Materials for Enhancing the Healthcare Experience

When designing interior healthcare spaces, every material choice is a high-stakes decision. Textiles and surfaces need to stand up to hospital-level cleanings and be aesthetically inviting. But, the value of interior materials goes far beyond durability and good looks. Materials can enhance the experience of people using healthcare spaces. Some materials calm and comfort while others energize. Here’s a look at how to strategically select surface materials that support people who deliver and receive care.

The Need for Functional Performance

Healthcare facilities must be vigilant in their effort to reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infection (HAI). This means surfaces are repeatedly cleaned with disinfectants, bleach, UV lights, and other products. The best surface materials stand up to rigorous cleaning and enhance the patient, visitor, and caregiver experience.

It's important to note that while antimicrobial materials are highly desired in some settings, hospitals and clinics avoid them because they can lead to resistant germs that put the health of patients and staff at risk.

How Interior Materials Affect the Healthcare Experience

Patients and visitors often experience stress and anxiety over medical issues. Unfamiliarity with healthcare spaces can increase these feelings, but the right materials can help put them at ease. For example, certain color palettes create an atmosphere that soothes and reassures. For people who are neurodivergent or have sensory sensitivities the feel of fabric may affect their comfort. Similarly, materials can support busy caregivers who often work long shifts and are sometimes stressed. Soft furnishings and calming colors in break areas provide these workers with respite, while active spaces—such as nurses’ stations—designed with vibrant colors help energize them.

Research also shows that biophilic design helps boost immunity and reduce stress. This approach infuses spaces with elements of the outdoors. While some of these natural elements are not suitable for healthcare spaces, designers can create a soothing environment with replicant pieces. For example, laminate in simulated wood grain finishes can be just as effective as the real thing to help reduce stress and even increase immunity.

New Material Solutions for Healthcare Spaces

Haworth continually seeks materials that contribute to a healthier and more sustainable future. Specifically, we pursue options that deliver high performance  without using harmful substances like PVC, fluorinated hydrocarbons, PFA, and PFAS.

Some of our latest materials include durable coated textiles that are attractive and soft to touch yet durable. Made with bio-based and recycled materials, Vista is a non-woven textile with a pebbled faux leather texture. It's easy to wipe down and withstands the rigorous cleaning regimens used in healthcare spaces.

Moondance is another performance textile recently added to our portfolio. It's a plush, two-tone woven material, making it an excellent choice to enrich non-care areas.

For horizontal surfaces with frequent hand contact, our preferred materials are high-pressure laminates, especially those with the latest wood grain patterns. Using biomimicry, these products provide the beauty and warmth of wood, along with durability, in a non-porous surface that’s easily cleaned.

Interior architectural products and movable walls present a powerful opportunity to move beyond traditional healthcare aesthetics and shape environments that feel more human, elevated, and restorative. Momentum Circon wallcoverings offer a compelling alternative to conventional Type II vinyl, combining high-performance cleanability with refined design sensibility. With a rich range of textures, patterns, and contemporary colorways, available for Haworth architectural solutions, Circon helps designers push healthcare spaces beyond utilitarian finishes and toward the future of healthcare design.

Made with 70% bio-sourced content, carbon neutral, and 100% recyclable, Momentum Circon supports both environmental responsibility and visual sophistication—proving that performance, sustainability, and thoughtful design can coexist seamlessly.

When designing healthcare spaces, remember that surfaces help shape healthcare experiences for patients, visitors, and caregivers. Strategic material selection will both enhance their experience and help keep people healthy.