TREND ALERT JESMONITE

Made from a mixture of gypsum plaster powder and acrylic resin, Jesmonite was invented in 1984 by Peter Hawkins as a safer alternative to fibreglass, and a more lightweight option than cast concrete (which it closely resembles). Used initially in the building industry, it is now winning design plaudits. Labels that have begun working with the material include Heliot & Co, which has used it to make honeycomb-textured tiles ( heliotandco.com); and new talent Olivia Aspinall (olivia-aspinall.com), who mixes fragments of pigmented Jesmonite into a white base to create terrazzo-style furniture and accessories. The material is highly versatile: Israelibased Maor Aharon uses centrifugal force to produce the patterns on her stools (maoraharon.com), while London-based Phil Cuttance (philcuttance.com) casts cabinets and vases with elaborate herringbone patterns, using handmade plastic moulds.