Milan Design Week 2023
Covestro shows the wonder of materials research in the 'Wonder Matter(s)' exhibition
The company presents three special installations based on the inherent properties of plastics
Making the impossible possible, creating a forest in the heart of Milan, housing an unforgettable memory: these and many other wonders will be staged by Covestro, one of the world's leading manufacturers of polymer materials and raw materials used in them, during the Wonder Matter(s) exhibition as part of Milan Design Week 2023.
The exhibition will be hosted at Superstudio Più by Materially, a consultancy firm that helps companies develop and spread innovation and sustainability based on materials. Wonder Matter(s) aims to explore wonder through a sensory, exploratory and narrative journey, while deepening the qualities of materials with competence, rationality and concreteness.
The Impossible
In the playground designed by Materially, the centerpiece of Wonder Matter(s), Covestro will present "The Impossible" installation dedicated to Arfinio®. This revolutionary material is the result of a new technology that combines high-performance liquid polymers and unique minerals with reaction-based injection molding. It is a lightweight and durable solid surface material that allows complex projects to be completed easily and quickly in a single operation, and can be easily repaired and recycled.
Arfinio® combines the advantages of aliphatic polyurethane chemistry with those of reaction injection molding and solid surfaces: a combination that was considered unfeasible for decades, but is now a reality thanks to Covestro and its partner Arcesso Dynamics, resulting in Wonder Matter(s). The exhibition shows in practical terms what it means today to invent and give shape to something that did not exist before: The Impossible.
Unexpected Green Forest
Unexpected Green Forest is the name of Covestro’s exhibition dedicated to the unique polycarbonates manufactured with renewable raw materials. This material surprisingly creates a real forest within Wonder Matter(S) in which the plastic proves to be circular, recyclable and durable. It is Makrolon® RE, a renewable polycarbonate made with raw materials derived from organic waste rather than fossil fuels. Thanks to this origin and its inherent properties, the plastic supports sustainability goals and offers enormous creative possibilities in terms of color, shape and decoration, allowing the creation of monomaterial or modular, reusable and long-lasting objects and projects.
A Selfie Garden
Selfie Garden, the playful installation by Covestro and its thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), offers a memorable backdrop for a souvenir photo. TPU from Covestro has a broad performance spectrum, which includes a high level of flexibility over а wide array of temperatures. It also covers an extensive structural range, from hard and rigid, to soft and elastic, making it an excellent material for single-material design. Its high degree of adaptability and multiple application opportunities are the inspiration for this imaginary garden – ideal for framing a lasting memory at Milan Design Week.
About Covestro:
Covestro is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality polymer materials and their components. With its innovative products, processes and methods, the company helps enhance sustainability and the quality of life in many areas. Covestro supplies customers around the world in key industries such as mobility, building and living, as well as the electrical and electronics sector. In addition, polymers from Covestro are also used in sectors such as sports and leisure, cosmetics and health, as well as in the chemical industry itself.
The company is committed to becoming fully circular and is striving to become climate neutral by 2035 (scope 1 and 2). Covestro generated sales of EUR 18 billion in fiscal 2022. At the end of 2022, the company had 50 production sites worldwide and employed approximately 18,000 people (calculated as full-time equivalents).
Forward-looking statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.