These 3D geometric jigsaw puzzles by Takizawa Plywood feature three forest animals native to Hokkaido: the Ussuri brown bear, the Ezo red fox and the Ezo Risu Hokkaido squirrel. The elegant and playful stripes at the edges of each piece reflect the alternating layers of colored recycled paper and wood veneer used in the plywood’s construction. Known as Paper-Wood, this innovative hybrid material was invented in Takizawa’s PLYWOOD laboratory in Hokkaido, the northernmost prefecture in Japan known for paper production and woodworking.
Variation:
The color of the recycled paper stripes are specific to each animal: blue for the bear, orange for the fox and green for the squirrel. The rectangle-based brown bear consists of six pieces, the circle-based squirrel four, and the triangle-based north fox two. Each piece is handmade, and there may be some color variation throughout the cross-sections of the Paper-Wood. Each piece will have a slightly different grain.
History:
PLYWOOD laboratory is a product brand launched in 2016 by the long-established plywood manufacturer Takizawa Plywood, which was founded in Hokkaido in 1936. Paper-Wood, an innovative plywood invented by Takizawa in 2009, is made by laminating colored recycled paper sandwiched in-between veneer layer of wood grown in Hokkaido. This layering creates the plywood’s attractive and colorful striped cross section. Paper-Wood received the Good Design Award in 2010.
Ussuri brown bear: 9″ x 2″ x 4″
Ezo red fox: 7″ x 4″ x 2″
Ezo squirrel: 3″ x 2.5″ x 1″
Materials:
Paper-Wood is made of laminated recycled paper and basswood veneer sourced from Hokkaido.
Care Instructions:
Avoid leaving in direct sunlight for an extended period of time. Keep dry.
