Material Matters Copenhagen returns to 3daysofdesign with a typically eclectic and ambitious programme. Nineteen exhibitors from across the globe will gather at Ukraine House, Gammel Dok (10–12 June), united by a profound interest in materials and process.
Together they span wood, glass, textiles, waste, bacteria, concrete, mycelium, rise husks, and paper, to name just a few, with each company committed to the importance of material intelligence and its ability to make the world a slightly better place.
‘This year we have drawn together makers, manufacturers and researchers from Hong Kong to Slovakia, from the UK to Ukraine, all united by a fascination with what materials can do — and what they should no longer be asked to do. We are thrilled to be back,’ say Material Matters co-founders Grant Gibson and William Knight.
Returning Favourites
The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) presents Wood for the Trees – an immersive exhibition created by AHEC, Mitre & Mondays, and Benchmark tracing the journey of hardwood timber from forest to finished product. It will transform its 140sqm space into an abstract woodland, guiding visitors through five stages – Growth, Planning, Selection, Resilience and Timber. Visitors are invited not just to observe but to engage, through tactility and audio-visual storytelling – to encounter timber and the forests it comes from, in physical, spatial and sensory ways.
Aifunghi, the Dutch studio founded by Marije and Bart Schilder, continues its innovative investigation into mycelium-based composite as a material for furniture and lighting by presenting new designs, Vito Boox and Elisa Ubert, as well as extensions to the Banet and Bolete collections.
Swedish design outfit Jo Andersson Studios creates expressive hand-blown glass objects. The practice launches Drippy, a sculptural lighting collection combining hand-blown glass with solid wooden bases. The pieces are captured at the exact moment molten glass begins to move and drip, creating a contrast between the fluidity of glass and the warmth of natural wood.
Materials Matters London partners debuting at Material Matters Copenhagen 2026
Smile Materials (formerly Smile Plastics) showcases a reimagined workstation inspired by Will Atkins (Make Relief) and a new furniture collection, featuring its iconic core materials, alongside maximalist materials from the made-to-order range.
The Only Natural Awards, which promotes the use of natural fibres in design across fashion, furniture and interiors, presents award-winning designs from its 2024/25 International Student Competition that illustrate the remarkable versatility of nature-based materials – from wool and leather to cherry wood, bamboo and traditional Urushi lacquer.
London-based design studio PriestmanGoode presents Route to Zero, which envisions future sustainable travel experiences. The showcase will include Material Mind, an interactive materials research database.
New Names, New Materials: this year’s edition introduces a compelling wave of newcomers.
Beyond Rational unveils Finnish brand Aisti®’s acoustic ceiling tiles made from renewable Nordic wood fibre, water and air using foam-forming technology. The new product is designed to meet the needs of architects, contractors and developers by combining performance, material efficiency and scalability for healthier, lower-carbon circular building solutions.
Birdmind (Spain) transforms rice husk waste into high-performance, sustainable solutions designed for applications from interiors and furniture to contract and hospitality projects. On display will be Rice Tab and Rice Tab Plus (made with mussel shells), boasting a multitude of qualities and finishes.
Fair venue host, Ukraine House in Denmark, presents Form In The Making. Curated by Anait Danielian and Larysa Tsybina, the showcase will feature eight Ukrainian manufacturers and seeks to explore the relationship between industry, craft and functional art.
Crafting Plastics! x Studio LoopLoop explores the future of sensible, circular matter through biomaterials, plant-based colouring methods and low-impact production. Together, the studios present material-led product design as a tool for regenerative systems, responsible manufacturing and meaningful sensory experience.
Malai Biomaterials (India) creates bio-culturally rooted materials from bacterial cellulose grown on coconut processing waste. It works with local craft communities to make material offerings for fashion and products that investigate care, repair, and circularity.
Pit-To-Table (Cyprus) presents Pit-Board, an innovative bio-composite material transforming discarded olive pits into sustainable interior solutions, developed through collaboration with local farmers.
Danish design studio Bundle Studio shows its ongoing investigation into bio-based adhesives through two lounge chair prototypes using Lignin-based adhesive NeoLigno (by Stora Enso). Meanwhile, ReCraft Studio (Denmark) works with demolition materials and production offcuts, transforming them into architectural elements and spatial interventions.
Rero Glass’s material of choice is recycled glass. It shows pieces exploring the limits of the material and the importance of circularity.
UK bathroom brand Kast showcases a selection of its concrete, sculptural basins, including highlights from its signature ranges and three new colours debuting this year.
Kateha (Sweden) celebrates 270 years of heritage, presenting the natural materials and timeless techniques used to create rugs which both look beautiful and are made to last.
Drop Paper (Denmark) is a light, non-woven paper material, primarily
used for events, trade fairs, exhibitions, and indoor architectural solutions.
The material is known for its characteristic fibrous appearance, high dimensional stability, and its ability to interact visually with light.
Hong Kong furniture maker CHICHOIMAO fashions handcrafted wooden products and small-sized furniture with traditional joinery techniques, tailored for modern lifestyles. Presenting ranges KIN and MEI, and unveiling new pieces, the collections celebrate the beauty of wood and craftsmanship.