Second Nature Sees Wood Waste as a Feature Instead of a Flaw

When wood is processed from its natural state, typically it’s cut down to become smaller beams and boards for construction, leaving behind all of the bark and sapwood (the soft outer layers) for waste. Seeing potential, Chialing Chang decided to design furniture and use it as a feature, giving way to Second Nature.

By using the full amount of the wood, what once was waste now becomes a focal point on the three-tier shelf and stool. Chang hand-picks leftover waste materials and uses them in the designs so when they’re assembled, they resemble the curve of a round tree trunk as if you’re looking at the tree itself.

Photos by Tzu-Chiao Chiu.

Caroline Williamson is the former Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk and a writer with a passion for modern design, architecture, and creative culture. She holds a BFA in photography from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, solving New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or curating Spotify playlists.

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