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From our Lab and beyond, here is some exciting news about the healthy materials frontier.

137 posts
April 14, 2025

Regenerative and Biogenic: The Essence of Cork

Cork is a breathable, light-weight, buoyant, fire retardant, and carbon negative material which can be used in a variety of material applications. 
March 31, 2025

The Built Environment and Childhood Obesity: Creating Healthier Communities

A summary of the recently published article (2024) that addresses the built environment’s contribution to childhood obesity and public health prevention strategies.  
March 10, 2025

Design with the Ocean: Healthy, Circular, Biobased Materials

As the building and design professionals search for alternatives to petroleum-based products, marine-derived materials—such as eelgrass, algae, and seaweed—are emerging as promising solutions. 
February 24, 2025

From Demolition to Deconstruction: A Path Toward Circularity

Jess Thies
Transitioning from demolition to deconstruction at the end of a building’s use can dramatically reduce waste in our lands enabling the reuse of building materials, furnishings and architectural components, supporting a robust circular economy.  
February 6, 2025

The Healthy Materials Lab Expands to Europe

Announcing the expansion of Healthy Materials Lab to Europe with the establishment of HML EU gGmbH in Wiesbaden, Germany, highlighting its mission to advance healthier design and construction practices through research, collaboration, and transformative projects across the EU.
February 3, 2025

Healthy Materials Lab Presents: Public Talks on Salvaged Materials, Seaweed, and Cork

Join HML this Spring in-person and online to explore salvaged materials and biobased materials - cork, seaweed and hemp - at the forefront of innovation and resilience.
January 9, 2025

Women’s Health and Healthy Homes: Protecting Current & Future Generations

Women are central to the health of their families. This article highlights the critical link between women's health and the well-being of current and future generations, emphasizing the harmful effects of toxic exposures in homes on maternal, women and child health. 
January 3, 2025

Healthy Design Trends and Predictions for 2025

This article explores transformative trends in healthy, sustainable design for 2025, highlighting innovations that prioritize health, equity, and environmental stewardship. We include examples by architects, designers, and manufacturers from around the world implementing these practices today. 
November 27, 2024

Healthy Materials at Scale: HML at High Point Market 2024

At High Point Market 2024, Parsons Healthy Materials Lab showcased alluring, healthy, low-carbon materials that can be used in home furnishings. From hopeful conversations to market products, we shared how regenerative design practices are ready for the mainstream.
November 8, 2024

Plant to Fiber to Linen Yarn: a live Spinning Workshop

Expert Vermont sheperd and weaver, Andrea Myklebust, led an enthusiastic group of New School students through the process of spinning flax into linen yarn.
November 1, 2024

The Story of Flax: on Exhibition

Flax is a plant which provides valuable and vital natural material resources. Open now until November 12th, visitors to the The Regeneration of Flax Exhibition are challenged to  “experiment with different bio-based materials, test their properties, and explore innovative design possibilities”.
October 22, 2024

Taking Healthier Materials to High Point Market

HML is at High Point Market October 23-30, 2024 and hosting the Wellness at Home Panel. Both with products and expert conversations from Duracryl, mafi, Keim, Loose Parts, Hempitecture, MycoWorks and more. 
September 18, 2024

A New Healthy Building Opens its Doors for Children and Music in the West End of Providence, RI

Celebrating the grand opening of the CMW Center, its pioneering use of healthy building materials and CLT to create a sustainable, non-toxic environment for music education and performance.
September 10, 2024

Announcing Fall 2024 Events

Join HML this Fall in-person and online to explore biobased materials from flax and mycelium in our exhibition Regeneration of Flax and subsequent public programming.  
August 15, 2024

Student Explorations in Materials, Fabrication and Reuse

Recent grads from our team share their thesis projects that employ healthy, sustainable thinking.
August 1, 2024

Place-Based Materials: Scaling Flax in North America

Jess Thies
Exploring the regeneration of fiber flax in North America in preparation for our exhibition. 
June 19, 2024

Honoring Juneteenth: Fighting for Environmental Justice in Louisiana’s Cancer Alley

This Juneteenth, we highlight the ongoing struggle for environmental justice in Louisiana's Cancer Alley, where Black communities face severe health risks from toxic chemical exposure and advocate for safer living conditions.
June 10, 2024

Healthy & Biobased Materials in the EU at Munich Creative Business Week

A recap of HML’s participation in this year’s Munich Creative Business Week (MCBW) and EU initiatives in conversation with Leila Behjat, our Director of Materials Ecology.
June 6, 2024

Redefining Sustainable Housing, VT: Installing Local Materials

Innovating sustainable housing solutions in Vermont with Smokey House, HML and Parsons.
May 30, 2024

Chemicals, PFAS, the EPA and the Building Industry

An introduction to chemical policies in the United States, the recent EPA regulations on PFAS and air pollution, and the intersections with the building industry.
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