Surface Design Awards – Complete

• INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE YEAR - NEW
  This is a new category that recognises wall, floor, ceiling and surface design products, including decorative, creative and inventive surfaces for the interior of buildings including both commercial and residential properties.

Our process for developing new products is driven by several key criteria and each new idea for a product needs to answer the following questions:
Is it sustainable?
Does it combine design with acoustics?
Is it commercially viable?
Is it original?
FIKA mycelium acoustic wall tiles tick all of the above and more. We launched the tiles in three distinct designs (Zen, Dart and Penta) but designed the tiles in a way that allows them to be rotated and configured in different ways providing interior designers with creative freedom and flexibility as to how the tiles can be used on different walls across different schemes.
The design inspiration for FIKA Zen came from the organic sand gardens of Japan and compliments our ethos of creating calm, whilst Dart and Penta are more angular and dynamic in their design. Couple this with the choice of either a natural or painted finish and FIKA is a very versatile, sustainable, acoustic tile that is safe to use across a range of spaces. The design of the tiles together with the bespoke aluminium Z-Channel allows the tiles to be used either as a cluster of tiles or across an entire wall to create a striking visual statement.
Whether a product is commercially viable is another of our design principles and a key driver for FIKA mycelium acoustic tiles. From our discussion with clients and contacts, we already knew that there was an appetite from the sector for more sustainable products. Our mission with FIKA was to create a range of mycelium acoustic wall tiles that would be designed and grown easily here in the UK, that could be used in all commercial interiors and that would not only look good but would help manage acoustics, thus increasing people's wellbeing.

We have been blown away by the response to FIKA mycelium acoustic wall tiles from the sector, including being featured as part of the Sustainability Trail during CDW 2023 as well as in The Sustainable Collective magazine, OnOffice and other trade press. There is some education still needed to ensure interior designers fully understand the material and what can be achieved with FIKA but it is already being specified on many different projects.
Because the product is grown in the UK we can easily scale up and grow many trays of the tiles at once and get them out for installation quickly, reducing cost and carbon foot-print. In terms of price point, we knew it had to be competitive to match competition from other acoustic products available and we also knew that selling the tiles in packs of four would allow them to be specified in even the smallest of spaces. We have always sought to make our products as easy as possible to specify which is why we have invested in digital assets including BIM files for FIKA (as well as our other products) and included them on the NBS platform to make FIKA easy for architects to find and specify.
FIKA mycelium acoustic wall tiles:
Made from totally natural materials mycelium and hemp
100% Biodegradable (Biodegradable Product Institute Certified)
Declared Red-List free
VOC free
Aldehyde free
Designed in-house and grown in the UK exclusively for AllSfär
Range of striking angular and curved designs available
Easy to install using a simple screw mechanism
Tiles can be rotated on-site to create different design
Available in a range of colours to match scheme colour palette and soft furnishings
Very effective acoustic properties: NRC 0.6

Sustainability has always been a key driver for our design process which is why we were keen to invest in using mycelium as a raw material. Mycelium is the root-like structure of mushrooms and is made of chitin, a natural glue that is water-resistant and flame-retardant. The beauty of mycelium is that it can grow to form durable structures without the need for water and sunlight, which makes it an ideal material for creating a range of sustainable products. The products are literally grown in shaped moulds/trays by mixing mycelium which acts as a binder with agricultural by-products including hemp. The trays are baked in a kiln for around 4 days, popped out and then allowed to overgrow for a further 2 days to achieve a unique velvety finish, this is then dried to stop any further growth which renders the product inert and ready for use.
FIKA tiles are available in a natural finish as well as a range of colours to match soft furnishings. The paint we use is Earthborne clay paint as it is important to us to not compromise the biodegradable attributes of the raw material. Earthborn clay paint is a vegan-friendly, luxurious ultra-matt emulsion, it is highly breathable and is washable to DIN53778, free of oils and acrylics, and virtually VOC-free. It has no unpleasant odours or emissions and is Licensed to carry the EU Ecolabel.
The advantages of using mycelium and hemp to create products such as acoustic wall tiles are that not only do they look good but they are durable and versatile and being VOC and aldehyde free can be used in all commercial spaces, they are 100% biodegradable at the end of life so reducing landfill.

Historically, the construction industry has lacked the enthusiasm shown by other sectors in embracing sustainability, accounting for almost 40% of global emissions, 28% of which comes from raw-material manufacturing (2021 McKinsey). Allowed to continue this trend could have a devastating impact on the environment. Thankfully, attitudes have started to change within the sector and increasingly architects and interior designers are looking to specify more sustainable materials within their schemes.

Bio-based materials amd in particular mycelium is one such material that has gained a lot of traction over the past couple of years and it is a material we were keen to explore for our acoustic products. We partnered with leading mushroom packaging company Magical Mushroom Company® to design and create a range of acoustic wall tiles made from mycelium and hemp, mainly from agricultural waste. FIKA mycelium acoustic wall tiles have been designed to have a minimum negative impact on both the spaces in which they are installed as well as the wider environment. The tiles are a naturally grown product, designed and grown in the UK. The tiles are 100% biodegradable with no industrial composting required. At the end of life, the tiles can simply be broken up and placed outside in the soil to allow nutrients to return to the earth in 40 days.

With certifications for low VOCs, no aldehydes, Declared Red List Free, USDA Biobased preferred, International Living Future Institute and Biodegradable Product Institute Certified, as well as having an NRC rating of 0.6, FIKA acoustic tiles embody what a sustainable acoustic product should be.

If as a sector we are committed to building more resilient infrastructure and durable, low-carbon assets, then it’s time we started looking beyond ‘off the shelf’ traditional products and adopt products made from more eco-friendly materials such as mycelium.

To keep our carbon footprint as low as possible we knew we had to work with a UK company and after much research, we found Magical Mushroom Company® who is the perfect partner for us. Not only do they grow the products in the UK in Esher and Nottingham but they also have their own inoculation plant in Beeston where they combine agricultural by-products (mostly Hemp) with Mycelium cultures, reducing dependence on imported raw material. FIKA mycelium wall tiles are a natural product and as such will have natural differences in texture, colouration and finish, which is why we also wanted to offer a painted option but finding the right paint that was eco-friendly and that would give a consistent finish was a challenge, until we came across Earthborne clay paints which are an ideal fit for FIKA mycelium acoustic wall tiles.