Submaterial
Submaterial is a privately held, founder-owned Albuquerque-based design studio that handcrafts modular wall art, mirrors, room dividers, and floor-to-ceiling wall coverings from natural materials like wool felt, cork, wood, and cactus leather, selling direct-to-consumer, through a design trade program, and via wholesale and an exclusive FilzFelt commercial partnership.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersAlbuquerque, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Submaterial does
Submaterial is a design studio and manufacturer of handcrafted interior decor headquartered in a 35,000 sq. ft. facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 2006 by David Hamlin in Seattle and relocated to New Mexico in 2012, the company produces wall art, mirrors, room dividers, floor-to-ceiling wall coverings, and decorative objects using natural and sustainable materials including 100% wool felt, cork, wood, leather, and cactus leather. The product line spans roughly 31 wall art SKUs, 16 mirror SKUs, 8 Habitat collection SKUs, 5 objects, 4 room dividers, and 7 floor-to-ceiling solutions, with deep modularity and customization as a core design principle.
The core technology is a handcrafted modular design system in which skilled craftspeople build dimensional surfaces by layering, turning, and configuring felt strips and other natural materials, producing acoustic-dampening wall panels with proprietary visual textures. Products are sold ready-to-ship (1-2 day fulfillment) or as bespoke custom orders following a six-to-ten-week production cycle that includes a customization form, drawings, material samples, and deposit. Pricing ranges from $47 to over $440 per square foot for wall art, $237+ for mirrors, and $95-$425 for objects.
Submaterial monetizes through four distinct revenue streams: direct e-commerce sales via its Shopify storefront (US and Canada), a Design Trade Program offering 20% discounts to interior designers, the Habitat Collection wholesale channel for retailers and hospitality buyers ordering 10+ units, and an exclusive commercial felt distribution partnership with FilzFelt. An affiliate program through Impact is scheduled to launch in Spring 2026. Customers include homeowners, residential and commercial interior designers and architects (the primary persona), and enterprise clients such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Disney, Netflix, Marriott, Mayo Clinic, Starbucks, Bank of America, American Express, Capital One, Chipotle, Gensler, and Olson Kundig. The company is privately held, founder-owned, has no disclosed external funding, and operates with an 11-50 person team led by Founder David Hamlin alongside a senior team covering design, production, operations, and marketing functions.
Submaterial firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Submaterial
- Legal name
- Submaterial
- Website
- https://submaterial.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Submaterial is a privately held, founder-owned Albuquerque-based design studio that handcrafts modular wall art, mirrors, room dividers, and floor-to-ceiling wall coverings from natural materials like wool felt, cork, wood, and cactus leather, selling direct-to-consumer, through a design trade program, and via wholesale and an exclusive FilzFelt commercial partnership.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Submaterial industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Handcrafted Interior Decor and Wall Coverings
- NAICS
- Custom Architectural Woodwork and Millwork Manufacturing (337212)
- SIC
- Partitions, Shelvg, Lockers, & Office & Store Fixtures (2540), Miscellaneous Furniture & Fixtures (2590), Wood Household Furniture, (No Upholstered) (2511)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Decorative Accessories Retail (Vases, Bowls, Sculptures, Figurines, Trays) (CRAIACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Built-In Shelving, Niches & Custom Interior Features (HSAPAFAG)
Keywords
Where Submaterial is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Albuquerque
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Submaterial business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales: Submaterial generates revenue through direct sales of handcrafted wall art, mirrors, room dividers, objects, and floor-to-ceiling solutions. Products are sold as ready-to-ship items with 1-2 day shipping or as made-to-order custom pieces with 6-10 week lead times. Pricing is per square foot for wall products or per unit for objects.
- Commercial Distribution Partnership: Revenue from commercial felt wall covering products distributed exclusively through FilzFelt partnership, where Submaterial products are represented by the partner.
- Wholesale/Bulk Sales: Wholesale pricing through the Habitat Collection for retailers and hospitality market buyers ordering quantities of 10 or more units.
- Affiliate Program: Affiliate marketing partnership through Impact (launching Spring 2026) generating referral-based revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Retail Pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trade Program (Interior Designers) |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Wholesale (Habitat Collection) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Submaterial product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Submaterial designs, manufactures, and sells handcrafted dimensional wall art, mirrors, sculptural objects, room dividers, and floor-to-ceiling wall solutions using natural and sustainable materials (100% wool felt, cork, wood, leather, and cactus leather). Its products are offered both as ready-to-ship pieces (1-2 day shipping) and made-to-order custom creations (6-10 week lead time) with extensive color, size, and material customization across collections including Myth, Aerial, Ojo, Diade, Steno, Circadian, Pivot Mirrors, Wander Mirrors, Stratum Mirrors, Murmur Trees, Divvy Screens, Wood Wall System, Cork | Planar, Echo Wall Covering, and the Habitat wholesale line.
Product overview
Submaterial is a design studio and manufacturer creating handcrafted wall art, mirrors, objects, room dividers, and floor-to-ceiling wall solutions for residential and commercial interiors. The product portfolio includes: Wall Art (Myth, Aerial, Ojo, Diade series, Steno series, Nove, Circadian series, Odessa, Orion Flat, Lyric Wall Hanging, Field series, Horizon, Vertex, Litho, Holt, Meso, Basis Wall Hanging); Mirrors (Pivot series, Wander collection, Stratum series, Queue Mirror, Juxt mirrors); Objects (Murmur Trees, Mini Murmur Trees, Spindle Coaster, Pods); Room Dividers (Divvy Screens in Basis/Steno/Lyric variants, Century Screen); Floor-to-Ceiling Solutions (Wood Wall System with Gradient/New Angle/Route/Transit, Cork Planar, Echo Wall Covering); Commercial Felt Wall Coverings through FilzFelt partnership (Velo, Rise, Ion, Arcade, INDEX series, Ribsy, Imprint, and more); and the Habitat Collection for wholesale/retail. Products feature natural and sustainable materials including wool felt, cork, wood, and leather, with extensive customization options and a mix of ready-to-ship and made-to-order offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wall Art Collection Handcrafted dimensional wall panels and art pieces made of wool felt, cork, and wood with deep modularity, available in 90+ felt colors with both ready-to-ship and made-to-order customization for residential and commercial interiors.
- Mirrors Collection Decorative handcrafted mirrors combining wood, felt, cork, and aluminum elements, available in Pivot, Wander (Pill, Circle, Hex, Rectangle, Square), Stratum, Juxt, and Queue designs; ready-to-ship and made-to-order with custom sizing and finishes.
- Objects Collection Sculptural and functional objects including Murmur Trees (sets of three tree-like sculptures), Mini Murmur Trees, Spindle Coasters, and Pods, blurring the line between art objects and design objects.
- Room Dividers Collection Modular space-organizing screens including Divvy Screens (Basis, Steno, and Lyric designs) and the Century Screen, providing acoustic separation and adjustable transparency for residential and commercial interiors.
- Floor-to-Ceiling Solutions Collection Floor-to-ceiling wall system solutions in wood (Gradient, New Angle, Route, Transit), cork (Cork | Planar with built-in acoustic benefits), and cactus leather (Echo Wall Covering) for commercial and residential interiors.
- Felt Wall Covering (Commercial, via FilzFelt) Commercial wool felt wall covering products (Velo, Rise, Ion, Arcade, INDEX series, Ribsy, Imprint, Horizontal Bar, Vertical Bar, Bulb, Hex, Rain, Duet, Figure) distributed exclusively through FilzFelt for the commercial market, providing acoustic depth and dimensional surfaces.
- Habitat Collection (Wholesale) Accessible price point wall art and mirrors designed for boutique hotel rooms, office reception areas, and modern retail stores, offered at special wholesale pricing for orders of 10 or more units.
- Minis Collection Small-scale versions of existing wall art designs, apartment-sized pieces first exhibited at ICFF 2025, offering the same Submaterial patterns, materials, and modularity in a more compact format.
Quantifiable outcome
- Sound absorption reduces room reverberation and improves acoustic quality
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Submaterial
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Submaterial technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Submaterial partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- FilzFeltcoreExclusive distribution partnership where FilzFelt represents Submaterial's felt commercial products. Submaterial's passion for natural materials brought them together with FilzFelt, and the partnership has evolved into FilzFelt's exclusive representation of Submaterial's felt commercial products for the commercial market.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Submaterial competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Baux: Swedish manufacturer of sustainable acoustic panels and wood-wool tiles for commercial and residential interiors. Comparable to Submaterial in acoustic performance positioning, natural materials, and design-led commercial specification.
- Spinneybeck: Premium leather and architectural surface products for commercial and residential interiors, part of the FilzFelt family. Comparable to Submaterial in leather product use, natural materials, and high-end interior specification.
- Spireworks: Manufacturer of sculptural decorative wall panels and three-dimensional wall tiles for residential and commercial interiors. Comparable to Submaterial in dimensional decorative wall art, custom fabrication, and modular panel design.
Direct peers
- Designtex: Design-driven textile and surface manufacturer offering wallcoverings, acoustic panels, and panel systems for commercial interiors. Overlaps with Submaterial in modular design, custom fabrication, and A&D specification channels.
- 3form: Manufactures architectural interior solutions including decorative wall panels, acoustic elements, and partition systems for commercial and residential spaces — directly overlapping with Submaterial's room dividers and floor-to-ceiling wall solutions.
- Carnegie Fabrics: Design-forward textile and wallcovering manufacturer serving commercial interiors. Overlaps with Submaterial in sustainable materials, A&D specification channels, and acoustic/wallcovering product categories.
- FilzFelt: Exclusive commercial distribution partner for Submaterial's felt wall coverings. FilzFelt is itself a manufacturer and distributor of 100% wool felt products for commercial interiors, making it both channel and direct competitor in wool felt architectural surfaces.
- Wolf-Gordon: Commercial wallcovering and acoustic panel manufacturer with a focus on design-driven, sustainable interior surfaces. Comparable to Submaterial in serving architects and designers specifying wall finishes for commercial interiors.
- Woven Image: Manufacturer of PET felt acoustic panels, wallcoverings, and architectural interior products. Comparable to Submaterial in felt-based modular wall coverings, acoustic performance, and commercial interior specification.
Broad incumbents
- Knoll: Major design furniture and interior systems manufacturer with broad commercial and residential product portfolios including textiles, wall systems, and acoustic solutions. Overlaps with Submaterial in modular wall systems and A&D specification.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Submaterial social profiles
Digital presenceSubmaterial financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Submaterial leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Submaterial funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Submaterial M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Submaterial
What does Submaterial do?
Submaterial designs, manufactures, and sells handcrafted dimensional wall art, mirrors, sculptural objects, room dividers, and floor-to-ceiling wall solutions using natural and sustainable materials (100% wool felt, cork, wood, leather, and cactus leather). Its products are offered both as ready-to-ship pieces (1-2 day shipping) and made-to-order custom creations (6-10 week lead time) with extensive color, size, and material customization across collections including Myth, Aerial, Ojo, Diade, Steno, Circadian, Pivot Mirrors, Wander Mirrors, Stratum Mirrors, Murmur Trees, Divvy Screens, Wood Wall System, Cork | Planar, Echo Wall Covering, and the Habitat wholesale line.
Is Submaterial a public or private company?
Submaterial is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Submaterial founded?
Submaterial was founded in 2006. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Submaterial based?
Submaterial is headquartered in Albuquerque, United States, in the North America region.
How does Submaterial make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are commercial Distribution Partnership, wholesale/Bulk Sales and affiliate Program.
Who are Submaterial's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Baux, Spinneybeck and Spireworks. Direct peers are Designtex, 3form, Carnegie Fabrics, FilzFelt, Wolf-Gordon and Woven Image. Knoll is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Submaterial have an API?
No public API is recorded for Submaterial.
What industry is Submaterial in?
Submaterial's product category is Handcrafted Interior Decor and Wall Coverings. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAIACAB, Decorative Accessories Retail (Vases, Bowls, Sculptures, Figurines, Trays), with a secondary code of HSAPAFAG, Built-In Shelving, Niches & Custom Interior Features. Its NAICS code is 337212 and its SIC code is 2540.