We had the opportunity to chat with Gayatri Keskar, the VP of Research at Material ConneXion, a company with a 25-year legacy serving as a materials library and consultancy. Keskar shared insights into the company's evolution, the seamless integration of physical and digital elements, and the rigorous material selection criteria. Notable additions to the library were discussed, focusing on the emotional qualities of materials and the importance of Material Driven Design. Our conversation also touched upon sustainability, collaboration with diverse clients, and the ongoing revolution in biological materials. Keskar concluded by offering advice to aspiring designers, emphasizing the unique opportunity to delve into material exploration and contribute to positive changes in design practices.
Automotive Design Planet: Please tell us about your background and experience and how it led you to your current Vice President of Research role at Material ConneXion.
Gayatri: I'm a material scientist who enjoys working at the crossroads of science, technology, and design. Growing up in an engineering family, problem-solving became second nature to me. After gaining valuable experience at a few start-ups focused on next-generation materials, I became passionate about their potential to address complex industry challenges across various sectors. This realization and my desire to make a meaningful impact steered me towards Material ConneXion, a leading material insights company. I have relished every step of this transformative journey in product innovation and sustainability, culminating in my current role as the VP of Research. Here, we help consumer brands craft purpose-built products and experiences.
ADP: For readers who may need to become more familiar with Material ConneXion, please provide an overview of how the organization operates and its significance in the design world.
Gayatri: For 25 years, Material ConneXion (MCX) has served product designers and developers as a world-class materials library and consultancy. MCX is proud to be known for its innovative problem-solving and thought leadership by the most influential brands across every industry. It enables companies to make material-minded design decisions by finding innovative and sustainable material alternatives outside their industry that can enhance performance, aesthetics, and sustainability.
ADP: Over the past two decades, how has the mission and vision of Material ConneXion evolved from its beginnings 20 years ago to the present day?
Gayatri: Our journey commenced with the A+D community, built on the ethos, "Every idea has a material solution." Leveraging its extensive partner ecosystem and cross-industry expertise, MCX has transformed into a go-to resource for various consumer-facing industries, seeking to identify integrated strategies for harmonizing materials, processes, and technologies to meet the ever-evolving demands of the market.
ADP: Your materials library seamlessly integrates a physical archive with a digital database. Can you elaborate on how these analogue and digital elements coexist and complement each other within your design ecosystem? After subscribing to Material ConneXion, what opportunities and resources become available to individuals, and how can they maximize their membership by accessing materials and design insights?
Gayatri: The growing online database of over 10,000 materials is a great starting point for designers to learn about new innovations from around the world from the convenience of their home/offices, which comes with access to our global libraries, providing the sought-after tactile experience, further adding to their creative process, combining science with design. Besides online database and library access, the third component of the subscription service is the insights platform that releases a range of monthly content, including curated material news, expert perspectives, deep dives, material highlights, tradeshow summaries, manufacturer spotlights, and topical trends reports so you always know "what's coming."
ADP: When considering including new material, what is the most crucial factor that Material Connexion prioritize?
Gayatri: Our approach centres on 4-prong selection criteria. This includes evaluating the level of innovation, whether it introduces a brand-new chemistry or penetrates a new industry, performance enhancement compared to the existing standard, sustainability attributes, and its potential for cross-industry application. This rigorous framework ensures that the most promising materials are in our database.
ADP: Could you share a recent example of a material that has been added to your library?
Gayatri: We consistently enrich our database by adding 20-30 new materials monthly. The recent batch introduced technologies ranging from a decolorizing polyester textile technology, enabling reprinting and reuse to seaweed-based transparent films for a frictionless consumer experience to carbon fibre living hinge, to bio-based high tenacity nylon 6,6 yarns.
ADP: Besides technical attributes, do you consider and work with materials with emotional qualities in the products?
Gayatri: Each material possesses a unique personality, forging an emotional bond with the end user. Often, these unforeseen or underexplored tactile attributes play a pivotal role in the storytelling process of a product. Consider the automotive sector as an example. Electrification and autonomous driving have fundamentally transformed industry expectations for cabin interiors. This has paved the way for immersive phygital experiences that seamlessly adapt to their surroundings. New cockpit concepts based on experiential materials transform cabins into functional workspaces, entertainment havens, wellness spas, or even an extension of one's living space, offering customizable comfort tailored to specific moods and activities. This evolution represents a paradigm shift in how we engage with automotive interiors.
ADP: Selecting the suitable material can often determine the success and failure of a project. What are your thoughts on it?
Gayatri: At MCX, we embrace a material-centric design philosophy. Unlike the traditional design process that typically commences with product sketches, mock-ups, and models, followed by the search for suitable materials and techniques, Material Driven Design (MDD) takes a different approach, focusing on the properties and characteristics of the material and then seeks out the appropriate process and application to transform it into a final product. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the matter before contextualizing it in creating a value-adding product. It allows us to design intentional material experiences that go beyond utilitarian considerations, considering how they behave, what they convey to us, and how they influence our actions. In essence, MDD empowers the design of meaningful material applications.
ADP: As the Vice President of Research at Material ConneXion, you have constant exposure to various materials. Can you describe the unique experience and perspective it provides?
Gayatri: Our unique cross-industry insights and access to cutting-edge technologies worldwide provide our clients with a significant competitive edge. This empowers them to be early adopters of innovative solutions, driving market advancements through industrial symbiosis. Many of our success stories stem from when materials initially developed in one industry discover new applications in adjacent industries. This cross-industry pollination underscores the transformative potential of our approach.
ADP: Material sourcing can often be challenging and intricate, characterized by its time-consuming and complex nature. Can you elaborate on how Material ConneXion's Advisory Services simplify and streamline this detailed process for companies?
Gayatri: Thanks to our extensive network of material innovators /manufacturers established over the years, we are uniquely positioned to find suitable companies based on client-specific criteria like material attributes, region, availability, price point, and application. Many of these companies are likely already part of our network, streamlining the sourcing process. Our emphasis, however, remains on fostering connections between technology providers and brand owners, providing close support throughout the product development and evaluation phases.
ADP: At Material ConneXion, you are a hub for innovative materials and cross-industry inspiration, collaborating with global brands to facilitate successful material and design choices throughout product development. Could you share some key insights into how this collaborative approach fosters innovation and influences the design landscape? And if a company has specific material characteristics in mind for their project. How does the consultation process work with your team based on the offerings within the material library's extensive collections?
Gayatri: We serve as an extension of our client's teams, providing support across various production and optimization stages, from ideation to market launch and post-launch. We believe our involvement is most impactful when we engage early in the conceptual stage. It enables us to explore various innovative technologies (even out-of-box concepts) that can significantly enhance the project's overall impact and influence its future trajectory. The advisory projects typically follow a phased approach, initially exploring broad cross-industry solutions, sometimes extending beyond the confines of the library. From there, we narrow down to high-potential alternatives tailored to specific sustainability, performance, processing, and design criteria. We work closely with our clients throughout this process, actively integrating their feedback and leveraging manufacturer insights to provide well-vetted material recommendations and partner connections, facilitating seamless downstream implementation.
ADP: How has the material connexion's library adapted to address the challenges posed by the rapid evolution of materials in today's design landscape, like sustainability and do you believe that sustainability is the future of design, and if so, how does Material ConneXion contribute to the sustainable design movement?
Gayatri: The discourse around sustainability has evolved significantly, with a recent surge in focus on circularity and regenerative practices. I believe that sustainability is not just the future but the very essence of design in the present. Recognizing that more than 80% of carbon emissions originate from deep within supply chains, particularly in raw material extraction and manufacturing stages, it is evident that material-driven design plays a pivotal role in shaping circular business models and propelling the decarbonization movement. We have recently introduced a Sustainability Blueprint, which presents our community-driven framework. This guide facilitates multi-level engagement and supports companies in future-proofing their product or service journey, ultimately accelerating the transition toward defossilization. It offers a comprehensive overview of our detailed research methodology and fundamental values, harnessing resourceful innovation and influencing product design and development for the betterment of planetary health and wellness.
ADP: You collaborate with diverse clients, from large corporations to small companies/start-ups. Can you describe the typical process involved in working with these different sectors, and what are the key differences or unique challenges when working across domains?
Gayatri: Indeed, the distinction in available resources between multinational corporations and start-ups presents unique opportunities and challenges. These encompass variations in adoption rates and the potential scale of impact. In large corporations, a top-down approach can accelerate internal alignment and strategic partnerships, securing early buy-in. Conversely, for smaller companies, involving end users in the journey can establish credibility and foster loyalty through authentic experiences. However, what's proven most effective for clients across sizes and sectors is prioritizing progress over perfection. This is realized through collaborative efforts across the entire value chain, and it's precisely where our actionable insights play a crucial role.
Our approach isn't solely determined by a company's scale but rather tailored to suit the client team or project type, be it design versus engineering or inspiration versus implementation. Leveraging the diverse expertise of our team, we're adept at comprehending our clients' specific pain points and customizing our delivery. This may entail a more data-centric approach for engineering and sustainability groups compared to a more visually oriented one with samples for design/CMF teams in search of inspiration.
ADP: In your perspective, what would you identify as the most significant revolution in the materials world during the 21st century, and how has it impacted the design field?
Gayatri: We are currently witnessing a biological revolution centred around matter. The recent strides in computational design, machine learning/AI, and automation are propelling the rapid development of new materials. With precision fermentation and digital manufacturing technologies, microorganisms are emerging as the new building blocks for creating enhanced versions of synthetic materials, chemicals, or an entirely new category of biomaterials. This is leading to product designs, assemblies, and functionalities that were previously unimaginable, ultimately enabling nature-led, nature-positive experiences.
ADP: What advice or insights would you offer aspiring young designers keen on pursuing a career centred around material exploration and innovation?
Gayatri: Designers are pivotal in creating desirable products. Citizens aren't interested in products just because they are sustainable or innovative; they want products that connect with them while serving their intended purpose well. With the emergence of new materials and advanced process technologies, designers have a unique chance to craft multi-dimensional narratives that deeply engage their target audience while also driving positive change. Engage in the material transition and collaborate with supply chain stakeholders to promote responsible production and consumption practices.
For a material to join the materials library at Material ConneXion, a centre dedicated to discovering and evaluating innovative materials, it must possess essential qualities: innovation, sustainability, and commercial availability. Gayatri, the Vice President of Research, firmly believes innovation is crucial for competitiveness and actively promotes this perspective.
