2025 Graduation Project 'PLY WOOLD FELT' by Ena Iida — IDREIT®

I conducted research and production of a new type of plywood made by laminating wooden plywood with wool felt, and I also worked on creating a chair that utilizes the unique characteristics of these materials.

The plywood I produced has a unique dual-value characteristic — it is hard on the surface like typical plywood, yet soft when pressure is applied because the layered wool felt compresses. This results in a material that is both “hard and soft” at the same time.

The development process began with the idea that by sandwiching a non-wood material within wooden plywood, I could create a plywood with a different texture, softness, and warmth compared to conventional plywood. After considering various materials, I chose wool felt to layer with the wooden plywood.

Through experiments involving the compression process, the amount of wool felt, and the effect of compression time on cushioning properties, I was able to create a plywood that combines the softness of wool felt with the firmness of wood.

I chose to create a chair using this material because I believed that the unique dual-value characteristic — the combination of hardness and softness — would be best experienced through direct physical contact when someone sits on it.

For the seat and backrest, I used plywood with a shorter compression time, allowing the felt’s cushioning properties to remain, so that the flat plywood surface still provides a sinking sensation when sat upon. For the legs, I used plywood that had been compressed more firmly to ensure the structure could support the weight of the chair.

This chair is the first piece of furniture I created using this material, and there is still ample room for improvement. However, I believe that this laminated plywood combining wooden plywood and wool felt holds significant potential as a versatile material. I intend to continue exploring this material’s possibilities and developing new furniture designs that utilize it.