Ekoa has been named a finalist in the Materials and Biodesign category of Fast Company’s 2026 Innovation by Design Awards, one of just two finalists recognized after the category winner. Now in its 15th year, Fast Company’s Innovation By Design Awards draw entries from across design disciplines, from architecture and product design to marketing and EVs, judged on functionality, originality, sustainability, and impact.
Ekoa brings rapidly renewable flax and plant-based resins into an industry that has leaned on the same conventional inputs for decades. The trick was doing it without asking designers and architects to give up what actually matters in commercial interiors: durability, impact resistance, and aesthetics. The result is a bio-based composite that brings a more sustainable material to walls and millwork while holding up to the demands of commercial spaces.
“We didn’t set out to make something ‘less bad,’ we set out to make something genuinely good,” said Meg Bruce, CEO of Ekoa. “Being named alongside this group of finalists tells us people are paying attention to what we’re building, and installations in commercial spaces across the country are showing that sustainable materials can be durable, design-forward, and healthier for the spaces where we work and spend our time. We’re grateful to Fast Company and its judges, and excited about all that’s ahead.”
This finalist recognition follows a string of honors for Ekoa over the past two years, including an Architizer A+Award, Metropolis Magazine’s Planet Positive Award, and recognition from Interiors + Sources and The Architect’s Newspaper — see more here.