From April 20 to 26, 2026, Milan Design Week is filling the city with new ideas. The Salone del Mobile fair is running from April 21 to 26 at Rho Fiera. This year, Fuorisalone uses the theme “Be the Project,” and the official city program says that material use and sustainability are very important in 2026. (salonemilano.it)
One big trend is reuse. The Municipality of Milan says 47% of the projects in the official program use circular solutions. In simple words, many designers are reusing old parts, old sets, or materials already in the city instead of starting from zero. The city also points to the Waste/Less project by Milano Space Makers and Switch on Lab, which wants to reduce and recycle waste during events. (comune.milano.it)
Some projects turn old materials into design with a story. At Galleria Rossana Orlandi, Roberto Sironi’s Future Memories uses wooden beams saved from traditional houses that were going to be demolished. These beams become new sculptural pieces and furniture, so the wood keeps a memory of the past but lives again in a new form. (yesmilano.it)
Other shows explore reuse in different ways. BASE Milano offers reuse experiments and workshops during Design Week, with a program that also looks at sustainability and social problems. Materially’s exhibition The New State of Materials, open from April 20 to 26 at Stecca3, presents ideas from bio-based materials to certified circular supply chains. One project there, Additive Nodes, uses recyclable 3D-printed joints and reclaimed polycarbonate panels in a system that can be taken apart and used again. (comune.milano.it)
Big companies are joining this move too. Stellantis SUSTAINera’s “The Art of Reuse” changes used vehicle parts from its center in Turin into a large artwork for the week. Another official highlight is Michele De Lucchi’s installation with AMDL Circle for Ottagono, which studies how recovered elements can become something new. (media.stellantis.com)
For learners, the message is clear: recycled material does not have to look old or dull. In Milan, old wood, old panels, and used car parts come back as fresh design. That is why recycled-material design is one of the most exciting stories of Milan Design Week 2026. (yesmilano.it)










