In this issue of the Journal of Biophilic Design, we explore Biophilic Materials—those that reconnect people with nature while also challenging us to rethink the choices we make across workplaces, schools, hospitals, retail, hospitality, and the homes we inhabit every day. In every project we design or specify, materials tell a story. They shape not only how a space looks, but how it feels, performs, and ultimately how it supports life.

Material specification is often seen as a technical decision: performance data, durability, cost, compliance. Yet the materials we choose quietly influence wellbeing, environmental impact, and our relationship with the natural world. They affect the air we breathe, the textures we touch, the light we reflect, and the sensory experience of the spaces we create. This issue invites you to pause and reconsider that process—not simply as a checklist, but as an opportunity to design with intention.

Within these pages, you will find inspiring case studies from interior designers who are integrating biophilic thinking into real-world projects, demonstrating how thoughtful material choices can transform spaces for people and planet. Alongside these stories are science-led articles that deepen our understanding of how materials influence health, perception, and connection to nature. Together, they bridge creativity and evidence, reminding us that design decisions carry both emotional and ecological weight.

We also spotlight emerging and innovative materials—from mycelium and mushroom-based solutions to new approaches in construction and manufacturing that seek to reduce environmental impact while enhancing natural qualities. These explorations reveal a future where materials are not just less harmful, but actively regenerative and life-supporting.

 At its heart, this issue is about inspiration and responsibility. Whether you are specifying finishes for a hospital corridor, designing a workplace that nurtures creativity, shaping a retail environment, or selecting materials for a home, each decision contributes to the broader story of how we live with nature rather than apart from it.

 Our hope is that as you read, you will discover new ideas, question familiar choices, and feel inspired to look more closely at the materials that surround us—and the possibilities they hold.