Introduction
We at Cirque Furniture, like all businesses, are always looking for new ways to implement sustainability within our projects. As companies look more closely at the environmental impact of their spaces, manufacturers are being challenged to think beyond traditional materials and explore new ways of making furniture that is practical, beautiful and responsible.
In a previous blog, we looked at how sustainable materials are being used within the furniture manufacturing process, from recycled plastics and responsibly sourced wood to cork, bamboo, wool and ocean plastics. These materials continue to play an important role in reducing waste and lowering environmental impact.
Across the furniture and interiors industry, a new generation of materials is beginning to emerge. These are materials made from orange peel, cactus fibres, mushrooms, seaweed, textile waste and fast-growing plants. Some are already being used in workplace furniture, while others are opening up exciting possibilities for the future of upholstery, acoustic panels, tabletops, seating and office pods.
We have taken the time to highlight what we think are the top six sustainable workplace materials to know in 2026.
1. Mycelium
Mycelium is one of the most exciting materials currently being explored within sustainable interiors. It is the root-like structure of fungi, and when grown under the right conditions, it can be used to create lightweight, natural and highly functional materials.
A strong example of this in practice comes from Mogu, whose acoustic panels are made from fungal mycelium and upcycled textile residues. The panels are designed for acoustic comfort in noisy spaces, including offices, restaurants and retail environments.
This makes mycelium particularly relevant to workplace design. Modern offices are increasingly open, flexible and collaborative, and so acoustics play a major role. Instead of relying only on synthetic acoustic products, mycelium offers a material that is grown rather than manufactured in the traditional sense.
It is also a brilliant example of circular thinking – a concept that we love at Cirque. Waste materials can be used as part of the growing process, while the finished product brings a softer, more organic quality into the workplace.
For designers, specifiers and businesses looking to create warmer, healthier and more sustainable offices, mycelium is certainly one to watch.
2. Hemp and Flax Biocomposites
Hemp and flax are fast-growing plant fibres that are increasingly being used to create biocomposite materials for furniture and interiors.
A workplace example using this is VANK, which uses a biocomposite based on renewable fibrous plants such as flax and hemp. According to VANK, this material is used across desks, shelving units, acoustic panels, office pods and mobile walls.
This is what makes hemp and flax biocomposites so interesting. They are not only suitable for small accessories or experimental pieces, but for full workplace systems. Desks, pods, storage, walls and panels can all play a role in shaping a lower-impact office.
The use of plant fibres also helps reduce reliance on more resource-heavy materials. Hemp and flax grow quickly, absorb carbon during their growth phase, and can be used to create strong, versatile surfaces for commercial environments.
As more workplaces look to combine sustainability with modularity and flexibility, plant-based biocomposites could become a much more common part of the office landscape.
3. Orange Peel Leather Alternatives
Sancal and Ohoskin Wrinkled Link Seating System
One of the most eye-catching material developments comes from Ohoskin, an Italian bio-based alternative to animal leather made using orange and cactus by-products, combined with bio-based and recycled polymers.
For workplace interiors, this type of material is particularly exciting because it speaks to both sustainability and finish. Leather has long been associated with premium furniture, executive seating and high-end hospitality-style interiors. Ohoskin offers a way to achieve a refined look while exploring a more responsible alternative.
The collaboration between Sancal and Ohoskin on the Wrinkled version of the Link seating system is a great example using this. Ohoskin describes the material as combining organic fibres with recycled biopolymers, with durability and traceability supported by blockchain technology.
This is a brilliant example of how waste from one industry can become a premium material for another. Orange and cactus by-products, which might otherwise be overlooked, are transformed into something with commercial, aesthetic and environmental value.
In workplace design, materials like this could be used for upholstery, feature seating, wrapped panels, desk accessories and hospitality-inspired breakout areas.
4. Seaweed-Based Foam
Foam is one of the hidden materials of the furniture industry. It sits inside sofas, chairs, cushions and upholstered pieces, but it is often made from petrochemical-based polyurethane.
Agoprene is working on a seaweed-based alternative. The company describes its material as sustainable seaweed foam, while its shop states that the Ago collection is made with seaweed and can serve as a replacement for fossil fuel-based polyurethane.
This makes it especially relevant for the workplace furniture industry. Seating is a major part of office specification, from lounge areas and breakout furniture to meeting rooms and reception spaces. If the internal materials of seating can become more sustainable, the overall environmental impact of upholstered furniture could be reduced significantly.
It also highlights an important point. Sustainable design is not only about the materials we can see. It is also about what lies beneath the surface.
Seaweed-based foam feels like an early-stage but highly promising material direction. As more businesses ask for transparency around product content, alternatives to traditional foam could become increasingly important.
5. Recycled Cork
Cork is not a new material, but its relevance to sustainable workplace design is stronger than ever.
It is renewable, tactile, lightweight and naturally warm. It also has useful acoustic qualities, making it particularly suited to contemporary workplace environments where comfort, wellbeing and noise control are all important.
A great example is the Bob Stool by Modus Furniture. The stool is made from recycled cork, crafted from waste produced during wine bottle cork manufacture. Modus also notes that Bob is produced using 100% recycled cork and a solvent-free binder.
For workplace interiors, cork offers a number of benefits. It works well for informal seating, stools, accessories, acoustic surfaces and breakout areas. It has a softness that helps make offices feel more human and less corporate, while still offering strong environmental credentials.
Although cork has been used for many years, products like Bob show how traditional natural materials can be reimagined for modern workplaces.
Sometimes, the most sustainable innovations are not about inventing something entirely new. They are about finding better, smarter and more thoughtful ways to use materials we already know.
6. Recycled PET Felt
BAUX Acoustic Felt Recycled PET
Recycled PET felt has become one of the most relevant sustainable materials in modern workplace interiors, particularly when it comes to acoustics.
Made using recycled plastic, often from PET bottles and packaging waste, this material can be transformed into soft, tactile panels, screens, baffles and room dividers. In the workplace, these products help reduce noise, improve comfort and create more focused environments, all while giving waste plastic a new purpose.
A strong example is BAUX Acoustic Felt Recycled PET, which is used to create acoustic panels, desk dividers and room screens for office environments. BAUX also notes that the recycled PET used in their Acoustic Felt is GRS certified, helping to ensure a more controlled and verified supply chain.
This makes recycled PET felt especially useful for workplace design, where acoustic performance is now a key part of creating healthier, more productive spaces. Open-plan offices, breakout zones, meeting rooms and collaboration areas all benefit from softer materials that can help absorb sound and reduce echo.
It is also a good example of sustainability becoming part of the visible design language of a space. Unlike some materials that are hidden inside a product, recycled PET felt is often on show, bringing colour, texture and warmth into the workplace.
As companies continue to look for ways to reduce waste and improve the day-to-day experience of their teams, recycled PET felt feels like a highly practical material for the modern office.
Final Thoughts
The future of workplace design will not be shaped by one single material, there are many new and exciting options working its way into the conversation of sustainability.
Rather than asking only what a product looks like, designers, manufacturers and businesses are increasingly asking where it comes from, how it is made, what happens at the end of its life and whether it can help reduce waste.
From mycelium acoustic panels and hemp-based office pods to orange peel leather alternatives and recycled cork stools, these materials show how sustainability can become part of the design story itself.
They also prove that sustainable choices do not have to feel like a compromise. In many cases, they offer richer textures, more interesting stories and a stronger connection between the workplace and the natural world.
As we move through 2026, these are the materials worth knowing, watching and specifying.
Get in touch with us today at info@cirquefurniture.com to discuss about bringing these exciting new sustainable materials into your workplace.
