News from 2024: Can Digital Technologies Help Materials Sustainability?
2024 will be remembered as the year artificial intelligence solidified its role across every sector, proving its capacity to transform even the most tangible industries. Once seen as an intangible phenomenon, AI has demonstrated its ability to drive innovation in diverse contexts, including our own. This year, we embarked on several ambitious projects aimed at merging material research and sustainability awareness with the power of digital technologies.
One of our flagship initiatives is CIFORCE, a project tailored for the footwear industry—a sector with a substantial environmental footprint. Globally, around 24 billion pairs of shoes are produced annually, many with short lifespans, leading to significant waste. CIFORCE addresses this challenge by integrating sustainability into the design process. It offers a digital tool that enables users to select materials and evaluate their environmental impact early in the design phase. This proactive approach supports responsible product development aligned with specific sustainability goals, encouraging the adoption of alternative materials and end-of-life solutions. By reimagining footwear design and production, CIFORCE aims to reduce the sector’s overall environmental impact. Supported by SoTecIn Factory, a European initiative promoting innovation and sustainability in industry, CIFORCE is currently in its prototype phase and is being tested in collaboration with technology partners and manufacturing companies.
© CIFORCE by Materially
In parallel, we’re developing another digital tool to optimize material information management. This platform is designed to make data—both digital and physical—more accessible to R&D teams and design studios. Beyond offering insights into materials, it provides systems that streamline their daily use and management. The project is supported by Design Momentum, an acceleration program funded by the Lombardy Region and coordinated by Designtech, a key player in advancing technological innovation for design. The official launch of this tool is scheduled in the coming months.
In the course of these projects, we’ve explored the potential of AI to enhance data retrieval and organization. Leveraging natural language queries, these tools revolutionize how users interact with databases, making searches more intuitive and efficient. While this represents a significant leap forward, it also poses challenges in terms of accuracy and user interface design—challenges we are committed to overcoming to enhance our workflows.
Join Us in Shaping the Future.
Would you like to learn more about these projects or propose your company as a tester and validator? Gain complimentary access to our database of innovative, sustainable materials. Contact us today to get involved!
Image credits: Cover: Cash Macanaya on unsplash
Other images: Igor Omilaev, Jaclyn Moy on unsplash
