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The Surface Design Show (SDS) is the event of choice for architects and designers, and a place where the entire design community immerses themselves in the latest and most inspiring materials for the built environment. Held on 4-6 February, 2025, at The Business Design Centre in Islington, London, SDS 2025 will focus on ‘Creative Conscience’, a commitment to sustainable, ethical, and innovative design. SDS is inviting visitors to discover innovative materials, gain new insights and network with like-minded designers, architects, and suppliers.
From Green Grads and the Innovation Gallery, through to CIUK’s Material Library, the 2025 edition of Surface Design Show will have even more features for visitors to discover in 2025. The event will bring together the best in material innovation, with more than 180 companies showcasing thousands of materials. Many of these will be launched at the show, alongside a range of features and collaborations designed to educate and inspire.
Exhibiting at the Surface Design Show 2025 for the first time are the Green Grads, a platform that spotlights recent graduates from UK universities who are confronting the world’s most urgent environmental challenges.
Founder and curator Barbara Chandler, who brings over 25 years of experience as the Design Editor of the London Evening Standard, explains: “Our graduates are tackling sustainability, climate change, circular production, waste and pollution, biophilia, bio-diversity and much more. They include engineers, product and furniture designers, material scientists, ceramicists, textile and graphic designers, craftspeople, artists, and film makers.”
The materials showcased include biomaterials made from woodchips, breadcrumbs and wool, algae-based dyes, an alternative to synthetic and often toxic pigments, and materials made from organic waste such as eggshells and banana peel.
Commercial Interiors UK (CIUK) will be launching its Supplier Finder Material Library at SDS, a curated collection of groundbreaking materials from its members. Visitors to the stand can explore over 100 innovative material samples, which have been designed with commercial interiors in mind, including textiles, wallcoverings, solid surfaces and timber. The interactive displays offer a tactile experience with materials displayed on wire mesh panels with informative tags that provide sustainability credentials and production processes along with information about the brand.
The Innovation Gallery is also making its debut in 2025. The gallery is designed to champion up-and-coming material innovators, and is the place to discover groundbreaking materials and concepts emphasising new companies at the forefront of material innovation. With a strong commitment to fostering small businesses, the Innovation Gallery provides an invaluable platform for independent creators and SMEs to showcase their work on a global stage.
A team from the Journal of Biophilic Design, the publisher and broadcaster of research into the health and environmental benefits of Biophilic Nature-inspired Design, will be present to bring visitors knowledge, inspiration, case studies and ideas on how to design and help businesses reach net zero, how to increase biodiversity, and how biophilic design improves the whole value chain from real estate to employee costs.
For Everyday.Life (FE.L) will showcase ‘Housing Salinas’, a project that was designed in response to community displacement in Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricane Maria. It is the creation of a long-term solution that strives towards a future where residents can live, work, and flourish in an environment that embodies the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility.
The low-cost, 3D-printed housing solution is constructed from mortar-based concrete and combined with the robotic capabilities of construction company, ICON. Jorge Mendez-Caceres, Co-Founder at FEL says: “The Housing Salinas project highlights our commitment to creating a vibrant and sustainable solution that could be measured against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The ambition is to provide more than just houses; there is an aspiration to cultivate a harmonious living environment that prioritises social inclusivity, environmental responsibility, and economic prosperity.”
Other features returning for 2025 include Surface Spotlight, The Stone Tapestry, Furnishing Futures and Mastercharge.
Located right in the heart of the show, Surface Spotlight will once again be presenting a selection of carefully selected surfaces, finishes and materials that embrace the 2025 show theme ‘Creative Conscience’. Curated by material, design and trend expert Sally Angharad, the trends highlighted will be blended, softened, curved and polished. Surface Spotlight is an interactive display that allows visitors to get up close and personal with some of the materials that will be shaping our future.
SDS is proud to announce its continued partnership with Furnishing Futures – an incredible charity founded by interior stylist, writer, and social worker Emily Wheeler. Furnishing Futures focuses on creating beautifully designed, fully furnished healing homes for women and children who have suffered from domestic abuse.
After escaping domestic abuse these individuals often find themselves in social housing without basic amenities, such as flooring or white goods. The charity addresses this critical gap by partnering with the interiors industry to repurpose good quality ex-display items, returns, props, or donated furnishings and designing beautiful safe spaces. Based in Leyton in East London, Furnishing Futures will be present at the show, giving visitors the opportunity to see examples of their work and discuss this important topic in more detail.
Returning for 2025, Mastercharge will provide a recharge point for all exhibitors and visitors to use during the three-day show. As well as being a sponsor for the show, Mastercharge’s recharge point will focus on integrating wireless charging technology into various surfaces without affecting the appearance.
SDS25’s new Main Stage Partner is Procédés Chénel International, a team of creative individuals that help designers with worldwide development, production and distribution of decorative solutions, technologies and materials. Their team will be designing and installing the main stage at the show which will hold the extensive programme of debates, panel talks and insights into the latest material innovations.
The Stone Knowledge Hub is also returning to the 2025 Surface Design Show, with confirmed exhibitors including Albion Stone, Arcturus Stone, Brittanicus Stone, Burlington Stone, Fila Surface Care Products, Stone Cladding Systems and Welsh Slate. The go-to place for architects and designers looking to find inspiration and information for their natural stone projects, the Stone Knowledge Hub plays host to some of the leading names with the UK natural stone sector.
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