When Eindhoven-based designer Pao Hui Kao realized she was allergic to some of the pigments and coatings used in household furnishings, she decided to construct her own minimalist collection. The result is a line of tables, seats, shelves, and a light fixture made almost entirely of tracing-paper tubes soaked in rice water.

To ensure the sturdiness of her mostly-white designs, Hui Kao varies the size of her paper rolls. As they dry, the rice water binds each wrinkled piece together. In a statement about the wrinkle-filled project, the designer noted that she hoped to reconsider paper’s functionality and explore its potential. “Water is usually not welcome in the world of paper. I realized, however, that when water is absorbed by paper, it brings power to the inner structure,” she said.[…]

More: Using Tracing Paper and Rice Water, Designer Pao Hui Kao Creates a Sturdy Furniture Collection