Daphne Side Table – Plykea sawdust

For Daphne, the answer started with birch plywood sawdust generated through CNC machining at Plykea’s London workshop.

Typically, between 60 and 100 kg of sawdust is produced every week through Plykea’s fabrication process. While this fine timber by product has traditionally had limited value, we wanted to explore how it could be transformed into something beautiful, creating a material with lasting value while retaining the warmth and tactility of the original wood.

The result is Daphne, a sculptural drum side table that explores how overlooked waste materials can become contemporary furniture.

First unveiled as a prototype at Clerkenwell Design Week 2026, Daphne formed part of our New Material Expressions collection alongside Mira and Alba, three furniture concepts, each developed from a different waste stream.

Named after the mythological figure Daphne, who transformed into a tree, the piece is a reference to transformation, permanence and renewal. Ideas that sit at the heart of our approach to material innovation.

Every prototype teaches us something new. Daphne is part of an ongoing programme of research, testing and refinement as we continue to develop new ways of designing with the materials that already exist. Rather than concealing the irregularities of waste, we allow its texture, colour and character to become part of the finished piece, creating furniture that is both materially honest and beautifully crafted.

This is just the beginning for Daphne. We’re excited to continue developing the collection and look forward to sharing more as it evolves.