ReCinder | Surface Design Awards 2026
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We are delighted to share that ReCinder has been shortlisted for the Surface Design Awards 2026 – Emerging Talent category.
ReCinder represents a fundamental shift in ceramic making, and we are excited to see this work recognised by a wider audience. What began as a concept has developed into an ongoing production system that addresses one of today’s major waste challenges – ceramic waste.
There is a reason why vitrified (fired) ceramics are rarely recycled - it is technically complex and labour-intensive process. ReCinder confronts this challenge, demonstrating that fired ceramic waste - long considered unrecyclable can be the base of material innovation and considered production.
ReCinder journey has been shaped by months of research, testing, setbacks, breakthroughs and persistence. Today, we are reaching out to you - the community that believes design can be a vital tool in building a less extractive and more environmentally responsible economy - to help us realise ReCinder’s creative potential. Please support ReCinder by casting your vote here: Emerging Talent Awards
Surface Design Awards 2026
The Surface Design Awards celebrate emerging talent and innovation shaping the future of the industry. The Emerging Talent Award will be presented on 4 February 2026 at 6:00 pm at the Business Design Centre. If you would like to attend in person, free registration is available here: Surface Design Show Registration
Your ticket includes access to the Awards Evening - we would love to see you there.
ReCinder is a material developed to address ceramic waste at scale, transforming a traditionally unrecyclable material into a viable, high-performance resource. Below are some of the key characteristics that set ReCinder apart.
Design Originality and Innovation
ReCinder is a radically original ceramic material that reimagines waste as a valuable resource. It is made from post-consumer fired ceramics and waste ash - materials traditionally considered unrecyclable within the ceramics industry. The project addresses the longstanding challenge of reprocessing vitrified ceramics, a problem many have attempted to solve without success.
ReCinder is also capable of translucency - an extremely rare quality in recycled ceramics, opening new aesthetic and functional possibilities for lighting, tiles, furniture, and tableware.
Sustainability and Lifecycle Impact
ReCinder rethinks the ceramic lifecycle from extraction to disposal. By eliminating the need for quarried virgin clay and diverting ceramic waste from landfill, it offers a practical response to one of the industry’s most overlooked waste streams.
Designed with waste rather than for it, ReCinder demonstrates that sustainable design can be both functional and refined, presenting a regenerative model for future ceramic production.
Technical Performance
ReCinder delivers reliable and consistent technical performance while meeting the functional demands of contemporary ceramic products. Developed through extensive material research and testing, ReCinder achieves high structural integrity and longevity.
Its application across both lighting and tableware - two categories with very different performance requirements demonstrates its versatility. ReCinder products are heat-resistant, water-safe, food-safe, and suitable for everyday use, including dishwasher and microwave compatibility.
Craftsmanship and Materiality
ReCinder brings together material intelligence and craftsmanship. While the material research developed by Rosemary Napper is environmentally groundbreaking, it also requires a reinvention of traditional ceramic techniques. Producing a seemingly simple object, such as a plate with curved edges, demands a high level of skill when working with waste-derived materials.
ReCinder also incorporates a custom glaze made from industrial by-products. Achieving a refined, faultless surface required extensive testing - an especially challenging process when working with reclaimed materials.
Market Relevance and User Benefit
The ceramics industry generates millions of tonnes of non-recyclable waste each year and remains highly energy intensive. ReCinder challenges this unsustainable model by transforming fired ceramic waste into durable, refined, and desirable products.
Beyond aesthetics, ReCinder offers a lower-energy, closed-loop solution aligned with both consumer values and industry needs. As ceramics remain essential to everyday life - from domestic tableware and hospitality to architectural and lighting applications, ReCinder presents a credible way forward without compromise.
Your support truly matters, so we would be grateful if you could cast your vote for a design innovation aiming to challenge and reshape the ceramics industry. And if you are visiting the show, please do come and see us - we would love to meet you and continue the conversation.
The Home of Sustainable Things
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