Fostering a Sustainable Future in NYC
Transforming Local Waste into New Materials
New York City is emerging as a thriving hub for climate technology, investing in infrastructure for decarbonization efforts and positioning itself at the forefront of future-focused innovation.
Our goal is to model replicable, regenerative solutions to systems change by harnessing collaborative partnerships, promoting local businesses, creating green jobs, and practicing sustainable manufacturing in NYC’s developing “Harbor of the Future”.
EXHIBIT
NYCEDC’s MADE Bush Terminal
September 18 - October 25, 2025
Circular Design for Climate Mobilization (CDCMo) is a 6-week exhibit showcasing artful objects and furnishings made from organic and recycled materials.
Our aim is to introduce these award-winning brands to designers, architects, property professionals and consumers to educate them about these concepts, and to test market interest.
Through weekly programming, we engage visitors to join our creative exploration for climate action and share ideas for meeting and overcoming innovation and ecosystem challenges.
Partners
Exhibitors
Finland 🇫🇮 orange peels and Pine Needles
USA 🇺🇸 discarded textiles
CRCL.EARTH is a venture by Elise McMahon of LikeMindedObjects, creating pillows and cushions from “shoddy”, recycled shredded denim or mixed fabrics, replacing conventional foams. Frustrated by toxic foam off‑gassing and textile waste, Elise launched CRCL.EARTH to repurpose U.S. garment discards into clean, healthy stuffing and cotton‑denim covers. Her work fuses playful and functional with a joyful aesthetic to spark curiosity and creative reuse.
Sweden 🇸🇪 bioplastic and oyster shells
Interesting Times Gang was co-founded by Sean Barrett and Alexander Westerlund to “Make things better.” and “Make better things.” Their work blends recycled materials and biomaterials—like oyster shells, fishing nets, and biocomposites—to create furniture and spaces that feel organically integrated with nature. As ITG says, “Design is the art of solving problems with craft. Art is designed to evoke emotion.” ITG aspires to do both through biophilic design.
Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 agricultural by-products and food waste
Materia Madura, founded by Ana Cristina Quiñones, specializes in transforming local waste into high-quality, functional products for commercial, residential, and institutional spaces. From table tops and bar surfaces to tiles and design objects, Materia Madura materials combine agricultural by-products and food waste with non-toxic binder to form a durable, cohesive mixture designed for strength, surface refinement, and dimensional stability.
USA 🇺🇸 mycelium
MushLume Lighting is a Brooklyn-based studio founded by Danielle Trofe. MushLume lampshades are grown using a hemp substrate inoculated with mushroom mycelium. Within days, the fungi binds the hemp into a sturdy yet lightweight form, which is then dried and heat-treated to create a 100% biodegradable, fire-resistant, indoor lamp. The process uses minimal energy and water, sequesters carbon, and adds nutrients back to soil at end of life—bridging nature, design, and sustainability.
Spain 🇪🇸 olive pits
Silvana Catazine and Josean Vilar founded Naifactory Lab to research biomaterials for their own design projects and to reduce waste from events. Naifactory's materials are created primarily from upcycled olive pits to make biodegradable furniture, toys, art pieces, and decorative objects, as well as lighting, signage, POS, visual merchandising, and window displays. They also have their own retail store in Barcelona.
Turkey 🇹🇷 egg and nut shells
Turning agricultural waste into high-performance, low-carbon materials for the built environment, transportation, and consumer goods, OTTAN helps architects, manufacturers, and retailers meet their sustainability goals. Founded by Ayşe Yılmaz, OTTAN set out to transform organic waste, like grass, food waste and agricultural byproducts into materials that replace surfaces made from wood, stone, ceramic, and glass. OTTAN has expanded from Turkey to the UK.
USA 🇺🇸 municipal biosolids
Bioforcetech is transforming sewage wastewater into carbon-negative solutions. The company converts biosolids into OurCarbon, a sustainable biochar used in concrete mixes, inks, and other materials. Their process also absorbs PFAS, or "forever chemicals," to undetectable levels. As the first and only biosolids pyrolysis in North America, Bioforcetech is at the forefront of municipal waste management and sustainable material development and a current finalist in the Natural Carbon Solutions Innovation Challenge by NYSERDA.
USA 🇺🇸 Socio-ecological Design
Terreform ONE (ONE stands for Open Network Ecology) is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit urban-design think tank. They pioneer “design against extinction”, creating living, ecologically integrated structures. Their transdisciplinary lab explores biotech architecture, urban farming, waste recycling, and mobility, aiming to reimagine resilient cities and restore biodiversity.
Sponsors
MADE Bush Terminal, managed by NYCEDC, is an ambitious urban redevelopment project in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, transforming a historic 36-acre waterfront property into a modern, mixed-use hub for local producers, fabricators, and creatives. The project's core mission is to foster economic growth through local job creation, community engagement, and sustainable development while preserving the area's rich industrial heritage.
IKEA is best known for its affordable, flat-pack furniture and minimalist, Scandinavian design, however they are also advancing towards aggressive 2030 People & Planet Positive goals by utilizing renewable or recycled materials and designing for disassembly and adaptability. They have partnered with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to develop industry-wide circular standards for eco-friendly design.
ABOUT
Purpose
CDCMo is a social venture building capacity for design-driven businesses — to regenerate, protect, and strengthen our common future.
Utilizing organic and/or nontoxic waste for making new materials diverts waste from landfill, reduces CO2 and methane emissions, conserves oil and water, and avoids plastic degradation and chemical pollution.
Team
Liana Scobie is a VP at TerraCycle, where she manages corporate functions including finance, HR, administration and fundraising. She began her career at a startup investment fund for sustainable housing projects in developing country cities and The Capital Institute, a think tank for regenerative economies.
CDCMo is part of Circular Design Co, a multidisciplinary collective developing materials and products with end-to-end life cycle solutions.
CONTACT
Get in touch
Please reach out with any questions, appointment requests, and partnership or media inquiries
Event Calendar
Visit Us
MADE Bush Terminal
Building A, Suite 200
Brooklyn NY 11232
September 18 - October 25, 2025
10 AM - 6 PM Thursdays
10 AM - 6 PM Saturdays
Other availability by appointment
Get in touch!