Com Plates
Ultra-Thin Wooden Tableware Upcycled From Discarded Wood Receives International Design Recognition
COMO, CO, ITALY, July 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The A' Bakeware, Tableware, Drinkware and Cookware Design Award has announced Com Plates by Hiroshi Takahashi as a Bronze A' Design Award winner. Com Plates is a wooden tableware design that applies precision metalworking
expertise to wood, achieving an ultra-thin profile while addressing weight and bulk traditionally associated with wooden products. The A' Design Award is one of the world's highly respected and well-recognized accolades in the field of kitchenware design, evaluating entries through a rigorous and impartial process. This recognition positions Com Plates among designs acknowledged for thoughtful development and innovative use of materials. The honor reflects careful technical work that redefines the practical possibilities of wooden tableware.The A' Bakeware, Tableware, Drinkware and Cookware Design Award holds relevance for the kitchenware industry because it highlights designs that respond to current demands for sustainability, durability, and refined functionality. Com Plates speaks directly to the growing interest in upcycling and material reuse, transforming discarded wood into a high added value material. For users, the design offers lightness, durability, and compact stackability that improve everyday practicality. For the industry, it demonstrates an alternative material narrative in which wood serves as a base material for products typically associated with resin or plastic. This alignment with contemporary priorities supports broader conversations about responsible production and creative table settings.
Com Plates achieves a wall thinness of just 1.5 millimeters, with the proprietary process capable of reaching 1 millimeter, without compromising structural integrity. Rather than assembling thin boards, the design carves blocks into extremely thin sections, a method that addresses warping and cracking through heightened manufacturing precision. By embedding the material into a mold during machining, the process protects the wood from damage and allows surfaces to be programmed for gap free stacking. The result combines lightness, durability, and a sculptural presence that functions both as tableware and as an art object. This careful balance of technical precision and quiet aesthetic distinguishes the design within its market.
The Bronze A' Design Award recognition may encourage further exploration of upcycled wood as a refined contemporary medium and inspire continued innovation in woodworking. By demonstrating that metalworking techniques can be fused with wood processing, the project opens a new market segment focused on stackable wooden products. The recognition serves as motivation to continue refining proprietary methods and sharing them openly with others in the field. It also reinforces a commitment to elevating discarded materials into precise, valued objects.
Interested parties may learn more about the award-winning design at the dedicated page on the A' Design Award website.
https://competition.adesignaward.com/ada-winner-design.php?ID=175449
About Hiroshi Takahashi
Hiroshi Takahashi, based in Japan, comes from a background rooted in a metalworking business that, even in earlier years, never turned down requests for items others claimed were impossible to produce, instead persevering through trial and error to bring them to life. Although metalworking and woodworking may appear to be opposing disciplines, Takahashi spares no effort in bringing demanding designs to life. This persistence and willingness to challenge conventional assumptions inform the technical achievements behind Com Plates.
About Koushin Die Mold
Koushin Die Mold is a company that manufactures molds for plastic products and is led by its second-generation president. Although mold manufacturing was once its primary activity, the company now focuses chiefly on upcycling waste wood using the technology cultivated through years of mold production. By applying metalworking techniques to woodworking, an approach that may appear unconventional at first glance, the company produces results that consistently meet high expectations.
About Hn-Works
Hn-Works is a mold manufacturer founded sixty-eight years ago that, following a generational change, has made upcycling discarded wood its principal activity. Operating with no employees, a single person handles everything from planning and design to manufacturing, packaging design, and sales through an online store. The company crafted molds with distinctive designs and varied structures during its years in mold production before shifting focus to woodworking at the request of a furniture maker. All proprietary processing methods are openly shared, and processing instruction is provided upon request. Free from fixed ideas, Hn-Works aims to fuse metal and wood techniques to bring fresh innovation to the woodworking industry.
About the Bronze A' Design Award Recognition
The Bronze A' Design Award is granted to outstanding designs that demonstrate a high degree of creativity and practicality within the Bakeware, Tableware, Drinkware and Cookware Design category. Entries are assessed against established criteria including innovative functionality, aesthetic appeal, ergonomic design, material quality, durability and longevity, environmental impact, space efficiency, production feasibility, and design originality. This recognition acknowledges the dedication and skill of designers who produce work distinguished by thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. Designs receiving this designation are valued for their attention to detail and their potential to influence industry standards positively. The Bronze A' Design Award reflects a balance of form and function that offers meaningful improvements to daily life.
About A' Design Award
The A' Bakeware, Tableware, Drinkware and Cookware Design Award is a respected international competition that welcomes kitchenware designers, design agencies, companies, brands, and other entities active within the kitchenware and interior design industries. Entries are blind peer-reviewed and voted upon according to pre-established evaluation criteria by an expert jury panel composed of design professionals, kitchenware industry experts, journalists, and academics. Organized since 2008 and now in its eighteenth year, the A' Design Award is a juried competition held across all industries and open to entries from all countries. The ultimate aim of the A' Design Award is to recognize and promote superior products and projects that advance and benefit society, guided by a philanthropic mission to help create a better world through the transformative power of good design. Interested parties may learn more about the A' Design Awards, explore jury members, view past laureates, and take part with their projects at the following url: https://kitchenwaredesignaward.com
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