Jacob Marks

New Makers 2026 | Jacob Marks An unexpected introduction to pine resin during his Furniture Design degree prompted Jacob Marks to centre his practice on the material. His novel use of the translucent natural substance, alongside paper, charcoal and plant-based pigments, is expressed through a distinctive range of vessels and home accessories. Discover Jacob’s New Makers collection via the link in bio. Photography by Suzie Howell.

For those who have recently discovered my practice and are curious to learn more about pine resin, I have published two books for you! (Both are available for purchase on my web shop) ‘Explorations In Pine Resin’ aims to be a handbook of sorts. Documenting the materials history, properties and uses, as well as featuring over 150 of my own early experiments. In 2025 this was updated with ‘Remembering, Forgetting’, which showcases the outcomes of my residency at @emmapforzheim , and further forges the link between material and landscape, past and future. Only 15 were originally printed for the exhibition but I’m doing a special run of 25 which will be the first and only time to grab a copy!

For those who have recently discovered my practice and are curious to learn more about pine resin, I have published two books for you! (Both are available for purchase on my web shop) ‘Explorations In Pine Resin’ aims to be a handbook of sorts. Documenting the materials history, properties and uses, as well as featuring over 150 of my own early experiments. In 2025 this was updated with ‘Remembering, Forgetting’, which showcases the outcomes of my residency at @emmapforzheim , and further forges the link between material and landscape, past and future. Only 15 were originally printed for the exhibition but I’m doing a special run of 25 which will be the first and only time to grab a copy!

Just finished off a dining table commission out of this incredible burl poplar, my first time working with such a figured wood! 📸 @rowley.cam

A big thank you to @leger_ant for giving me my Milan debut, with a wonderful show on the potential of coppiced materials in contemporary design. Poster design by @marco.ciacci and @takumiise

At 35mm thick, these solid pine rosin blocks take on a deep amber hue, showcasing the materials incredible translucency and capacity to be cast into organic forms. They have been commissioned by the wonderful @ninaandcodesign for @monceyewear ’s new store. Set into a aluminium table, they will serve as plinths to display the companies bio-acetate glasses.

Completing the initial Wattle Collection is the Wattle Mirror. A compliment to any bedroom, hallway or dressing room the full length Wattle Mirror employs a traditional basket making technique where the outer bark is peeled off, leaving an incredibly flexible core behind. The resulting texture is incredibly tactile, with a small area of bark left exposed to signify the materials origins. As with the rest of the collection it is now available to order through my online web-shop. Developed through a @growninbritain scholarship.

Generous in both it’s design and materiality, the Wattle Bed is the second piece in the Wattle Collection. Featuring an elegant solid oak frame, the main centrepiece is the tactile headboard, which, inspired by the traditional craft of hurdle making, has been made by weaving riven strips of hazel. The bed has been hand crafted in our London workshop out of British grown oak (certified by @growninbritain ) and includes solid ash slats. It has been photographed in a Queen Size but can be made to accommodate any mattress. Enquire or shop now via my website.

I’m excited to share the first piece in ‘The Wattle Collection’, the Wattle Stool. A contemporary re-imagination of the traditional stick-chair, The Wattle Stool plays with hazel’s unique ability to retain its bark, carving into the surface in full or part, to create playfully tactile facets. Available now through my online store. Handmade in my London workshop, exclusively out of @growninbritain timber.

Despite these diverse benefits, the amount of land actively coppiced fell 90% between 1905 and 1997. Among many reasons for this (labour shortages being a large contributor), a main factor is falling demand for the historic uses for coppiced materials. Thatching spars, hedgerow stakes/binders, hazel hurdles, chestnut fencing and charcoal have all been replaced by modern, often cheaper, imported alternatives. As a designer and maker, I feel as though the biggest impact I can have on reversing this trend is to showcase how the material can be reimagined. Showcasing the wonderful tones, textures and forms that are achievable when the materials is worked in new ways and applied to different applications. As part of my @growninbritain scholarship, I have created the Wattle Collection. Three pieces - a bed, mirror and stool - which aim to do just this, with each showcasing a different quality of coppiced hazel. However, this is just the start of what I hope to be a long period of exploration, and the research has already spawned exciting new opportunities and collaborations. The first of which being showcasing a further outcome of the project in Milan, as part of a show curated by @leger_ant I’m really keen to take this project far beyond me, and so if you’re a creative, particularly in the fields of architecture, engineering and product design, I’d love to hear from you. There is a massive research gap, with very little information on the material’s structural properties and capacity to store carbon that I feel like could unlock its true potential. Collectively, I hope we can coppice the future! 🧳 Coppicing The Future has been made possible through a @growninbritain scholarship.

Of coppicing’s benefits, probably most well known is its impact on biodiversity, as the frequent cutting allows light to flood the forest floor. Supporting a diverse mix of fauna and flora, and in one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, this is an impact not to be understated. It’s one of the few systems where we can confidently say our need to harvest material delivers a net-positive impact on nature. Coppicing also offers hope for a wider array of topics. Today’s crisis is in the supply of oil, but it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine something similar for timber, with the UK being consistently ranked as one of the top 4 importers in the world (the highest relative to GDP and the 2nd highest net importer in 2023). The UK is littered with derelict coppices, which in as little as 7 years could not only deliver benefits for nature but produce harvestable timber for a wide array of applications. With the material naturally following the strength of its grain and being round, consequently minimising waste, transportation and machining costs (in applicable contexts). In collaboration with @izi.thexton I have designed 5 posters which aim to provide a clear and concise way to communicate these various benefits. [2/3] Continued in my next post. 🧳 Coppicing The Future has been made possible through a @growninbritain scholarship.

It’s finally time to share my research project, ‘Coppicing The Future’, the result of nearly two years exploring the cyclical woodland management system. Coppicing is by no means new - in fact, with examples dating back to the Neolithic period, it is one of the first ways we began engineering our forests. Nor am I the first person to introduce the long straight stems it produces into the world of the design. My research is instead driven by a recurring sense of mystery as to why a system which holds so much potential is so underutilised and is even in decline. What is the future of coppicing? Can design help reverse this trend? [1/3] Continued in my next post. 🧳 Coppicing The Future has been made possible through a @growninbritain scholarship. ✍️ Logo design by @izi.thexton