Esther Kaya Stögerer and Jannis Kempkens, former graduates of the Weißensee Academy of Art Berlin, work as designers in material research. Esther's focus is on sustainability in the fashion industry and its supply chain. Jannis is concerned with material transformation in the context of waste and overproduction. As part of the LignoLight research project, they are working together with an interdisciplinary network of partners on the development of materials and products based on lignin, a side stream from biorefineries and a residual product of the global paper and pulp industry.

LignoLight uses lignin to produce materials for the furniture and fashion industries and is driving the paradigm shift away from petroleum-based to bio-based materials and products. Together with other designers, they founded the design studio circology

Circology is a studio for material research and circular product design. One aspect of the studio's work is cross-species design.