Material Collection
Animal
Humans aren't the only creatures that can make building materials. The products in this collection are made using materials produced by animals. With their natural performance properties, these products can offer alternatives to many toxic additives.
Animal
8 products
About Our Collections
The goal of our collections is to help promote transparency in the material ingredients of building products by fostering knowledge and awareness of products and materials for which life-cycle information is available, and that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life-cycle impacts.
Keep an eye out for the following symbols:
A Healthier Affordable Building Product
Products with the designation of "Healthier & Affordable" were specified and installed in at least one of our Case Studies of healthier affordable housing.
Available at the Donghia healthier Materials Library
The Donghia healthier Materials Library library is open to Parsons student and faculty. Learn more about access and opening hours here.
Low Embodied Carbon
“Embodied Carbon” is the total amount of carbon emitted during the process of making a material. *HML refers to a manufacturer's EPD to determine whether a product's A1-A3 carbon emissions falls within HML's threshold for Low Embodied Carbon.
New Product
This product has been added to the collection within the past six months.
Ingredient Disclosures
There are several ways of evaluating a material’s health that we include with product information. Disclosures are reports by manufacturers about product ingredients, impacts, or other attributes.
Key Disclosures include:
Health Product Declaration (HPD)
A voluntary technical specification for reporting information on product contents and associated health information, intended to be the health-analogue to Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).
Declare Label
Declare is a transparency platform and product database that answers three questions:
1. Where does a product come from?
2. What is it made of?
3. Where does it go at the end of its life?
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
A standardized format for communicating the environmental effects associated with a product’s raw materials extraction, energy use, chemical makeup, waste generation, and emissions to air, soil, and water.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
A reporting format that provides basic information about a material’s chemical ingredients, the potential safety hazards to installers, and recommended practices for installation.
Other
Manufacturer | Product | Ingredient Disclosures | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Fibrous, Cellulosic, & Granular Insulation | Wool | Havelock Wool | Wool Batt Insulation |
Wool Batt InsulationLow-Embodied Carbon MaterialSheep's wool provides a healthy and comfortable choice for insulation. Wool is naturally flame resistant. Additionally, wool's unique structure (a hydrophobic exterior and hydrophilic interior) allows it to absorb up to 35% of its weight in moisture from a room. When used as insulation, this gives wool the unique capacity to manage both humidity and temperature. Batt insulation requires the material to hold its shape. Traditional batts are held together with chemical additives. Havelock Wool's uses needle punching to hold their product together, avoiding toxic chemicals. Per Havelock's EPD, this product meets HML's criteria for low embodied carbon. Havelock's wool insulation are produced in Reno, NV, making its application most impactful on projects in western United States. *Note: Havelock's Loose Fill Insulation has R values of 4.3 and also meets HML's criteria for low embodied carbon. CategoryFibrous, Cellulosic, & Granular Insulation, WoolManufacturerHavelock Wool![]() Material composition*Wool, Boric Acid *as reported by the manufacturer AVAILABLE SIZING15.5" wide rolls, available in 2", 3", and 5.5" thicknesses CERTIFICATIONS & DISCLOSURES
Health Product Declaration (HPD)
Declare Label
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Other
Last UpdatedFebruary 27, 2018 |
Textile | Fur | Cortadoria | Rabbit Hatters Fur |
Rabbit Hatters FurAvailable At the Donghia Materials LibraryCortadoria, a company based in Portugal, uses the surplus from the rabbit meat industry to source their super-soft rabbit fur. Their Rabbit Hatters Fur is Cradle to Cradle Gold Certified. The product is chemical-free, avoiding certain harmful additives that are traditionally used to wash and degrease fur. Because the material is diverted from landfills, and because of the minimal energy required to process rabbit skins, Cortadoria’s Rabbit Hatters Fur provides a sustainable alternative to traditional furs and hatting materials. Note: The C2C certification has expired and will not be recertified. The manufacturer confirms that, however, the Cradle to Cradle vision remains the inspiration and guidance of the company. CategoryTextile, FurManufacturerCortadoria![]() Material composition*Rabbit Fur *NOTE: Potential additives to the rabbit fur are unknown. The product is Cradle to Cradle certified." *as reported by the manufacturer CERTIFICATIONS & DISCLOSURES
Health Product Declaration (HPD)
Declare Label
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Other
Cradle to Cradle | Gold
Last UpdatedFebruary 27, 2018 |
Pourables and Aggregates | Propolis | Marléne Huissoud | Honeybee Bio Resin |
Honeybee Bio ResinAvailable At the Donghia Materials LibraryPropolis is a biodegradable resin that honey bees collect from different trees and use as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the beehive. Its color depends of the forests and botanical sources used in the collection by the honey bees. The most common one is brown, but there are plenty of variations in colors and properties. This particular black propolis is from rubber trees. *NOTE: This material is currently sourced from only 500 beehives, yielding only 30-50 kilograms per year. It is thus a very precious and unique material. CategoryPourables and Aggregates, PropolisManufacturerMarléne Huissoud![]() Material composition*The propolis, at its first stage, is a mix of between 50 to 150 different components (wax, balsams, resins, pollen, essential oils…). Refining by boiling in water allows the impurities to leave the propolis and be used as a precious finish on art pieces and furniture. *as reported by the manufacturer CERTIFICATIONS & DISCLOSURES
Health Product Declaration (HPD)
Declare Label
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Other
Last UpdatedApril 06, 2018 |
Textile | Collagen | Modern Meadow | Zoa |
ZoaZoa is the world's first bioleather brand. Collagen, the same protein used in animal leather, is created using DNA-sequence editing forms a network of fibers. The fibrous sheet is then processed into a “hide” that can be tanned and fashioned into various products. CategoryTextile, CollagenManufacturerModern Meadow![]() Material composition*Collagen, proprietary finishes *as reported by the manufacturer COLORSBlack, White, Blue CERTIFICATIONS & DISCLOSURES
Health Product Declaration (HPD)
Declare Label
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Other
Last UpdatedMarch 27, 2018 |
Textile | Yeast | Bolt Threads | Microsilk |
MicrosilkAvailable At the Donghia Materials LibraryBolt Threads' Engineered Silk is biofabricated by mimicking the DNA in Spider Silk. They develop proteins inspired by the DNA (no spiders are actually involved) and put them inside of yeast. The yeast produce silk protein in a liquid form during fermentation—very much like the beer-making process. After some processing, the liquid silk protein can be turned into fiber through wet-spinning, which is the same way fibers like acrylic and rayon are made. CategoryTextile, YeastManufacturerBolt Threads![]() Material composition*Sugar, Water, Salts, Yeast *as reported by the manufacturer AVAILABLE SIZINGN/A CERTIFICATIONS & DISCLOSURES
Health Product Declaration (HPD)
Declare Label
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Other
Last UpdatedApril 10, 2018 |
Woven Carpet Tile | Wool | Tretford | ECO Carpet Tile |
ECO Carpet TileA Healthier Affordable Building ProductAvailable At the Donghia Materials LibraryTretford's ECO carpet tile is made from Cashmere goat hair fibers and a phthalate-free, 100% post-consumer recycled PET backing. The Cashmere fibers naturally filter dust and allergens from the air and are incredibly durable. The tile's unique construction also allows the carpet to be cut in any direction, including circles, without fraying or damage, enabling limitless design opportunities. CategoryWoven Carpet Tile, WoolManufacturerTretford![]() Material composition*Face: Goat Hair 70%, Nylon 15%, Backing: Post-Consumer Recycled PET 50% *as reported by the manufacturer AVAILABLE SIZING19”x 19” Tile COLORSAvailable in a variety of colors CERTIFICATIONS & DISCLOSURES
Health Product Declaration (HPD)
Declare Label
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Other
Additional DocumentsLast UpdatedSeptember 23, 2016 |
Fibrous, Cellulosic, & Granular Insulation | Wool | Black Mountain | Sheep Wool Insulation |
Sheep Wool InsulationBlack Mountain's sheep wool insulation provides an excellent alternative to manmade batt insulation products. The product is designed for use in loft, rafter, internal wall, and inter-floor applications. Because it is a natural material, this wool insulation is completely biodegradable and requires 85% less embodied energy to produce than manmade products. Additionally, wool actively improves indoor air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and toxic gasses such as formaldehyde and is naturally flame retardant. The R-value range is declared as 6.5-49. CategoryFibrous, Cellulosic, & Granular Insulation, WoolManufacturerBlack Mountain![]() Material composition*Sheep Wool 98%, Thorlan IW 1%, Polyproylen-mesh 1% *as reported by the manufacturer AVAILABLE SIZING14.5" and 22.5" wide rolls, available in 3.5" and 5.25" thicknesses CERTIFICATIONS & DISCLOSURES
Health Product Declaration (HPD)
Declare Label
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Other
Last UpdatedJune 05, 2019 |
Textile | Leather | Moore and Giles | Terra Olive Green |
Terra Olive GreenAvailable At the Donghia Materials LibraryMoore & Giles’ Olive Green Leathers are aniline and crafted with wet-green® organic tanning agents. The dye is made from pure olive leaf extract which is a byproduct from olive production where these leave would traditionally be burned. CategoryTextile, LeatherManufacturerMoore and GilesMaterial composition*Collagen ( Animal Skin), Water, Olive Tanning Agent, Carboxilic Acid, Fat Oils, Distillates Heavy, C18-50-Branched Cyclic and Linear PEG-4 Lanolate, Polyoxyethylene Lauryl Ether, Die: (disodium, 5-amino-2-anilinobenzensulfonate, 3-aminobenzensulfonate, (4Z)-3-hydroxy-4- [(2-hydroxy-3.5-dinitrophenyl)hydrazinlidene]cyclohexa-2.5-dien - 1- one, iron, 4-nitroaniline, Hydrotreated Light Distillate, Aqueous Lacquer: Hexylene Glycol, Oleic Acid Diethanolamine *as reported by the manufacturer COLORSavailable in various colors CERTIFICATIONS & DISCLOSURES
Health Product Declaration (HPD)
Declare Label
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Other
Cradle to Cradle | Gold
Additional DocumentsLast UpdatedOctober 12, 2022 |
The products in this collection have all been evaluated holistically for their contents and performance. To be considered, the product must have a primary ingredient (by volume) that is derived or harvested from animals or an animal-derived substance that plays a critical role in the product’s performance or manufacturing avoiding additives harmful to human and planet.
Updated February 27, 2018
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