From Feathers to Megayachts — The Journey of Organic Waste

In 2000, Lay Koon Tan left the boardrooms of the City of London to co-found Nature Squared, bringing a new vision to materials too often dismissed as waste.

Feathers, eggshells, seashells, leaves and bone are transformed through patient experimentation and exceptional handcraft into intricate surfaces for furniture, lighting and architectural interiors. Under Lay Koon’s direction, these humble remnants have found their place in some of the world’s most refined environments—from private residences and hospitality spaces to the dashboard of a Rolls-Royce Phantom and the interiors of megayachts.

Behind each surface lies a story of ingenuity and human skill. In the Philippines, Nature Squared has spent decades training artisans in specialised techniques, opening new possibilities for local communities while creating a contemporary language of craft. Materials once overlooked are revealed anew: tactile, expressive and rich with character.

Lay Koon’s work moves effortlessly between innovation and tradition, social enterprise and luxury, demonstrating the extraordinary potential held within the natural world.

This fall, NOMADESSENCE will sit with Lay Koon Tan for a conversation on imagination, transformation and empowerment—and the remarkable journey of organic waste from feathers to megayachts.