I’m Erik van Schaften, a designer based in Rotterdam. My work starts with curiosity about materials, nature, and the things we tend to overlook. Through Atelier Schaft, I explore how unconventional materials — from invasive plants to handcrafted matter — can be transformed into meaningful objects and new applications.

I work through making, experimenting, and collaborating, often allowing the material itself to guide the process. Alongside Atelier Schaft, I teach at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK), and I’m co-founder of Foundation Why Knot, a platform exploring how invasive plants can be reimagined as valuable materials rather than waste.