Material Bank Accepts 2020 ASID Design Innovation Award

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Now it’s official: Material Bank was honored with the 2020 Design Innovation award by the American Society of Interior Designers in a virtual awards presentation Monday.

Introduced by Patricia Dominguez, ASID board member and vice president of Architect and Design Sales for Cosentino North America, the sampling resource e-library was lauded for its commitment to sustainability, efficiency and the streamlining of a process that empowers designers to have the most flexibility possible—an intent that has proven especially invaluable in recent months.

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Launched in 2019 by publishing leader Adam Sandow, Material Bank allows design professionals to source and aggregate samples of carpets, flooring, leather, stone, trim, wallcoverings and more from hundreds of brands on a single digital platform.

A state-of-the-art warehouse adjacent to FedEx ’s global distribution center in Memphis guarantees orders placed by midnight Eastern Time are delivered by 10:30 a.m. the next day. All samples returned undergo a quality check and are restocked or set aside for student use.

In an interview with ASID, Sandow credited the success of the brand to his team and partners, which have helped Material Bank skyrocket from 400 to 20,000 users in a year. The goal from the start was clear, he said: “Create a different kind of level of demand.”

The objective was put to the test this spring when states began enacting stay-at-home orders in response to COVID-19. As showrooms closed and industry professionals moved operations from their desks to their kitchen counters, adjustments to safety and operations put in place by Material Bank in February allowed the platform to tell designers: “Just switch your address.”

Recalling being an “outsider” in the industry with the launch of Luxe Interiors + Design in 2005, Sandow expressed his gratitude for the nod to Material Bank’s commitment to the group of creatives he’s always admired. “[To be] recognized by our peers, by the industry, it’s really more than satisfying,” Sandow said. “We’re really proud of our work and really appreciate the acknowledgement.”

Material Bank joins the following 2020 ASID National winners: Kay Sargent, senior principal and direct of Workplace of HOK (Designer of Distinction), George Bandy Jr., chief sustainability officer of Mohawk Flooring North America (Design for Humanity), and Barbara J. Huelate, author and interior designer, Healing Design Strategist (Nancy Vincent McClelland Merit).

PHOTOS COURTESY MATERIAL BANK/ASID VIRTUAL AWARDS CEREMONY

For more on sustainability, including expert perspectives, specification resources, and free webinars, visit the Metropolis Sustainability Lab at www.metropolismag.com/lab.