Sarmite Polakova

A case in point is her ongoing project, PineSkins. It consists of a design collection of pine bark products with unusual aesthetics, sourced from forests, that are breaking the existing stereotypes of traditional bark products. Sarmite seeks to show that there is more to the pine tree than its cheap timber. Its bark is carefully harvested and given its own identity through its unique texture, colours, and scent. Such an approach has never been applied to this tree, and thus it has become a unique material with a high familiarity factor, intuitively connecting with its audience. This project has been exhibited in various design events, including Dutch Design Week (2015, 2018), the "Earth Matters" exhibition in Tilburg Textile Museum, curated by Lidewij Edelkoort, Maison & Objet, Design Week Shanghai, and Milan Design Week (2016, 2019), as well as being published in Frame magazine, AD, and Elle Decor.

Sarmite envisions the bark in everyday products to bring a piece of nature into people’s homes. The contemporary design objects invite people to slow down, experience the tactility, and smell of the forest.