Mater was founded in Copenhagen in 2006 with sustainability and circularity central to its approach. Alongside timber and established craft, the brand develops furniture using technologies intended to turn waste streams into new materials.
What does Mater make?
The collection includes chairs, stools, tables, lighting and outdoor furniture. Some pieces focus on familiar natural materials; others use the brand’s newer waste-based composites. The exact specification matters because different versions of a design may have different material stories.
Begin with the furniture requirement and then compare the material options available for that exact design. Choosing solely from the headline material story can lead to the wrong seat height, footprint or maintenance routine; the object still has to work well in the room.
What is Matek?
Matek is Mater’s name for a material technology that combines waste fibres with recycled or other binding materials. Inputs and properties vary by product and generation, so check the current product declaration rather than treating Matek as a single fixed composition.
How should sustainability claims be assessed?
Look for specific information: material percentages, certification, repair or take-back provisions and the scope of each claim. A brand-wide ambition does not mean every product has the same credentials. Product-level evidence is the useful basis for comparison.
Check the date and market of supporting documents too. A previous version, prototype or press statement may not describe the product currently supplied in the UK. Where a claim matters to the purchase, keep the relevant declaration with the order record.
How do you choose Mater seating?
Start with seat height, comfort and location. Counter and bar stools must match the worktop; dining and lounge chairs support different postures. Then compare surface, frame, indoor or outdoor rating and care.
For stools, measure to the underside of the counter and check the footrest position. For dining chairs, allow the complete width around the table. Recycled or natural material content does not remove the need to test comfort and verify commercial or outdoor suitability where relevant.
What should you expect from recycled materials?
Colour and texture can show variation, depending on the composition and process. This is not necessarily a fault. View samples or detailed images where possible and follow the stated cleaning guidance.
Variation is easiest to accept when it is understood before ordering. Ask whether a sample represents the likely range or only one point within it, and avoid household polishes or abrasive products unless the care guide explicitly permits them.
Can Mater furniture be used outdoors?
Only products specifically approved for outdoor use should be placed outside. Check guidance on weather exposure, covers, drainage, cleaning and winter storage for the exact model.
Where should you start with Mater at kin.?
For dining, compare the Eternity Side Chair, Nestor Chair and Børge Mogensen Conscious Chair as chairs first. Look at seat height, back support, width around the table and the way each frame meets the floor. Their material and design histories are relevant, but they do not make the chairs interchangeable.
For an outdoor setting, the Ocean Outdoor Chair belongs to a wider family of tables, chairs and benches, making it easier to plan a coherent arrangement. Confirm the exact material composition and care for each piece, then plan drainage, exposure and winter storage. For a counter, Mater’s High and Low Stools must be selected by working height before finish. Across the collection, the sound sequence is use, dimensions, material evidence and then colour.
Choosing Mater at kin.
Choose the furniture for its practical fit, then examine the product-level material information. Clear, specific claims are more useful than assumptions based on the brand alone.
Explore furniture shaped by material innovation. Find Mater within our dining chairs and outdoor furniture, or browse the full brand collection.
