Monolithic slabs of pearlescent polycarbonate make up the latest designs from Dutch startup Plasticiet, which aims to bring new value to recycled plastic.
Plasticiet debuted its limited-edition Mother of Pearl collection at the Collectible design fair in Brussels earlier this month.
Consisting of a chair, stool and shelving design, the series is made from slabs of recycled polycarbonate that feature a swirling, shiny finish reminiscent of the natural material after which the collection is named.

This effect is created by kneading and stretching recycled plastic in a technique similar to that used for making the chewy sweet taffy from hot sugar.
"The material is stretched and folded numerous times, aerating it," explained Joost Dingemans, co-founder of Plasticiet. "The tiny stretched air bubbles captured within the translucent plastic reflect light, resulting in an iridescent glow resembling mother of pearl," he added.

Each slab used to create the furniture is individually moulded before being connected together. The final forms were inspired by primitive human-made stone artefacts from the final part of the Stone Age.
"We can create much larger pieces than what the collection currently shows by playing with the composition and holding in mind that polycarbonate is an extremely tough material," Dingemans told Dezeen.
"Currently the largest single block we've made was around 15 kilograms, which is twice the size of the chair's seat,"...