Material Leaders at IWF 2026
Four Material Leaders sit down for short interviews about the work they and their colleagues are doing across the industry.
Material IQ Podcast
Material IQ Episode 005: “Specifying Fire Retardant Veneer Core Plywood for Interior Use (CFP 2026-1)”
In this episode of Material IQ, host Kenn Busch sits down with Alicia Powell of Columbia Forest Products to unpack the first domestically manufactured, third-party certified Class A fire retardant veneer core plywood.
Material IQ Episode 004: A History of Decorative Laminate
Formica’s brand historian Renee Hightree Darrington joins the Material IQ Podcast for a rare deep dive into the company’s century-long design legacy — from its 1913 origins as an electrical insulator to the birth of mid-century modern icons like the “Skylark” boomerang pattern and Raymond Loewy’s postwar pastels. Along the way: the real story behind matte finishes, Color-Core, and how paper (not plastic) built an industry — plus an unexpected sustainability angle tying Formica’s history to forest health and carbon storage.
Material IQ Episode 003: “Engineering a Better Panel with Climate-Positive Plywood”
In this episode of Material IQ, host Ken Busch sits down with Chris Tutuska of Funder (Genesis Products) and Meghan Bell of Garnica to explore a breakthrough in decorative panel technology: thermally fused laminate (TFL) pressed on a sustainably engineered poplar plywood core. The conversation dives into how Garnica’s meticulously cultivated, plantation-grown plywood—virtually void-free and carbon-neutral—solves historic challenges in using plywood in TFL applications while delivering superior strength, lighter weight, greater thickness accuracy, and improved tool life.
Material IQ Episode 002: “Design: Resilient Flooring in North America”
A deep-dive discussion about resilient flooring designs that sell in North America with Peter Garlington of Interprint Inc, and Darius Helm, editor of Floor Focus magazine.
Material IQ Episode 001: “The Squeeze”
This episode of the Material IQ Podcast, host Kenn Busch dives into “The Squeeze” — that critical stage in every project when interior budgets get tight and material choices are under pressure. Joined by Jessica Calabrese of Parksite Atlantic Plywood and Greg O’Connell of SSI North America, the discussion explores how 2D and 3D laminates (2DL and 3DL) can help designers and specifiers balance aesthetics, performance, and cost when other materials fall short.
Material IQ Episode 000: “The world needs that from us”
This episode talks about the role of sustainable materials for high-demand, high-traffic areas like airports, lounges, and retail areas with designer Jordana Dall’Igna. Every episode of the Material IQ podcast explores in detail the materiality of the built environment: innovation, inspiration, and case studies from leading architects, designers, suppliers, and manufacturers with an emphasis on … Read more
