Famed Navy Chair auteur Jasper Morrison explores the potential of another infinitely malleable material with the Cork Family, a collection of stools that resemble spools.

Thinking in terms of the spool genus, all species are represented here: your standard knitting spool, those gargantuan wooden spools that house chairlift cable, even a yo-yo-esque iteration that’s thick in the center with rounded hemispherical ends.

Debuting for Vitra in 2004, the Cork family is the essence of natural. Each stool is made of 100% untreated raw cork, skillfully sculpted by Morrison into a durable, lightweight, eminently versatile place to perch—or perch your stuff on.

Morrison enjoys working with the material, citing its sustainability (cork is harvested from the bark in sections, leaving the tree uninjured and intact), natural resistance to fire and rot, and nice velvety feel.

It’s also just plain fun to work with: “It’s such a pleasing material to look at and to touch,” he says, “the process of machining the shapes from large blocks of cork is quite a sculptural one and is very different from the usual industrial processes.”

In 2019, Morrison expanded his cork oeuvre with limited edition furnishings, including a bookcase, chairs, and a table.

He also says he’d like to continue working with the material. Where can he go from here? Walls? An entire room? Given the material’s excellent insulating properties, this may not be far-fetched.