Product Design & Material Innovation
Designing the Next Generation of Products, Materials, and Manufacturing
McLennan Design partners with manufacturers, brands, and innovators to develop products that advance human health, ecological intelligence, material transparency, and market differentiation.
Our work explores how materials can do more than reduce harm—creating products and systems that improve environmental performance, support human wellbeing, and reshape the future of the built environment.
Materials Shape More Than Buildings
The products we surround ourselves with influence health, mood, cognition, comfort, and ecological impact every day. Our work focuses on creating materials and systems that are regenerative by design—advancing not only performance and transparency, but deeper connections between people, place, and the environments they inhabit.
Featured Collaborations
Mohawk Group x McLennan Design
Lichen and Owl Collection
Flooring Designed for Human and Environmental Performance
Developed in collaboration with Mohawk Group, the award-winning Lichen and Owl Collections helped redefine what commercial flooring could be—combining biophilic design, healthy materials, and Living Product Challenge certification in some of the industry’s first Red List Free carpet systems.
Inspired by the adaptive intelligence, textures, and ecological patterns found in nature, the collections translate the essence of lichens and owl plumage into flooring systems designed to support both human wellbeing and environmental performance.
More than surface finishes, the collections explore how commercial materials can create calmer, healthier, and more emotionally connected interior environments through pattern, texture, and biophilic response.
The Lichen Collection became one of Mohawk Group’s most recognized and commercially successful product launches while helping advance broader conversations around regenerative manufacturing and material transparency.
Project Highlights
• Living Product Challenge Petal Certified
• Red List Free material systems
• Biophilic design strategy
• Carbon neutral product platform
• Commercial flooring innovation at scale
• Regenerative manufacturing leadership
“The goal wasn’t to imitate nature literally, but to capture its essence in a way people feel subconsciously.”
— Jason F. McLennan
The Lichen Collection became the first floor covering to achieve Living Product Challenge Petal Certification, helping establish a new benchmark for regenerative commercial materials.
EcoECOS Paints
Color Systems Designed Around Ecology, Wellness, and Perception
Developed with ECOS Paints, the ECOS System is a curated collection of regional paint palettes inspired by natural ecosystems, climate, and the psychology of color perception.
Built on one of the industry’s healthiest paint platforms, the system helps designers create interior environments that support wellbeing, air quality, sensory comfort, and spatial harmony.
Project Highlights
- Low-toxicity paint systems
- Regional color palette development
- Human-centered color research
- Indoor air quality performance
Niel Kelly x McLennan Series
Cabinetry Designed Around Human Health
Developed with Neil Kelly, the McLennan Series reimagined cabinetry through the lens of healthy materials, durability, and responsible forestry.
Constructed from FSC-certified wood products and free of Red List chemicals, the collection demonstrates how regenerative material standards can be integrated into everyday residential environments without sacrificing beauty, warmth, or craftsmanship.
Project Highlights
• FSC-certified wood products
• Red List Free finishes and adhesives
• Reclaimed material options
• Healthy residential material systems
• Responsible forestry strategies
Earth Measure
Regenerative Surfaces from Reclaimed Stone
Created with Coldspring, Earth Measure transforms remnant and waste stone into durable flooring systems inspired by geological formations and natural geometries.
The collection reduces material waste while creating long-life surface systems designed for durability, adaptability, and low lifecycle impact.
Project Highlights
• Waste-stream material reuse
• Low embodied carbon strategy
• Long-life surface durability
• Modular flooring systems
• DECLARE transparency platform
Piloted at Heron Hall — Washington State’s First Living Building Challenge Residence
Earth Measure was first implemented at Heron Hall, the inaugural Living Building Challenge residence in Washington State, where it served as a real-world test of regenerative material innovation in a fully occupied, high-performance home.
Used as exterior surface systems, the collection demonstrated how waste stone could be transformed into durable, beautiful, and low-impact materials aligned with Living Building Challenge performance standards—bridging ecological responsibility with architectural permanence in one of the most rigorous residential sustainability projects in the region.
See more of Heron Hall here.
HOW WE WORK
Strategy + Design + Manufacturing Intelligence
Our team works closely with manufacturers, fabricators, and brands to align:
- material innovation
- environmental performance
- manufacturing feasibility
- user experience
- branding and market positioning
- long-term product value
We help translate regenerative principles into products that are measurable, scalable, commercially viable, and ready for market.
WHAT WE HELP CLIENTS ACHIEVE
Healthier Materials
Products designed to support human and ecological wellbeing.
Market Differentiation
Distinctive products grounded in performance and design clarity.
Manufacturing Innovation
Material systems optimized for durability, transparency, and scalability.
Regenerative Performance
Products designed to contribute positively across their lifecycle.
SELECT AREAS OF COLLABORATION
- Product Design
- Material Research
- Healthy Materials Strategy
- Circular Economy Systems
- Manufacturing Innovation
- Product Branding + Storytelling
- Regenerative Design Consulting
- Interior Product Systems
- Commercial Material Development
LET’S DESIGN THE NEXT GENERATION OF MATERIALS
We partner with manufacturers, brands, and industry leaders to create products and material systems that unite regenerative thinking, human-centered design, and market innovation.
Start a conversation with McLennan Design to explore how thoughtful product design can shape healthier environments, stronger brands, and a more resilient built future.
