Skip to content 
Reading time: 10 minutes
Did you know that 50% of global CO2 emissions come from making materials? Also, 90% of biodiversity loss is due to resource extraction. By 2025, making materials sustainably will be key for businesses and a must for consumers everywhere.
It is not just a matter of what we use. It’s a matter of how we get it, make it, and recycle it. So let’s investigate what makes material sustainable and see innovative ideas shaping our world.
Table of Contents
Understanding the True Sustainability of Materials
How does one material become sustainable? Being natural or being recyclable is not sufficient. Actual sustainability involves meeting a few significant criteria:
- Renewable sourcing: Materials that regrow quickly, like bamboo, which regrows 30 times quicker than regular wood
- Low embodied energy: The less energy needed to extract and process, the better. Hempcrete, for example, needs 60% less energy than concrete
- Non-toxic lifecycle: Sustainable materials should not release hazardous chemicals from manufacturing to disposal
- Circularity potential: Can the material be recycled, reused, or safely biodegraded?
Common Myths About Material Sustainability
Before we enter the innovation space, let’s clear up some common myths:
- “Natural = Sustainable”: Cotton, which is regular, requires 20,000 liters of water per kilogram to make. That’s hardly sustainable, even though it’s natural.
- “Recyclable = Recycled”: Although we have recycling symbols everywhere, only 9% of all plastic has actually been recycled.
- “Biodegradable = Good for Environment”: Good for Environment”: Many “biodegradable” goods will only break down in some industrial setting. They’re not as green as we think.
Lifecycle Assessment: Comparing Sustainable Materials
To truly understand the sustainability of materials, we need systematic evaluation methods. Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) provides this framework.
Methodology Overview
LCA examines environmental impacts across a material’s entire existence:
- Cradle-to-grave: From resource extraction to disposal
- Cradle-to-cradle: Closed-loop systems where “waste” becomes input for new products
- Key metrics: Carbon footprint, water usage, toxicity, land use, and energy consumption
According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 14040/14044), a proper LCA considers everything from mining raw resources to end-of-life scenarios.
Real-World Application: Interface Carpets
Interface Carpets shows how Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) boosts business. They studied their materials to create floors that take CO2 out of the air. This effort, called Climate Take Back™, shows that being green can also be profitable.
2025’s Breakthrough Sustainable Materials
This year has seen big steps forward in using sustainable materials across many fields:
Mycelium Composites
Fungal networks, or mycelium, are changing how we package and build. IKEA is now using mycelium for their furniture. Ecovative’s MycoComposite™ is a building material that’s as good as traditional ones but has 90% less carbon footprint.
Algae-Based Plastics
Algix is turning bad algae into useful bioplastics. Their Bloom foam cleans waterways and makes eco-friendly shoe soles and yoga mats.
Lab-Grown Minerals
Boston Metal is making steel without coal or carbon emissions. This is a big deal since traditional steel making is a big source of global emissions.
Self-Healing Materials
Concrete with bacteria can fix cracks on its own. These bacteria start working when they get wet, making limestone to fill in cracks.
Industry-Specific Sustainable Material Solutions
Different sectors require tailored sustainable material approaches:
Construction & Architecture
TThe construction industry is embracing material sustainability with such technologies as:
- Cross-laminated timber (CLT): Produces 75% less CO2 emissions than concrete with carbon sequestered for extended durations
- Hempcrete: Sequesters more carbon than it does emissions in manufacturing
- Recycled steel: Requires 75% less energy than manufacturing from virgin steel
Fashion & Textiles
The fashion industry—historically one of the worst polluters—is transforming through:
- Colorifix: Uses DNA-based dyes reducing chemical use by 90%
- Circ: Employs chemical recycling to separate and reuse polyester-cotton blends
- QMilk: Creates biodegradable fiber from milk protein waste
Packaging Solutions
With single-use plastics increasingly banned worldwide, alternatives are thriving:
- Notpla: Created seaweed-based edible packaging used at marathons and food delivery
- Mushroom Packaging: Offers home-compostable alternative to styrofoam
- Stone paper: Made from mining waste with no trees or water required
Challenges in Sustainable Material Adoption
Despite promising innovations, several challenges persist:
Cost vs. Scale Issues
Sustainable materials often cost more at first. Mycelium leather, for example, is twice as expensive as traditional leather. But, prices usually go down as production grows.
Policies like carbon taxes and subsidies can help speed up this decrease.
Hidden Trade-offs
Some materials seem green but have hidden downsides:
- Bamboo cloth requires chemical treatment, even though bamboo grows green.
- Most bioplastics require industrial composting, which is difficult for consumers to obtain.
- Electric car batteries employ rare earth elements, which are environmentally destructive.
Certification Confusion
Eco-labels are everywhere, causing confusion for consumers. Here are some important ones to know:
- GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard): For truly organic textiles
- Cradle to Cradle: Products made for a circular economy
- FSC (Forest Stewardship Council): Responsibly sourced wood products
How to Drive Change in Material Sustainability
For Consumers
You can make a difference by choosing wisely:
- Use apps like Good On You to check how fashion brands use materials
- Choose products with modular designs, like Fairphone’s fixable electronics
- Support companies that are open about their supply chains and use material passports
For Businesses
Companies can lead the way by:
- Using Material Passports to track materials for recycling
- Working with startups that create new, green materials, like CarbiCrete
- Starting take-back programs for old products
For Policymakers
Good policies help use sustainable materials by:
- Creating Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws for product management at the end
- Banning harmful substances like PFAS (“forever chemicals”) in making materials
- Offering money for research and development of green materials
The Future: 2025-2030 Material Sustainability Trends
AI-Driven Material Discovery
Google’s DeepMind and similar AI systems are predicting new sustainable composites. They do this by analyzing molecular structures. This is making discovery timelines go from decades to months.
EU Ecodesign Regulation
The EU’s upcoming regulations will make all products recyclable and durable by 2026. This will force global supply chains to change.
3D Printing with Bio-Waste
Waste streams like rice husks, coffee grounds, and citrus peels are becoming 3D printing filaments. This is turning waste into valuable building materials.
Conclusion: Making Sustainable Material Choices
Today, material sustainability is no longer a choice—it’s a requirement for businesses to innovate and save our planet. We need to look at material production, use, and recycling. By doing so, we can change the way we make and use them.
It can be challenging to find the most sustainable alternative. But by having the appropriate tools and know-how, you can make a good decision. This benefits your business as well as the environment.
References and Useful Resources
- Material Economics: The Circular Economy
- Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Materials & Circular Economy
- International Organization for Standardization: ISO 14040
- World Green Building Council: Bringing Embodied Carbon Upfront
Frequently Asked Questions
What is recycled and what is recyclable material?
Recycled material is material that is taken from used-up material. But recyclable materials are the types that can be remade new again. However, we only recycle 9-12% of those materials worldwide. For real sustainability, choose products that can be easily disassembled and reused.
How do I actually shop for genuinely sustainable material?
Seek third-party certification like Cradle to Cradle, FSC, or GOTS. These tell us a product is actually eco-friendly. The best products also provide information on where they are produced, how, and what ultimately happens to them after they are spent.
Must natural materials be more sustainable than synthetics?
No, not really. Some natural products, like ordinary cotton, require a great deal of water to make. Meanwhile, some man-made fibers are made to be recycled. It’s not just about being natural—it’s about the cycle of making and using.
Take Action Today
- Subscribe to our Newsletter – Receive expert tips, case studies, and exclusive content on sustainable technology and green materials
