Bentley Home Races In With A Table Made From Paper Marble

Bentley Home, known for its luxurious furniture designs, has just revealed its latest project: a table made from paper marble. While marble is a stunning addition to any home, its production process damages the environment as it involves quarrying, which destroys natural habitats and contributes to air pollution by creating marble dust.

Bentley alongside Italian company Paper Factor and designer Frederico Peri debuted their first piece, the Thames table made from wood, paper, and cellulose fibers. To the naked eye, the results look just like marble does. Per Dezeen, Paper Factor’s founder, Riccardo Cavaciocchi, described the use of cellulose fibers as “an innovative evolution of paper-mâché.”

A wooden base frame is first used, and then it is layered with Paper Factor material. This includes European Forest Stewardship Council-certified cellulose fibers mixed with glue and non-toxic water-based binders. It is then topped off with natural pigments to add different hues to it. Once it has dried, it is sanded down to give off the same glistening texture as marble.

What’s notable about this project is that it can be produced without using plastic or fossil fuels. And, thanks to its cold production process, heat is only needed during drying. In addition, the table can be recycled by returning it to Paper Factor to be repurposed as a secondary material source.

It’s a refreshing solution to the environmental concerns surrounding traditional marble production, especially concerning luxury furniture design.

[via Dezeen and Elite Traveler, images via Bentley]