Healthy Materials at Scale: HML at High Point Market 2024

Parsons Healthy Materials Lab (HML) had a memorable exhibition at High Point Market, the largest global home furnishings trade show. The event brought together over 70,000 attendees, including designers, architects, manufacturers, suppliers and industry leaders. At HML, our mission is to transform the way materials are produced, sourced, designed, and implemented for healthier environments—and High Point Market was an excellent platform to advance this vision in the mainstream design industry.

Hosted in the beautifully restored 313 Space, a 20th-century mill, our exhibition featured a curated selection of healthier, climate-positive materials. From mineral-based paints by Keim to sustainable wood flooring by mafi and innovative flax and castor bean oil flooring by Duracryl , we demonstrated that these materials are not only healthier and durable but also beautiful and market-ready.

The installation included:

• Keim’s Mineral Paints: stunning, plastic-free finishes that are durable and versatile
• Duracryl’s resilient flooring: combines the renewable ingredients of linoleum (like vegetable oil, cork, and wood powder) with the seamlessness of pourable floors, and their terrazzo flooring is free of ortho-phthalates, chlorine, and solvents and does not require harsh chemicals during installation
• Mafi’s wood flooring: does not use adhesives, avoids formaldehyde, and is finished with natural penetrating oils that do not contain harmful solvents or pollute indoor air
• Cisco’s Furniture: is crafted with solid wood and natural materials for cushioning, setting a new standard for sustainable home furnishings
• Hempitecture’s Hemp Fiber Batts: are a healthier, plant-based alternative to petroleum-based upholstery foam, designed for multiple applications
• Loose Parts circular furniture: made with reclaimed wood that is designed to be disassembled 
• and many more

Each material tells a story of possibility, inspiring visitors to rethink what they choose to design for people and the planet.

We showed the original plant and mineral that is the ingredient source for the healthy products there. Our exhibition acted both as a palette of healthy products that can be implemented now, and an exhibition that sparked the curiosity, and imagination of designers and manufacturers to try healthy materials in their future works. 

Throughout the week, we engaged with designers, manufacturers, and press to highlight how the accessibility of healthier materials and the many advantages of choosing them over their petrochemical counterparts. 

• Durability and Beauty: Many were surprised to learn that healthy materials like recycled wool rugs, linoleum, and linseed oil finishes are widely available 
• Scalability: Healthy, regenerative materials are no longer a vision for the future—they’re ready to be implemented now.
• Collaborative Momentum: Conversations with organizations like the ASID, home furnishings influencers and suppliers for manufacturers and affirmed the growing interest in healthier design practices.

Amongst some of our memorable discussions were with manufacturers about transitioning to source finishes from minerals and conversations with furniture makers exploring plant-based alternatives to toxic lacquers - more specifically using linseed oil based finishes on their mass produced furniture instead of polyurethane or nitrocellulose lacquers.

These interactions underscore the power of partnerships in scaling healthier practices across the industry.

It was impactful to see how eager attendees were to learn about integrating healthy materials into their designs. Starting small—choosing better flooring or paint—can avoid occupant exposure to significant health hazards, creating ripple effects for healthier communities.

The exhibition would not have been possible without our hosts at 313 Space and our manufacturer partners , including Duracryl, Keim, mafi, Hempitecture, Loose Parts, nanimarquina, Stickbulb, Cisco home, Mushlume Lighting, and Schwung Antiques. Their commitment to healthier materials and strategies helped make our vision a reality at High Point Market. 

Our experience at High Point Market demonstrated that the design industry is at a tipping point. Healthier materials are not just representative of a niche interest—they are rapidly gaining traction among designers and manufacturers committed to creating better environments for people and the planet, who recognize this as the way forward.

We left the event inspired by the enthusiasm and curiosity of those who visited our showroom, and we look forward to seeing how the seeds planted at High Point will grow into healthier, sustainable design practices across the industry.

Thank you to our partners and all who joined us at High Point Market, and thanks to our team members Stan Walden, Luam Melake and Jonsara Ruth who were there in person spreading the healthier word.