Mono-Material

What?

A product that is composed of a single type of material or a product with components that each are made of a single type of material and that can be split apart.

Why?

Mono-materials can ease material re-use and recycling of a product.

Challenges

• There are limited possibilities for re-utilisation due to lack of facilities that process into new high value materials.
• Compromises on for example functionality and quality of the product may be necessary.

Examples

Mono material can be a creative constraint and concept, see for example Pleats Please made in 100% polyester by Issey Miyake (www.isseymiyake.com/en/brands/pleats_please.html).

The chair, Nobody by Komplot Design is produced in 100% polyester fibre mat without any additives or additional materials for assembly or reinforcement (www.komplot.dk/furniture/nobody/3).

Further Reading

• Gwilt (2014). A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion. A&C Black.
• Kappelgaard et al. (2011). Living Lightly – Sustainable Fashion. Design School Kolding, Kolding, pp. 51-63.
• Vezzoli & Manzini (2010). Design for Environmental Sustainability, Chapter 8: Extending the Lifespan of Materials. Springer, pp. 171-180.