Formica’s brand historian Renee Hightree Darrington joins the Material IQ Podcast for a rare deep dive into the company’s century-long design legacy — from its 1913 origins as an electrical insulator to the birth of mid-century modern icons like the “Skylark” boomerang pattern and Raymond Loewy’s postwar pastels. Along the way: the real story behind matte finishes, Color-Core, and how paper (not plastic) built an industry — plus an unexpected sustainability angle tying Formica’s history to forest health and carbon storage.