Rooted in Purpose
Danielle Trofe is a designer and biomaterials innovator whose work explores the intersection of nature, technology, and design. Through sculpture, lighting, and living systems like mycelium and vertical gardens, she creates work that reimagines our relationship with the natural world and advances a more regenerative future.
Accolades & Press
AWARDS
2025 Interior Design NYCxDESIGN Award Finalist
2024 DARC Award 4th Place
2024 Interior Design NYCxDESIGN Award Winner
2024 American Society of Interior Designers Award
2024 Female Design Council Award Winner
2024 ICFF Editors Award Winner
2024 Design Intelligence Award Honorable Mention
2017 Interior Design Best of Year Award Finalist
2016 Interior Design NYCxDESIGN Award Finalist
2015 Core77 Design Award Notable Award
2015 London Design Museum Designs of the Year
2011 A’Design Award Winner
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
2025 Wired Magazine
2024 DesignWanted
2024 Design Milk
2024 Good Housekeeping UK
2023 DARC Magazine
2022 NPR The Pulse
2021 Business of Home
2021 Dwell Magazine
2020 Interior Design Magazine
2017 Wall Street Journal
2017 Forbes
2017 New York Magazine
2017 Industry Magazine
2017 Bon Appetite
2016 CNN
2016 DARC Magazine
2016 VICE
2016 Core77
2015 Business Insider
2015 BBC News Magazine
2015 The Guardian
2015 Wall Street Journal
2014 Dwell Magazine
2014 Azure Magazine
2014 Wired Magazine
2014 Interior Design Magazine
2012 Fast Company
Danielle Trofe holds two masters degrees, one in Design and the other in Biomimicry. Through these programs she’s honed her design skills and gained a deep understanding of the principles of nature, art, and functional aesthetics.
With a career spanning over 15 years in sustainable design, Danielle Trofe has successfully completed a diverse range of projects, from circular product design to developing novel regenerative manufacturing processes. Danielle is a pioneer in biofabrication, known for launching the world’s first commercially available lighting collection grown from mycelium and continues to influence and inspire a future generation of bio-based entrepreneurs, artists and industries.
Speaking Engagements & Events
EXHIBITIONS
2025 Circular Design for Climate Mobilization - Brooklyn, NY
2025 The Circular Republic Festival - Munich
2025 International Contemporary Furniture Fair - NYC
2025 The Ellen MacArthur Foundation Summit - Amsterdam
2024 High Point Market - North Carolina
2024 Material Matters - London
2024 International Contemporary Furniture Fair - NYC
2024 Wall Street Journal Future of Everything Festival - NYC
2024 Milan Design Week x Isola Design Festival - Milan
2024 Interior Design Show - Toronto
2023 Dubai Design Week x Isola Design - Dubai
2023 Tanween Ithra’s Creativity Conference - Ithra
2023 Dutch Design Week x Isola Design - Eindhoven
2023 London Design Festival - London
2023 Material Matters x Isola Design - London
2023 NYCxDESIGN Festival - NYC
2022 Museum of the City of New York - NYC
2020 Closeup with ICFF + WantedDesign - Online
2020 Maison&Objet Digital Design Fair - Online
2017 WantedDesign - Brooklyn, NY
2016 Grow: The Future of Manufacturing - Brooklyn, NY
2016 International Contemporary Furniture Fair - NYC
2016 NeoCon - Chicago
2016 WantedDesign - Brooklyn, NY
2015 London Design Museum - London
2015 SXSW Eco - Austin, TX
2015 WantedDesign - Brooklyn, NY
2014 Biofabricate - NYC
2014 Worrell Smith Gallery - Bridgeport CT
2014 U.S. Botanic Garden - Washington, D.C.
2014 WantedDesign Manhattan - NYC
2013 Brooklyn Botanic Garden - Brooklyn, NY
2013 Salone Satellite | iSalone - Milan
2013 WantedDesign Manhattan - NYC
2012 BMW Born Electric Tour - NYC
2012 WantedDesign Manhattan - NYC
TALKS
2025 Circular Design for Climate Mobilization - Brooklyn, NY
2025 International Contemporary Furniture Fair - NYC
2024 Material Matters - London
2024 International Contemporary Furniture Fair - NYC
2023 Business of Design - NYC
2020 The New School - NYC
2019 Cooper Hewitt Museum - NYC
2019 Fashion Institute of Technology - NYC
2018 SXSW - Austin, TX
2018 Rhode Island School of Design - Providence, RI
2018 WantedDesign - Brooklyn, NY
2018 Genspace - Brooklyn, NY
2017 Biobased Live - San Diego, CA
2017 Cradle to Cradle - Online
2016 Disruptive Innovation Festival - Online
2016 Lowline Lab - NYC
2016 Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce - Brooklyn, NY
2015 Autodesk University - Las Vegas, NV
2013 Museum of Art and Design - NYC
Education & Teaching
TEACHING
2019-2020 Parsons School of Design, The New School — Visiting
Instructor
2019-2020 Brooklyn Botanic Garden — Adult Education Teacher
2018-2020 Genspace — Workshop Instructor
2017-2020 The Pratt Institute — Visiting Instructor
DEGREES IN EDUCATION
2017 Arizona State University — Master in Science: Biomimicry
2009 Florence Design Academy — Master in Design
2006 Florida State University — Bachelor in Science:
Entrepreneurship & Marketing
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
2026 Brooklyn Botanic Garden — Certificate in Horticulture
2020 Parsons School of Design, The New School — Healthy
Materials & Sustainable Buildings
2017 Biomimicry 3.8 — Biomimicry Specialist