Published May 2026 | Updated May 2026
Each April, Milan becomes a city-wide platform for design. Showrooms, galleries, and studios across neighborhoods like Brera and Tortona open their doors, creating a city immersed in design, with exhibitions and conversations moving fluidly across neighborhoods. Within this setting, Curran introduced SynSisal® into the international design dialogue.
Presented at the FLOFAB Gallery in the Brera Design District, Sisal Without Limits offered a focused view of the expanded SynSisal® line, placing it within the global design landscape and the broader conversation around performance, material integrity, and design flexibility.
A Global Design Audience
Across the week, the showroom welcomed an international mix of designers and procurement teams from hospitality, retail, and commercial sectors. Curran leadership, including Jeff Curran and Mark van Koningsveld, were onsite throughout, engaging directly with visitors.
The audience shared a clear focus on materials that balance aesthetic clarity with real-world performance. Many visitors already understood the demand for natural-looking materials that perform in high-traffic environments. Meaningful engagement with the right audience meant conversations moved quickly from concept to application.
Visit SynSisal® in Milan
Now on view at FLOFAB Gallery, Via San Marco 12 in Brera—Curran’s Sisal Without Limits installation remains open as a permanent showroom.
The Product in Context
The exhibition centered on a simple idea: expanding where the look of sisal can go. Introduced in 2020, SynSisal® established the Signature line: five classic weaves that deliver the look of sisal with enhanced performance.
- Natural Aesthetic: The texture, depth, and tonal variation of sisal, reinterpreted through technical construction
- Performance-Driven: Engineered to meet the needs of high-traffic commercial settings
- Material Integrity: Constructed with low-impact performance fibers, including ECONYL®
Across conversations, visitors consistently responded first to the aesthetic. Many assumed the material was natural, with the performance story becoming clear through closer interaction and discussion.
“Clients see SynSisal® as a one-of-a-kind concept.” — Mark van Koningsveld
Expanding the Concept
Milan marked the debut of two new formats, each designed to broaden how SynSisal® can be specified across projects:
SynSisal® Tile
A modular carpet tile collection that delivers the visual language of natural fiber while bringing flexibility and efficiency to large-scale installations. Designed for commercial and hospitality environments where adaptability, ease of installation, and a considered natural aesthetic are essential.
image: ridge tile | assorted colors
SynSisal® rPET (Coming Soon)
An indoor-outdoor construction made from recycled polyester. Developed for spaces that move between environments—corridors, terraces, and open-air settings—without compromising on design continuity.
These additions signal the evolution of SynSisal®—from its Signature line into more flexible solutions for a range of project types.
Market Signals
Within the Milan Design Week landscape, where hundreds of exhibitions compete for attention, Jeff and Mark noted several consistent signals in how visitors responded to SynSisal®:
- Strong initial interest driven by the natural sisal look. Visitors responded immediately to the aesthetic, reflecting clear demand for natural textures in built environments. As Mark noted, “the natural look trend has been adapted in Europe and visitors understand it well.”
- Clear demand for durability in contract-grade applications. Performance remained a central focus, particularly for commercial use. Questions around contract-grade suitability were common, with Mark regularly addressing these concerns by pointing to SynSisal® usage class 33 rating and CFL/BFL fire classifications.
- Frequent comparison to other synthetics, with clear differentiation. SynSisal® was often evaluated against polypropylene and other synthetic sisal options in the market. Initial assumptions that the product was natural underscored the strength of the sisal look—“everyone thought it was natural, and even when told were shocked when they touched it,” Jeff noted.
- Immediate interest in availability and lead times. Conversations quickly moved from product to project. As Jeff put it, “How fast can I get the new stuff?”
Together, these signals point to a product that meets both aesthetic and performance expectations in a way that is easy for designers to understand and specify.
Looking Ahead
Milan Design Week marked an important step in bringing SynSisal® to an international audience and engaging directly with the audiences shaping commercial and hospitality interiors today.
The response suggests a clear path forward, with growing interest in expanded applications, new formats, and materials that can move seamlessly between indoor and outdoor environments.
Worldwide Expertise
With offices in Seattle, Chicago, and the Netherlands, we offer the same dedicated and high-quality service across the globe. We are always available to support you for all your projects, whether hospitality, retail, office, or residential.
No matter where you’re located, get in touch with our sales team or global distribution partners to source SynSisal® for your next project.
