The NGO EcoSur was one of the first entities to use this term in 1991 to refer to economically and ecologically viable materials. EcoMaterials promote the use of traditional technologies using local materials, but also new interpretations and developments. However, it is sometimes difficult to find traditional methods and customs in places, as propaganda for industrial products has marginalized many popular solutions.

Local artisans are in a defensive position and the people have doubts about the use of traditional materials and technologies. For decades, universities have focused on "modern" materials such as steel and cement and have neglected clay and other very low-cost materials. Furthermore, governments have created construction legislation that, in effect, prevents a majority of their citizens from building their homes. The manual and decentralized production of materials is in danger, as it is concentrated in large, urban companies.

To work with Ecomaterials, it is about discovering the raw materials existing in the place and combining it with known technologies, if possible from the same region, sometimes transferring knowledge from one place to another, even from one continent to another. However, this can never be reduced to applying a recipe; It has to be a creative combination that takes into account technical, social and economic factors. The solution is often obvious, but sometimes it requires intensive analysis of some raw material to define its usefulness.

Ecomaterials work intensively with traditional technologies such as stone masonry, adobe "Adobe (construction)") and brick, efficient burning of mud bricks, burning of lime in small kilns and also in the construction of vault ceilings, since research and development of new products based on ancient knowledge is considered important.

One of the biggest successes at EcoMaterials is the MicroConcrete Tile.

Other Ecomaterials of great importance are Pozzolanic Cement type CP40 and Adobe "Adobe (construction)").