Material Matters, celebrates its second year in Copenhagen at 3daysofdesign 2026 with its most ambitious and diverse content to date. Nineteen exhibitors from across the globe will gather at Ukraine House, Gammel Dok (10–12 June) celebrating the full spectrum of material intelligence in design and architecture. 

Continuing its journey of providing visitors with the rigorous, material-led conversation that the fair has made its own, exhibitors spanning furniture, glass, textiles, acoustics, concrete, risk husks, paper and beyond will occupy both floors of the venue, each sharing the conviction that material choices made are aesthetic, ethical, ecological and genuinely transformative. 

‘The design world is hungry for a serious platform dedicated to material intelligence,’ say Material Matters co-founders Grant Gibson and William Knight. ‘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.’

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 the space into an abstract woodland, guiding visitors through five stages – Growth, Planning, Selection, Resilience and Timber. Through tactility and audio-visual storytelling, visitors are invited not just to observe but to engage – to encounter timber and the forests it comes from, in physical, spatial and sensory ways.

Aifungi, the Dutch studio founded by Marije and Bart Schilder continues its innovative investigation into mycelium-based composite as a material for furniture and lighting, demonstrating that the future of making can be grown rather than manufactured, presenting  new designs Vito Boox and Elisa Ubert plus extensions to the Banet and Bolette collections. 

Swedish design studio Jo Andersson Studios creates expressive hand-blown glass objects. Launching Drippy – a sculptural lighting collection combining hand-blown glass with solid wooden bases. Creating a contrast between the fluidity of glass and the warmth of natural wood, the pieces are captured at the exact moment molten glass begins to move and drip. 

Materials Matters London partners debuting at Material Matters Copenhagen 2026. 

Smile Materials (formerly Smile Plastics) will showcase a reimagined workstation inspired by Will Atkins (Make Relief) and new furniture collection, featuring their iconic core materials alongside maximalist materials from the made-to-order range. 

The Only Natural Awards, promoting the use of natural fibres in design across fashion, furniture and interiors presents award-winning designs from its 2024/25 International Student, showcasing the remarkable versatility of nature-based materials – from wool and leather to cherry wood, bamboo and traditional Urushi lacquer. 

New Names, New Materials – this year’s edition introduces a compelling wave of newcomers. 

Beyond Rational unveil Finish brand Aisti®’s acoustic ceiling tiles made from renewable Nordic wood fibre, water and air using foam-forming technology. Designed to meet the needs of architects, contractors and developers combining performance, material efficiency and scalability for healthier, lower-carbon and more circular building solutions.

Spanish brand Birdmind transforms rice-husk waste into high-performance, sustainable solutions designed for real applications—from interiors and furniture to contract and hospitality projects. On display will be Rice Tab and Rice Tab Plus (made with mussel shell) boasting a multitude of qualities and finishes.

The Ukrainian Design Showcase, hosted at the fair’s own venue, Ukraine House, presents work from Ukrainian designers and makers as an act of cultural continuity as much as creative statement. 

Interdisciplinary studio Crafting Plastics work with biopolymer materials connecting design, science and emerging technology with traditional craft.

South Indian studio Malai, creates bio-culturally rooted materials from bacterial cellulose grown on coconut processing waste. Working with local craft communities to make material offerings for fashion and products they question care, repair, and circularity. 

Cypriot studio Pit-to-Table 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 works with natural fibre composites and biobased adhesives. They will present their ongoing investigation into biobased adhesives through two lounge chair prototypes using Lignin-based adhesive NeoLigno (by Stora Enso), celebrating the unique qualities of this adhesive. 

Also from Denmark, ReCraft Studio works with demolition materials and production offcuts transforming them into architectural elements and spatial interventions. Their works are in the form of revealed and transformed surfaces allowing new architectural uses to emerge while continuing the story embedded in the material itself.

From Belgium, Rero Glass, a public glass studio works solely in recycled glass and salvaged equipment and will present works exploring the material, giving objects a second life in the spirit of the circular economy.

UK bathroom brand Kast, producing architecturally led concrete basins, will showcase a selection of its sculptural, statement basins, including highlights from its signature ranges and three new colours debuting this year. 

Swedish rug producer Kateha celebrates 270 years of heritage presenting the natural materials and timeless techniques used to create rugs with both design and durability legacy. 

Danish paper specialists Drop Paper present this creative and paper technical material of the same name, that intersects design, functionality, and safety; non-woven and with fibrous appearance, high stability, and an interesting spatial light interaction. 

Hong Kong furniture maker CHICHOIMAO produces 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. 

Multidisciplinary London based design studio Priestman Goode presents ‘Route to Zero’ sustainability framework, which through prompting early stakeholder discussions around reducing, reusing and rethinking, envision future sustainable travel experiences. The showcase will be ‘Material Minds’ – an interactive materials research database. 

DETAILS 

Dates | 10–12 June 2026

Opening time | 10:00 to 18:00

Press Preview | Tuesday 9 June, 17:00–18:30 | Invite to press preview 

Late night | Wednesday 10 June 17:00 – 20:00

Location: Ukraine House in Denmark, Gammel Dok, Strandgade 27B, 1401 København

Free to attend | No registration required

www.materialmatters.design/copenhagen-fair