We are proud to present 'Waste Dream' - a circular design exhibition in partnership with Mater that explores how waste can be made into furniture. On show from 18 - 24 May at Cult Melbourne in conjunction with Melbourne Design Week 2023, with smaller exhibitions at Cult Sydney and Cult Brisbane over the same period too. Read on for exhibition details, book a guided tour and discover Mater's 'Conscious Collection' of furniture made from waste using groundbreaking green-tech processes. 

YOU'RE INVITED. Discover how waste can be made into furniture

For Melbourne Design Week 2023, we are proud to present ‘Waste Dream’ in partnership with Mater – the Danish design company who are revolutionising circular furniture design by using green-tech processes to transform waste such as coffee bean shells, sawdust and plastic beer kegs into beautiful and sustainable furniture.

On show from 18-24 May in a garage space adjoining the Cult Melbourne showroom, this sustainability exhibition explores how different waste streams from industrial production by companies such as Carlsberg and Grohe can become new materials in the furniture industry. Smaller exhibitions will also be on show at Cult Sydney and Cult Brisbane over the same period.

This sustainability exhibition explores how different waste streams from industrial production by companies such as Carlsberg can become new materials in the furniture industry.

Exhibition visitors can immerse themselves in 70m2 of circular waste installations and discover the design and production behind Mater’s ‘Conscious Collection’ - a series of innovative products by Børge Mogensen, Space Copenhagen, Eva Harlou and Nanna Ditzel. 

Each product in Mater’s ‘Conscious Collection’ is made with Matek® - a revolutionary suite of new materials developed by Mater that takes fibrous waste material, such as coffee bean shells, fishing nets, sawdust and beer kegs, and up-cycles it into a unique composite material that can be press-moulded to create new furniture. The result is an extremely malleable material with a texture very similar to stone or marble.

Exhibition visitors can discover the green-tech production behind the Mater 02 Ocean chair - a design icon by Nanna Ditzel reimagined using Carlsberg beer kegs that would otherwise have been discarded by the brewer. 

Exhibition Details & Guided Tours.

Location

The ‘Waste Dream’ exhibition is located in a garage space adjoining the Cult Melbourne Showroom - visitors can enter via 137 Berkeley Street, Carlton 3053. Smaller versions of this exhibition will also be on show at Cult Sydney and Cult Brisbane over the same period.

Opening Hours

On show from 18 - 24 May, 2023.

Monday - Friday | 8:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday | 10am - 4pm
Sunday | Closed

Guided Tours

Cult will host five exclusive guided sessions of the ‘Waste Dream’ exhibition in Melbourne, led by Ole Bjerg from Mater. Sessions last for approximately 30 minutes and are bookable via Eventbrite. 

Matek® by Mater. Upcycling industrial waste

“Mater means ‘mother’ in Latin. The name is the daily reminder of our small contribution to preventing the challenges ‘mother earth’ faces.

Design influences how we as humans live our lives; it shapes values, culture and society. Unfortunately, we are increasingly aware that the choices made during design processes often have environmental consequences.

However, as a manufacturer, we have the opportunity to rethink dubious practices and create ethical and sustainable design that minimises adverse social and environmental impacts.”

- Henrik Marstrand, Mater founder

Since the brand launched in 2006, Mater’s mission has been to search for and develop more sustainable production methods. After years of research and testing Mater has invented Matek® - a patented technology that allows them to mix up-cycled fibre-based waste materials, such as sawdust ad coffee bean shells, with different kinds of plastic waste. This up-cycled unique composite material can be press-moulded to create new furniture - as seen in with Mater’s ‘Conscious Collection'. 

Driven by a circular-economic approach to production, Matek® is designed to be reprocessed again and again and subsequently Mater have introduced a take-back scheme for their products; anything made from Matek® can be recycled and made into new furniture up to five times.

Ocean Collection by Jørgen and Nanna Ditzel

A design icon reimagined – the Ocean collection was first designedin 1955 in wood. Mater continues the Ditzel’s pioneering spirit by producing the Ocean collection from ocean waste plastic. Just one Ocean Chair makes use of 960g of plastic waste, saving up to 82% of CO2 emissions compared to virgin equivalents. In collaboration with Carlsberg, Mater have now also expanded the Ocean collection in a green finish, crafted from beer kegs that would otherwise have been discarded by the brewer.

Conscious Chair by Børge Mogensen and Esben Klint

The Conscious chair was originally created by Børge Mogensen and Esben Klint in 1958 for use in Danish schools. Now, Mater reintroduces this classic design using Matek. The result is a seat shell that is constructed from approximately 70% recycled plastic, 24% coffee shells and 6% recycled fibreglass.

Bowl Table Waste Edition by Ayush Kasliwal

Available in three variants: Wood Waste, Light Coffee Waste and Dark Coffee Waste. The two Coffee Waste editions are made from discarded industrial plastic waste mixed with the shells of coffee beans and the Wood Waste edition is a mixture of industrial plastic waste, sawdust and wooden fibres from the production of furniture.

Earth Stool by Eva Harlou

Available in Dark Coffee Waste Dark and Light Coffee Waste - the seat is made from coffee bean shells from the BKI Kaffee roasting process mixed with recycled industrial plastic waste from GROHE. Durable for both private and public use.

Eternity Collection by Space Copenhagen

Once again, Mater teamed up with BKI Kaffee and GROHE to source their waste materials, turning discarded coffee beans and waste plastic into a beautiful material with a mesmerising texture. This collection includes a range of seating and stools.

Founded in Copenhagen in 2006, Mater is a pioneering global brand with sustainability at its core. With a mission to create beautiful design in a responsible way, Mater has rethought tradi- tional design and production processes to help minimise their environmental impact. With every new furniture collection, they innovate with new materials and emphasise circular production whilst never comprising on high-quality and timeless design aesthetics.