Prime Matter
Prime Matter is a digital platform conceived by Emmanuel Babled, that aims to share, promote and sell sustainable manufacturing and design projects as an alternative to mass production, by combining the heritage of craftsmanship and digital technologies.
We want to tell the story of the makers and the designers, the process and the materials behind each featured project. We look forward to put the relationship between craft and design in the spotlight, giving the opportunity to have a behind-the-scenes look at unique creative processes.
We believe sustainability is about the materials as much as preserving original processes, mixing them with contemporary tools, and ultimately about supporting craftsmen and communities who take great pride in our heritage and their expertise.
CRAFT EXPERTISE
Prime Matter represents pieces produced by the excellence of artisans from all over the world. The expertise, skill, and tacit knowledge of the artisans with whom we work are fascinating, alchemical and of unparalleled value.
We strive to bring craftsmanship into the spotlight, to present ancestral techniques that are only produced in certain parts of the world and pass on their valuable secrets to younger generations.
CONSCIENTIOUS DESIGN
All the pieces presented in Prime Matter emerge from a profound reflection upon the surrounding environment. Our former way of living has recently been turned on its head and today we are looking for alternative and more wholistic approaches, not only to the way we produce and consume, but to the way we live our lives.
Conscientious consumers have now more than ever begun asking themselves: what do we consume and why do we consume it? Designers should now take on the role of investigating and promoting alternative production processes and present them to a market that will fully appreciate this new found approach.
SUSTAINABLE ACTING
We support sustainable manufacturing, and aim to share and promote virtuous local production. Thanks to the digital revolution that allows such shortcuts, we deliver worldwide products to a worldwide audience.
Prime Matter seeks to shed light upon the untold stories behind each of the projects. From the natural materials chosen to the techniques used to transform them, all processes are observed and framed within the sustainable parameters under which we work.
THE HUMAN FACTOR
Presence and proximity are fundamental. By being present and following the production closely and in first person, the designer creates a close bond to the artisans.
The tension that sometimes reigns backstage, such as is the case with handblown glass, requires a fluid and harmonious connection between the designer and the artisan to make it all work and bring everything together in the final moment.
The synergy that binds the designer to the artisan underlines the fact that the human factor is one of the most important assets in the production of the pieces.
EXCELLENCE OF MATERIALS
On Prime Matter, we guarantee the excellent quality of our materials. They are extracted with respect to their source and the origin of the products are certified.
We carry out intense preliminary research to understand where the techniques come from, we immerse ourselves in the place of origin and consequently our projects return this new found knowledge back to our community.