For his first solo show in the Americas, Mexican-raised, London-based Fernando Laposse has cut, ironed and stitched pieces of loofah together, turning the everyday sponge and scouring material into an elegant divan and light-filtering folding screen. But loofah is just one of the natural materials used by this Central Saint Martins-trained product designer who has elevated overlooked plants into swoon-worthy homeware. His exhibition at Mexico City’s Archivo Diseño y Arquitectura, titled “Transmutations”, also sees the innovative maker rethink the use of sisal and corn husks.

Sisal, once used for Mexico’s now-obsolete fibre-producing industry, had almost been forgotten as a material source after the introduction of synthetic threads to the country; while heirloom maize varieties have practically been eradicated due to genetic modification and the introduction of chemicals.

Sourcing 16 heirloom corn types from a seed bank, Laposse and a group of farmers in Mexico’s Puebla region, have worked to reinstate this locally revered grain, while the women in the community have been tasked to transform the husks – growing in a myriad colours thanks to the reinstated native varieties – into an ironed-out material used by Laposse in marquetry, furniture and wall panelling.

“Transmutations” is more than an exhibition of innovative interior pieces made with material experimentation – it’s a celebration of undervalued artisanal processes, illustrating the transformative power of design. By giving such labour its due reverence, Laposse hopes to reverse the destruction caused to nature and the resultant negative social impact it has had on communities, creating an advantageous value chain with an alternative economic exchange for those involved.