Ethics

We care about using resources responsibly in our designs, as well as the quality of the materials we use, their durability, the timelessness of the pieces and the conditions in which they are manufactured. We care about the people we work with by implementing or motivating sustainable business principles within the production chain, as well as demanding that our rapidly growing base of committed production partners are properly certified. We care because within every one of the millions of products we use to improve our lives, there are associated environmental, ethical and social consequences. We want to inspire consumer behaviour and engage people in sustainable thinking, making design matter and reducing our ethical footprint.

 

Corporate Social Responsability 

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The majority of the Mater collection is labeled and manufactured in FSCTM certified wood. FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council and is an international, recognised non-profit organisation. In an FSC-certified forest no more trees than the forest can reproduce is felled, so the exploitation of nature is avoided. In addition, FSC guarantee that flora and fauna are protected and that the people who work in the forest are guaranteed education, safety and a fair pay. Read more at www.fsc.org


The UN Global Compact
Corporate sustainability starts with a company’s value system and a principled approach to doing business. This means operating in ways that, at a minimum, meet fundamental responsibilities in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Responsible businesses enact the same values and principles wherever they have a presence, and know that good practices in one area do not offset harm in another. By incorporating the Global Compact principles into strategies, policies and procedures, and establishing a culture of integrity, companies are not only upholding their basic responsibilities to people and planet, but also setting the stage for long-term success.

See our UN Global Compact Communication on Progress
Download our UN Global Compact Communication 2017 Report


Upcycling
At Mater we see opportunities in waste and scrap materials to recycle, reuse and create new and durable products. The aluminium products are sand-casted of partially recycled, aluminum scrap, like old car components and bicycle wheel.
The Mater Bowl Table is made of the fast-growing mango fruit tree that is felled when the tree stops to bear fruit, and a new tree planted. The mango tree is replanted every 7-15 years, which continues a sustainable lifecycle. Mango tree has been regarded as scrap wood only with the fruit of an eye. 
Leather residues from the upholstery of chairs we use for the production of Mater Imago wall hangers.


LED 
To reduce the energy consumption, our environmental impact and achieve the highest energy efficiency as possible, we have chosen to use LED technology in our lighting. LEDs are extremely energy efficient and the positive effects on the environment because of lower energy consumption is large. LED technology also makes it possible to work with heat-tolerant materials in lighting - such as wood and cork - because the LEDs does not emit the same high degree of heat as incandescent bulb.


Pure Materials 
We always strive to use the least environmentally harmful qualities and materials. Together with the most recognised textile supplier in Denmark, Kvadrat, we have selected most genuine, beautiful and eco friendly textiles that fit with Mater’s values and aesthetic. We find beauty in recycled qualities derived from recycled plastic bottles, un-dyed yarns and fabrics labeled with the Ecolabel Flower. The Ecolabel Flower symbolises an awareness of sustainable raw materials, resources, chemicals, quality, design and waste management.
Holistic approach ensures that the environmental impact is not being pushed from one phase to another - and sought requirements that have positive effects in several places in the life cycle. For textiles, the EU Flower among others chemical requirements for color and chemistry, and there are strict limits on the use of parasiticides for wool. The requirements are helping to reduce environmental impact during production and reduce
chemical exposure during the use phase.

Cork
The Luiz Lamp is carefully constructed from cork from responsible managed cork oak forests in Portugal, both protecting cork production as well as preserving the local biodiversity in the forests.


Leather
All the leather types at Sørensen Leather comply with EU regulations, which impose the strictest requirements in the industry for every aspect of the production process.