Design studio Studio TOOJ has introduced the Duk furniture series, a collection of pieces that create the illusion of soft, draped fabric despite being constructed from rigid materials like wood and mycelium. Named “Duk” after the Swedish word for “tablecloth,” the series was developed in partnership with biotech company MycoWorks.
MycoWorks contributed their innovative Reishi material—a leather-like substance derived from the root structure of mushrooms—which is used to finish the surfaces of the furniture. Each piece in the Duk series is carefully sculpted from wood before being upholstered with this unique, living material, blending organic textures with the visual effect of flowing cloth.
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Studio TOOJ debuted the first piece in the Duk collection—a floating corner table—in December 2024. Building on this initial launch, the studio introduced a matching side table and pedestal at this year’s Milan Design Week, all featuring the same distinctive style. Ashley Wilén-Jong, who co-founded Studio TOOJ with her partner Johan Wilén-Jong, shared that the inspiration for the series stemmed from their deep interest in the concept of illusion.
“I remember being captivated by surrealism as a teenager – especially the way Salvador Dalí could make familiar objects appear strange and dreamlike,” said Ashley Wilén-Jong. “That stayed with me. Years later, the Duk series emerged from that same curiosity: How can we make something solid feel fluid? How can we create an object that makes people do a double-take?” she continued.
Initially, the pair did not plan to use Reishi material when designing the first piece. However, once they began experimenting with it, they discovered that it quickly became an integral element of the project. “The illusion comes from the form itself — it’s carefully sculpted to mimic the folds and tension you’d see in real draping cloth,” said Johan Wilén-Jong. “That’s the core of the visual ambiguity we’re exploring. Reishi then adds another layer of illusion. Its natural textures and soft, matte softness make it feel almost textile-like, even though it’s a completely different kind of material. It blurs the boundary between soft and solid in a way that’s both playful and disorienting.”
Reishi is the flagship product of MycoWorks, which describes it as “the best biomaterial on the planet.” According to the company, Reishi provides designers with exceptional control over their creations, as it is cultivated in a lab using a process that enables precise customization of its strength, texture, and appearance. This adaptability makes Reishi an appealing choice for innovative and sustainable design projects. “Unlike traditional leather, which requires the designer to adapt to the inherent limitations of animal hide, such as shape, thickness, or surface imperfections, Reishi offers consistent quality and performance, enabling new possibilities for creativity and design,” said MycoWorks.
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