8.3 The Technology Issue

Our daily use of technology is seamless in many ways. We're heading in the direction where we not only use a computer to design an object in 3D but can now print out that same object at relatively low cost. Additive Manufacturing is changing the fields of bioengineering, architecture, fashion and product design while creating opportunities for artists as well as hobbyists to make manifest their creative dreams. Read on for the latest in material technological advancements.

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8.2 The Wellness Issue

Health and wellness - two of modern day society's most important and popular topics, are also at the forefront of technological innovation. In this issue of Matter, we investigate the most recent advancements in the industry, from mood improving lamps, to wearable healthcare monitoring systems and pharmaceutical reminders sent to your cell phone. Read on for the full scoop.

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8.1 The Simplicity Issue

A return to simplicity - it's a thought that is on everyone's mind. More modest vacations, less lavish homes, fewer evenings spent dining out - all in an attempt to stretch the dollar as far as it can go. But where does this paring down get us when it comes to designing our built environment and the products we use every day? Matter investigates.

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7.3 The Education Issue

Education has been an important part of our mission since day one. In our latest issue of MATTER, we explore the growing importance of materials education in the design process, from advancements in academia to the rise of design thinking in developing nations.

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7.2 The Performance Issue

Getting an object to function better almost always starts with finding the right materials.  In our latest issue of MATTER, we examine the close relationship between performance, materials and design, from the high-powered supercars of Jason Castriota to the organic, earth-friendly ingredients that go into Aveda-founder Horst Rechelbacher's new line of beauty products.

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7.1 The Design Issue

Spring is here and with it comes our annual Design Issue of MATTER, arriving just in time for the industry's biggest season.  In this edition we take you from past to present and around the world with a preview of what's next in sustainable design, material news from New York to Japan, a stopover in Milan for a peek inside one of the city's most important museusm, and a look back at the groundbreaking exhibition that planted the seed for Material ConneXion.

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6.4 The Travel Issue

A difficult year on so many fronts, 2009 will not be one that most of us will want to look back on.  With 2010 here at last, there's a feeling of relief that the worst is finally over - and now is the time to get away.  With that in mind, we bring you MATTER's Travel Issue.  While the theme may not immediately evoke thoughts of materials, they are, in fact, hard at work to make your travel safer, easier, more efficient and more enjoyable.

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6.3 The Technology Issue

"Technology" - with a capital T - has permeated every aspect of our daily lives, including some areas where we wouldn't normally expect to see it.  In the MATTER 6.3 we look at the technologies and breakthrough innovations that are cropping up in the unlikeliest of places, from our cosmetics and furniture to how we harness energy from the sun.  

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6.2 The Design Issue

"Change" has been a theme over the last year, both in the US and the world at large, and from the galleries of Milan and its annual Salone del Mobile to the halls of ICFF in New York, it's clear that designers have not forgotten the power inherent in change. For MATTER's annual design issue, we examine how designers, in their constant quest to reinterpret and reinvent the tools of everyday life, are changing the way we live and interact with the world around us.

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6.1 The Collasible Issue

Before the current economic crisis, "Innovation" was the buzzword on everyone's lips: now, we need innovation more than ever before.  Design innovations have always been capable of spurring economic development.  In this issue of MATTER, we explore some of the inventive solutions that have been recently developed to make big things little and little things big - basically, to do more with less.

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5.4 The Packaging Issue

Whether traditional, ground-breaking, or recycled, packaging is one of the critical elements of any product strategy, and it is primarily driven by materials. In this issue we look at some novel approaches to packaging design, from the rich history of Japanese packaging to efficient new solutions that reduce packaging waste altogether.

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5.3 The Luxury Issue

The definition of "luxury" speaks to "conditions of abundance or gret ease and comfort." and in real life the term is just as ambiguous.  In this issue we examine what constitutes luxury in today's workd, from the notion of "responsible luxury" to contemporary jewelry design and one of the premiere luxury automobile brands.

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5.2 The Design Issue

Spring is the time when the design world comes out to show off its latest creations.  The salone del Mobile in Milan kicks off the season of shows that span the edge of the globe and attract an equally international audience.  In this issue we look at some of the topics - from rapid prototyping to biodegradable plastics - that keep design fresh.

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5.1 The Sports Issue

Sports are a multi-billion dollar industry, and one of the leading areas for materials development and deployment.  In this issue we speak with the creators of an activewear firm focused on sustainability, look into the factors and technologies invloved with the design stadiums, and much more.

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4.4 The Green Issue

Since day one, we've been at the forefront of sustainable materials research.  To that end, every issue of MATTER has addressed sustainability in some way.  In recognition of our new Cradle to Cradle collaboration with MBDC and EPEA, we decided to dedicate an entire issue of MATTER to sustainability.  From fuel efficient planes to Cradle to Cradle design, we explore the sustainable solutions that are revolutionizing the design world. Read about William McDonough and Michael Braungart's design paradigm for the future, an interview with Yves Behar, and more.

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