Meet the Russian designers turning pine needles into stylish furniture

Creating tables and chairs from tree branches and trunks might be as old as time itself. But Russian design studio Aotta are taking eco-friendly production one step further by turning left over pine needles into must-have interior pieces.

The team mixes pine needles — usually seen as a waste product during logging — with biodegradable plastic to create a solid material that can be shaped into blocks. As well as furniture, the studio also focuses on eco-friendly soundproofing, creating acoustic barriers from hemp husks and other organic materials.

“Our passion is taking an ecological approach to problem solving: finding solutions which are environmentally-friendly and socially-responsible,” the group says.