Microsoft & Alcantara Collaborate to Integrate Renewable Materials into Surface Pro Signature Keyboard

“Reduce, reuse and recover”: circular design principles write the technology of the present, creating the Microsoft Surface Pro Signature keyboard covered with a new version of Alcantara material. Following an initial collaboration between the two brands in 2017, a partially bio-based hardware device is now born, using coating fibres derived 12% from sugarcane waste.

“Good design responds to a need – says the Senior Product Manager Erica Arnold. – And the need is yelling out for a help right now is the global environmental crisis”

“It’s our first step to our ultimate goal – says Microsoft principal designer Alec Ishihara. – 2030 positive water, carbon negative and zero waste”.

For Microsoft, working with Alcantara has created a chance to discover and innovate on materials and to partner with one of the world’s first companies to be carbon neutral since 2009, having defined, reduced, and offset all the CO2 emissions deriving from its activity.

This joined effort research, led in October 2022 to the launch of new Microsoft Surface Pro Signature Keyboard in Forest and Sapphire colorways made with a partially biobased version of Alcantara material containing at least 12% renewable content that is derived from sugarcane waste. 

It’s an incremental but exciting step in reimagining the next generation of Pro Keyboard materials that reduce the dependency on natural resources.

The incredible hand feel, sophisticated aesthetics, unique performance, and especially the versatility of the made-in-Italy material was fundamental for the integration of this evolved version of Alcantara in the products, marrying Microsoft’s desire of using a new frontier of resources in Surface without sacrificing the benefit of elegance and comfort. 

This approach toward incorporating circular design principles into product development aims to rewrite how our technology is designed to follow a ‘reduce, reuse and recover’ model, minimizing waste and extending the lifestyle of Surface devices for as long as possible.   

As we look into the future, the Surface team continues to work with Alcantara to develop materials that are made from renewable resources while maintaining the premium quality and aesthetic of the Surface brand.