The launch of Embrace is not only significant for Autex Acoustics, it’s a game-changer for the acoustics industry as a whole — highlighting the opportunities for the development of truly sustainable material processes. We spoke with Jonathan Mountfort, Autex Acoustics’ Creative Director, to learn more about the creation of Embrace and the LumaWool material.

Why choose wool?

There are several factors at play that make New Zealand one of the best locations for growing great wool, Jonathan says.

“The abundance of ‘non-arable’ or ‘marginal’ land is the main factor. Marginal land is land that is unsuitable for ploughing or growing crops, so it requires less ‘work’. Growing wool on marginal land results in a lower carbon footprint due to minimal farming operations.”

Looking at options to diversify their material offering, Jonathan’s team saw the promise wool offered as a sustainably-developed acoustic material.

“Our mission is to develop materials that do right by people and the planet, so we set out to develop a working model of a truly circular bio-based product. As we worked through the steps to create LumaWool, it became clear that the Nature Positive certification was an achievable goal thanks to our unique position and ability to grow low-carbon wool."

Sustainability starts and ends with systems

The pursuit of sustainability can be tough and uninspiring.

“Less bad does not mean good,” Jonathan explains. “At the start of the project, we asked the question: how can we create a material that can be produced abundantly, where increasing production doesn’t have a negative impact on the environment? We wanted to go beyond sustainability into regenerative and restorative development; to make the world a better place for our children.”

Research was undertaken by the project team both in-person on-location and remotely, with additional support from a number of industry partners.

“This work requires an ever-growing understanding of the environment and our natural resources, constant questioning of our processes, and a lot of questioning of the status quo,” Jonathan says.

To understand the impact of product development, Autex Acoustics follows the cradle to cradle principles that state there are two kinds of product systems — one that runs on technical nutrients with manmade materials, and one that runs on biological nutrients grown and derived from plant-driven processes.

“We believe there is no such thing as a sustainable material, only sustainable systems,” Jonathan says. “For the last 20 years, we’ve been working with PET from recycled bottles, which, in cradle to cradle terms, is a technical nutrient. At each step in the process, we deeply consider the impact of the material and make sure it can proceed to the next phase. We now have processes and product systems that can take the material right back to its source state, and we’re working to go further and return the product to its raw ingredient form.”

Applying this same in-depth analysis of the product lifecycle to a bio-based product, Embrace has demonstrated that it is possible to create products that reverse, restore, and regenerate the ecosystem that is fundamental to life on earth.

“The opportunity this presents is huge. Using considered biological systems, we can benefit from beautiful functional materials while reversing the effects of climate change, restoring biodiversity, and finding balance with our environment. It is not a matter of natural versus synthetic; it’s about cultivating materials using systems that support them. Humans are not separate from nature, and when cared for, the earth is naturally abundant. We can restore that abundance through systems that work with nature and its cycles.”

What’s next for Autex Acoustics?

The development of LumaWool and Embrace has proven that success is possible when focusing on sustainable processes.

“Now that we have proof of concept, we have the blueprint to move forward with a range of developments,” Jonathan says. “Not only does this improve how we operate as a business, but it also provides a framework that will help the wider industry become more sustainable.”