Melbourne Design Week is now in its ninth year, continuing to grow in scale and ambition. I was lucky enough to attend the inaugural event as editor of Australian Design Review — and it’s remarkable to see the shift since then. This year, a surge of shows explores bio-materiality, waste and reuse with new urgency. Here are 10 exhibitions worth adding to your list.
Bio(me): Reimagining Biomaterials and Waste
This group exhibition explores the intersection of art, design and material innovation, with a focus on environmental responsibility.
Featuring works made from mycelium, kelp, food waste and other organic or salvaged matter, Bio(me) invites reflection on permanence, decay and regenerative design. Expect to see a cross-section of emerging creatives push material experimentation, and an open dialogue about sustainability in practice.
Biolab: Biomaterial Workshop by Spiraro
Led by Melbourne-based designer Spiraro, this hands-on workshop invites participants to explore the tactile world of biomaterials. Working with seaweed, food waste and bacterial leather, attendees will craft their own material samples and gain skills for ongoing experimentation. The session includes materials, guidance and refreshments.
Note, this is a ticketed event. More here
Once Again Presents OA1
This debut showcase from new brand Once Again features a modular sofa made entirely from recycled materials. With components crafted from ocean-bound plastic, recycled textiles and discarded plastic, the OA1 collection demonstrates how waste can be transformed into functional, scalable design.
From Waste to Worth
Presented by After and the Circular Design Collective, this exhibition showcases fashion, furniture and objects made from textile waste.
Highlighting Australia’s growing circular design movement, the works repurpose recovered materials to question value, permanence and resourcefulness. Some pieces will also be available for sale.
Designing for Circularity: 5-Part Methodology
Hosted by UNEND and BOOM ROOM, this fast-paced workshop teaches a five-stage method for embedding circularity into design. Participants will prototype with discarded materials and present their outcomes for feedback. The session focuses on practical strategies to rethink waste at the design stage.
Note, this is a ticketed event. More here
OFF-CUT by Proxima Furniture
This sculptural installation by Proxima Furniture showcases a series of seating pieces created from leftover materials, prototypes and off-cuts. Paired with botanical installations, each piece reveals the raw process behind furniture-making – celebrating material honesty and the beauty of imperfection.
By/Product: Oxide by Locki Humphrey
Presented as part of Craft’s By/Product series, Oxide is a solo exhibition by designer Locki Humphrey exploring bio-leather made from the byproduct of prickly pear fruit harvesting.
This invasive species becomes a material resource, transformed into sustainable leather alternatives through low-impact processes. The resulting furniture and objects are designed for disassembly, repair and reuse – reflecting Locki’s commitment to circular design and minimal intervention.
Fungi, Body, Living Things
Blending sculpture, installation and augmented reality, this immersive experience captures the interconnections between fungi, the human body and surrounding microbes and mycelium.
Created by a team of artists and designers, the project considers how ecological and digital systems intersect in multi-sensory ways.
Furniture Unrestrained: The Debut of ESCULTURA
Melbourne-based design studios Nitsou x Mo and Bishop Master Finishes launch ESCULTURA, a regenerative furniture range made with hemp core and lime-based coatings. Sculptural yet durable, the pieces blend craft with performance, offering a fresh approach to sustainable living.
Responsive Materiality
This forum hosted by Slow Clay Centre features three ceramicists – Claire Ellis, Colin Hopkins and Steph Wallace – whose work engages with sustainability through reuse and local materials. Moderated by Amelia Black, the discussion centres on ceramics as a tool for environmental storytelling.
