About Us 2.0

WE ARE MATERIA MADURA

An award-winning, woman-led sustainable materials and design company that focuses on using local waste as a resource to design functional, everyday products.

OUR VISION
Materia Madura envisions a world where waste becomes a valuable resource, seamlessly integrating sustainable design into daily life. We aim to revolutionize waste perceptions with innovative solutions that positively impact the environment, leading a global movement where sustainability, aesthetics, and purpose intersect.
OUR MISSION
We are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of materiality, manufacturing, and design, while prioritizing social responsibility and ethical practices. Our mission at Materia Madura is to lead the way in sustainable design by developing cutting-edge solutions that transform waste into purposeful alternatives. Through collaboration, research, and constant exploration, we aim to inspire, empower, and drive a shift towards a circular economy.

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Analyzing waste as a critical issue and local resource, new materials are developed from local waste streams to open innovative possibilities for design applications.

LOCALLY SOURCED, NON-TOXIC & SUSTAINABLE

Taking advantage of our local waste and transforming it through design, we aim to highlight how many everyday products are designed with toxic, unsustainable materials when they can be produced with locally sourced, non-toxic, and sustainable materials.

Offering an alternative to agricultural waste, food waste, and recycling, by choosing Materia Madura products, businesses and individuals can obtain everyday products that are sustainable while contributing to the reduction of local waste and promoting a circular economy.

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Ana Cristina Quiñones is the Founder, CEO, and Design Director of Materia Madura.

Her expertise lies in material innovation, sustainability, and product design, with a background that bridges multiple disciplines. She holds a Master’s in Furniture Design from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design in London, a Bachelor’s in Industrial Design, and additional coursework in architecture that informs her approach to spatial and structural design.

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Her research into waste-based materials began in 2012, leading to the development of a plantain and coffee waste composite, which she refined through years of experimentation. In 2015, she formally established Materia Madura, proving that discarded materials can drive innovation, sustainability, and meaningful change.

Her work has been exhibited globally in galleries, museums, and major design fairs and featured in publications such as Radical Matter: Rethinking Materials for a Sustainable Future, 75 Designers Pour Un Monde Durable, and Wasted: When Trash Becomes Treasure.

2024
Materia Madura was recognized in Holon IQ's 2024 Puerto Rico Impact 50, awarded in the Environment & Climate category for driving sustainable innovation. This prestigious list, announced at the Global Impact Leadership Summit, celebrates Puerto Rico's leading startups making significant local and global impact in climate, education, and health.
2022
Selected for Grupo Guayacán’s EnterPRize program, Materia Madura scaled its operations and gained valuable business education. Recognized for innovation and sustainability, Materia Madura won: Second Place Overall, Woman Entrepreneur Award, Uno con Puerto Rico Environmental Conservation Award, Heineken’s Tu Estrella Vive Award
2020
Selected for Parallel18’s Pre18 program, a pre-accelerator for early-stage startups, Materia Madura transitioned from a research-driven design project to a fully realized business. Pre18 provided crucial equity-free funding and expert mentorship, strengthening operations, refining growth strategies, and positioning Materia Madura as a sustainable design leader poised to scale globally.