Why Materials Matter looks at natural and man-made materials and the future of sustainability

Why Materials Matter by Ma-tt-er is a visually stunning investigation of natural and man-made materials that hopes to "change the way we look at the world around us", while offering hope for the future of our planet.

The book asks the questions, what does it mean to live in a material world, and how do materials of the past and present hold the keys to our future? And provides answers by focusing on various issues that human beings face and by discussing potential materials-related solutions.

Through the lens of intriguing projects by designers, artists, makers, and scientists, it presents a colourful panoply of ideas, technologies, and creative efforts that focus on the earth’s most basic elements, while also showing how these elements can be transformed into entirely new materials.

It explores, for example, how ancient practices such as dyeing fabric and making glue may hold the secret to renewable and earth-friendly consumer products, as well as how recycling plastics can tackle food waste, and how a type of light metal being developed may one day make air travel less fuel-reliant.

The book also investigates the potential of the digital experience, suggesting how this most ephemeral type of matter can be used to improve our world. Eye-catching and provocative, Why Materials Matter serves as both a stimulating catalogue of possibilities and a timely manifesto on how to consume, manufacture, and design for a better future.

Join Ma-tt-er in celebrating the launch of its newly published book Why Materials Matter (Prestel Publishing) during this year’s Brompton Design District, as part of London Design Festival.

"Our book presents a colourful panoply of ideas, technologies, and creative efforts that focus on the earth's most basic elements, while also showing how these elements can be transformed into entirely new materials, through the lens of intriguing projects by designers, artists, makers, and scientists," says Seetal Solanki, Founder and Director of Ma-tt-er.

"Furniture, objects and a series of one-of-a-kind bookends by those who have been featured in the publication captivate the space, which looks towards a future of responsibly designed environments. Just as the book supports the material, the material bookends support the book."

The book and the associated bookends will be on sale throughout the duration of London Design Festival. Find out more: www.ma-tt-er.org.