Ma-tt-er is a research studio, platform and consultancy that explores the past, present and future of materials. Working across industry and education, we advise and support the implementation of responsible materials to shape the immediate, near and far future, examining their potential within the next one to five years, five to fifteen years and fifteen years plus. By considering identity, lifecycles and systems thinking, we propose an alternative approach to the application of materials to promote economic, environmental and social growth, revealing the truth of how we live today and might live tomorrow.