This year marks Autex Acoustics’ fourth year of partnership with the Interior Awards, having joined the programme in 2020. Ben Hutter (National Sales Manager) talks about about Autex’s innovations to reduce and recycle and how the team see the Awards night as an opportunity to take pause and celebrate the achievements of the talented designers here in Aotearoa.

Tell us about any recent innovations in your business that you’d like interior designers and architects to know about.

Ben Hutter (BH): First off, I’m thrilled to tell you about our new takeback programme. It’s all about minimising waste by repurposing and reusing as much of our product as possible. By doing so, we’re significantly reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills — a win-win for both our business and the environment.

When it comes to innovation, we’re not just pushing the boundaries, we’re redefining them. Our team is constantly on the lookout for new materials and better ways to design and manufacture sustainably. This commitment to innovation is what sets us apart and inspires us to stay ahead of the curve.

We’re making a real impact with a minimum of 45% post-consumer recycled fibre in all our products. Our latest creation ReForm™ is an acoustic panel made from reclaimed textile waste — diverting this waste from landfill. It’s a truly circular product that responds to the urgent need for action on building waste.

But it doesn’t end there. We’re also pioneering new technology to make sustainable manufacturing easier for everyone. Our waste chipper is an industry-first recycling method for panel offcuts made from recycled PET. It works by converting this PET fibre into solid pellets, which we then use to create product accessories like the Frontier™ Acoustic Raft end caps.

Last but not least, we believe that real change happens when we work together. That’s why we value and nurture partnerships with everyone — from industry professionals to community-led initiatives. Your role in these partnerships is crucial, and together, we can make a difference on a scale that truly matters.

What do you most enjoy about being involved with the Interior Awards?

BH: There are a couple of things we always enjoy when it comes to the Interior Awards. The first is seeing the projects that are nominated, as it’s always important to stop and appreciate the creativity in the New Zealand design community. Secondly, there’s always an amazing atmosphere at the evening itself, with designers coming together to celebrate, connect and party! Getting the industry together is rare and this is a night in the calendar we all look forward to.

What’s the best part about the evening? 

BH: We’re mainly looking forward to seeing our friends in the industry. Everyone enters the awards with a smile and it’s great to see everyone enjoying the success of the winners.

Learn more at interiorawards.co.nz.