Matek™ by Mater: Turning Waste into Timeless Design
Through years of research and testing, Mater invented Matek™
At Mater, they have developed a unique material that enables them to craft furniture from waste by combining fibre with a binder. Fibre sources include by-products such as coffee bean shells, extracted during the roasting process, and sawdust from wood production. Over the years, Mater have developed innovative techniques and technologies to refine the binders used in Matek™. What began with a plastic-based binder has evolved into the use of recycled plastic from e-waste, and most recently, a biodegradable plastic derived from sugarcane.
Their Matek™ technology allows them to capture carbon within their designs by transforming waste into timeless, high-quality furniture. By utilising post-consumer and post-industrial waste, sourced through collaborations with large-scale partners, Mater creates new materials from existing resources, reducing reliance on virgin materials and advancing circular design.
Nine unique Matek™ material blends
Matek™ offers an unprecedented unique tactility and materiality with features that resemble timeless materials like stone, terrazzo, or even marble.The material is water-repellent and highly durable, at Mater, they consider it as a material in line with wood, stone, plastic, or any other raw material.
Mater are continuously exploring and testing new materials to use with their Matek™ technology. Currently, they operate with five blends, consisting of a mix of fibre and plastic waste materials, along with four newly introduced blends made with biodegradable plastic as the binder material.
Biodegradable Sand
Biodegradable plastic mixed with coffee shell waste
Biodegradable Terracotta
Biodegradable plastic mixed with wood waste
Biodegradable Earth Grey
Biodegradable plastic mixed with coffee shell waste
Biodegradable Light Green
Biodegradable plastic mixed with wood waste
Coffee Waste Green
Post-consumer e-waste mixed with coffee shell waste
Coffee Waste Black
Post-consumer e-waste mixed with coffee shell waste
Coffee Waste Light
Post-consumer e-waste mixed with coffee shell waste
Wood Waste
Post-consumer e-waste mixed with wood waste
Coffee Waste Dark
Post-consumer e-waste mixed with coffee shell waste
Biodegradable Matek™ - All natural materials that can eventually return to nature
Testing and fine-tuning technology has in 2024 enabled Mater to integrate biodegradable plastic as a binder material in their Matek™ production.
Biodegradable plastic is made using renewable resources, Mater uses sugarcane as the key ingredient. The extracted juice forms the base of the biodegradable plastic, while the dried leaves are used as fuel to heat and ferment the mixture, ensuring the entire plant is put to use. Sugarcane is a rapidly renewable resource that thrives in warm climates. It absorbs carbon dioxide while growing and can be harvested 1-2 times a year without the need for artificial irrigation. At the end of its life, this version of Matek will break down similarly to solid wood in natural environments.
The biodegradable Matek™ variant has the same exceptional qualities as other Matek™ variants - it is a highly durable and water-repellent material.
Recycling electronic waste into Matek™
Electronic waste, also known as e-waste, is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. Due to our consumption habits, large volumes end up in landfills each year.
However, properly collected and sorted plastic parts from electronic equipment such as computers, household appliances, displays, refrigerators, etc., can be recycled, helping conserve natural resources and reduce environmental pollution.
In 2023, Mater shifted their Matek production to primarily using e-waste as the binder material.
Designed for disassembly
Furniture made from Matek™ is designed for disassembly, allowing each component to be easily separated, replaced, or reordered as spare parts when needed.
Any Matek material that cannot be repaired can be collected by Cultivated and returned to Mater for recycling into new production. Cultivated also facilitates repairs and refurbishment to help extend the life of each product.
A continuous journey toward sustainable furniture production
Sustainability is at the heart of Mater’s work. Their sustainability report shares how they integrate responsible practices into every aspect of their business, from product development to production.
The report highlights Mater’s Communication on Progress for the UN Global Compact, reflecting efforts to reduce environmental impact, improve social conditions, and refine workflows. It’s both a reflection on achievements and a guide for ongoing improvement, showing how sustainability drives innovation across all collections.
Read Mater's Sustainability Report >
Extending the life of design with Cultivated
Cultivated champions the longevity of quality design, keeping products within a circular system where items can be repaired, recovered, or refurbished as needed. By supporting a circular economy, Cultivated helps reduce environmental impact and conserve resources.
Once a product reaches its apparent end of life, it is refurbished by local craftspeople who apply the same skill and knowledge as the original makers to bring the design back to life. When a piece can no longer be revived, Cultivated responsibly disassembles it into raw materials, allowing these to be reused and transformed into something new.
Matek™ Products: Timeless Design with a Conscience
The Matek™ innovation is brought to life through a range of beautifully crafted, functional designs that blend responsible production with timeless aesthetics.
Earth Stool
The Earth Stool continues Mater’s legacy of rethinking materials. Crafted from recycled industrial waste mixed with coffee shells, it delivers minimalist beauty and durability in a simple, versatile form - perfect for kitchens, bars, and collaborative workspaces.
Bowl Table
Crafted from Matek®, the Bowl Table, Waste Edition has been designed for disassembly, allowing each component to be recycled in its purest form and re-enter production cycles. It is available in three versions and features a base with 20% upcycled steel legs.
Alder Collection
The Alder Collection by Patricia Urquiola is Mater’s first range made from biodegradable Matek™, designed to eventually return to nature. Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, it showcases sustainable innovation with versatile design.
Conscious Chair
Designed with sustainability at its core, the Conscious Chair exemplifies the purpose of Matek™ - transforming waste into sculptural, everyday design. Combining e-waste and coffee shell fibres, its elegant, stackable form makes it ideal for both residential and commercial spaces.
Eternity Collection
The Eternity Collection explores soft, organic shapes made possible by Matek™’s moulding capabilities. Featuring dining and lounge chairs with ergonomic curves and refined detailing, the collection embodies Mater’s pursuit of long-lasting, circular design.
Compound Collection
The Compound Collection by OEO Studio combines refined design with sustainable innovation. Featuring a frame made from 20% recycled steel and seats crafted in Matek®, the collection includes a lounge chair, dining chair, and stools.
Terra Portable Lamp
The Terra Portable Lamp by OEO Studio is crafted from Matek™, Mater’s innovative waste-based material. Its minimalist and precise design is elevated by the unique tactility of Matek™, giving the lamp a distinctive and contemporary expression.
Explore the full Mater Matek™ collection at Cult Design, where responsible innovation meets enduring style.
Discover the future of sustainable design with Mater’s Matek™ collection - innovative furniture crafted from waste, available now at Cult Design.
