Japanese brand “notonly” crafts unique home items from rescued old timber

ReBuilding Center JAPAN has introduced a new product line called “notonly,” showcasing a collection made from salvaged wood that was once destined for disposal. The range features stacking stools, picture frames, and trays, each item carrying its own individuality due to the varying nature of the reclaimed materials.

Based in Suwa City, Nagano Prefecture, ReBuilding Center JAPAN isis an organisation that focuses on regenerating local resources by recovering timber and tools from empty houses. It engages in selling these materials, creating furniture and lifestyle goods, and supporting area revitalisation through design. The “notonly” line is a continuation of these values, giving new form to wood that has outlived its original use.

In contrast to previous offerings that celebrated the aged look of weathered timber, “notonly” explores a new aesthetic. By planing the surface, a raw, honest texture is revealed, suitable for modern interiors and pleasant to the touch. This gentle transformation brings the material closer to today’s daily living, both functionally and visually.

The wood used in “notonly” was once part of someone’s life, quietly present in floors or alcoves. ReBuilding Center JAPAN rescues these fragments of the past and reimagines them into new objects. Each piece holds traces of a previous life but is no longer defined by it. The name “notonly” reflects this layered identity: it’s not only recycled, not only beautiful, not only sustainable. There is a deeper relationship between object, place, and time.

Much of the material is collected through direct contact with homeowners. The team retrieves items like floorboards from tatami rooms and panels from tokonoma alcoves, often from dismantled homes or shuttered sawmills. The wood, stripped of its original setting, is shaped into functional works.

Each item is also packaged in boxes made entirely from recycled materials, reinforcing their suitability as gifts. They’re made to stay, to be used over time, and to gather new memories with their new owners.