complicated things like evaluating sustainable claims, or piecing through Environmental Product Declarations with different functional units. Most often it’s as simple as making sure that the right materials are used for the bigger picture, in ways that bring value to projects.

"We believe this also comes down to working backward – if the goal is to have a sustainable project, then the whole process should be considered, not just to the point of purchase or install, because end of life plays its part too. We work with a network of likeminded fabricators who are pivotal to capturing any waste or offcuts that can be reused and given new life – and that’s what led us to set up Material Rescue."

Tell us more about Material Rescue

"We take back samples, packaging, offcuts, damaged/unwanted and used material. We started this technically back in 2020 with a large project that was made but couldn’t go ahead, since then a few others have cropped up where either a design has changed before the material has been used to its full potential, or a retail shop couldn’t stay open in the existing venue, or the yield of a sheet doesn’t work with the teapoints in a hotel design, or people have been prototyping and don’t need the material anymore.

The reasons are varied but in our initial year of take back we’ve reclaimed around 7 tonnes of material.

"People can get in touch to let us know what they’ve got and we arrange the logistics to get it back, where we sort it, clean it up and give it new life. In the “worst case” we keep it to be recycled into new material. We recently added these pieces to our online shop so designer/makers creating smaller objects or prototyping signage, build details and model scales can purchase reused material.

"But we’re really just getting started, long term this will be a huge part of not just our projects and surfaces but the wider design/build community – from strip out to refurb, to keep materials valuable forever."

Is this something most clients are receptive to?

"For the most part the changemakers and practices focused on sustainability certainly are. On a broader scale a lot of people still associate recycled with cheap – when really it’s the opposite. If recycled, used or bio based material wasn’t so intensive we would have a lot less virgin material, but it’s about a shift in perspective – looking at the inherent value and making better moves to keep it intact.

"We’ve seen this most with fellow Certified B Corps or trend forecasters and social enterprises, but it’s definitely coming up more and more as individuals are invested in reducing their own impact."

Who predominantly are your clients? And in which sectors?

"Architects and designers, mainly working on projects from retail, office, to furniture and homeware manufacturers or skateparks/local authorities and public installations. As before, the fabrication side is key to realising the initial quality of install and keeping offcuts or excess material in circulation so specialist joinery companies or design and build as well."

Can you talk us through some of the projects Surface Matter is contributing to currently?

"From a Material Rescue standpoint we’re working with a large bank chain, an athletic brand and some hotels where they’re designing in circularity from the start. A few major tech companies are really putting the focus on sustainability in their finishes and material choices. We see a lot of consumer brands heavily investing more in sustainable choices for their offices or stores knowing their customers are conscious of this too."

You’ve recently become a partner at Material Source Studio Manchester - how’s it been so far?

"Excellent. We’ve had our eye on Material Source from the start and really love what you do. It’s an incredibly inspiring space without the feel of being sponsored or branded which allows people to make informed decisions away from any sort of sales pressure which is incredibly important to us and to sustainability. It’s also a really nice way for us to connect with creatives based further north who don’t often travel to London or Rye."

What’s next for Surface Matter?

"In the last year we’ve undertaken a lot of big projects including adding a lot of benefits for our team, becoming B Corp Certified, getting our carbon footprint verified by a third party, rebranding to better reflect how we’ve evolved over the past 10 years, a new website, new materials and updates to our studio and warehouse… not to mention joining Material Source and launching Material Rescue!

"We’re really looking forward to boosting the efforts of these initiatives and expanding the scope, and are also currently looking at verified offsetting projects to become Carbon Neutral."

Surface Matter is a partner at Material Source Studio Manchester, where you can visit the brand's dedicated POD all year round to view and take away samples. Click here to see what's on offer when you visit. And sign up to attend the upcoming Material session on 2 October here.

If you're visiting LDF this week, you can catch Surface Matter at:

• Material session: 17 Sep - 16.00-17.00, with nibbles from local companies

• Late Sip + Stroll: 17 Sep - 18.00 till late, trail from Surface Matter through Shoreditch Design Triangle, finishing at the SDT after party at The Looking Glass Cocktail Club

• Lunch + Learn session: 18 Sep - 13.00-14.00, with salads from Palm Greens

• Brunch session: 19 Sep - 10.00-11.00, with Forna pastries + Pickle House Bloody Marys

• Create Change Sip + Paint event: 19 Sep 18.30-20.30, bringing an evening of creativity, inclusion, talks around the circular economy and networking. Attendees will also get to paint on reclaimed materials from Surface Matter’s Material Rescue. There'll be talks from special guests, light bites and refreshments.

Sign up here