Designer Sohma Furutate developed PLAW, a material that combines the properties of plastic with the aesthetic of wood.

Plastic is typically a symbol of mass-production, a material that can be copied easily and is homogenous. Wood, on the other hand, has a unique aesthetic, thanks to the natural pattern and texture.

Furutate decided to combine the two, creating a hybrid material that lies in between wood and plastic. Using a mould made from singed wood, resin was added. While the plastic cures, the charred surface of the wood is transferred onto the material, copying the grain. The result is something akin to translucent wood with a black grain, courtesy of the patterned ashes.

The mould can be singed again to copy the same texture, turning wood’s unique aesthetic into something that can be mass-produced.

Using this method, Furutate created a pail, a box and a stool.

Photos: Sohma Furutate