Giving olive waste a second life

Olive trees are the most eternal feature of Cyprus’ rural landscape, with olive oil among the key crops each year. While production has wavered over recent seasons, Cyprus continues to yield thousands of tons of olive oil and per person consumption sits among the higher levels in Europe at around 3.8kg per capita annually.

Yet significant amounts of byproducts – olive pomace and crushed pits accumulate in fields and pits around the island after every harvest where than can cause environmental and logistical concerns if left unmanaged.

Pit to Table is focused on addressing this challenge by converting discarded olive pits into bio-panels designed to be used in the creation of furniture, cabinetry and interior surfaces.  

Pit to Table was founded by a small Turkish Cypriot multidisciplinary team: Mustafa Afsaroglu, Yagmur Fellahoglu and Bugra Ebeler, whose backgrounds range from interior design, engineering and business. The idea came to life a few years ago when Mustafa, an interior designer with 16 years’ experience in the London constructions sector, returned to the island. The idea emerged from a frustration with the materials commonly used in interiors and furniture, many of which are dependent on virgin resources and chemical intensive processes.

The concept gained momentum in 2023 through a sustainability accelerator programme held in the Buffer Zone, run through Social Tech Lab with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), leading the team to develop its first prototypes and tested the commercial viability of the idea.

They were selected as one of the two winners of the accelerator, allowing them to move forward with product development. From there, the focus turned to refining the material itself. Over the following year, the team worked with a Greek Cypriot materials engineering company to shape a product that could perform in real world interior and furniture applications.

At the center of Pit to Table’s work is Pit-board, a bio composite surface material made primarily from discarded olive pits. In it, crushed olive pits are combined with plant-based bio resin derived from cashew nutshells to form solid panels.

Pit to Table supplies the material in sheets, allowing designers, architects and manufacturers to cut and fabricate it to suit their own projects. It uses vary; from tabletops to shelving, cabinetry and wall surfaces, offering an alternative to commonly used materials such as laminated MDF, wood and stone.

A signature characteristic of Pit-board is its exposed edge. When cut, the exposed material reveals the olive pits themselves, a detail that has become one of its defining features. This detail, the company says, helps users visually connect the finished product with its agricultural origins.

As far as performance goes, Pit-board behaves similarly to natural timber. It is resistant to moisture and can be lightly sanded as well as re oiled if scratched, extending its lifespan and reducing the need for replacement.

Beyond its application in design, Pit-board addresses a bigger concern associated with olive oil production, the management of agricultural waste. Every year, large amounts of olive pomace – a combination of crushed pits and skin – are produced across the island during the milling process. Although a percentage of this byproduct is reused or processed further, a lot of it is stockpiled, burned or sent to landfill, creating environmental and logistical difficulties.

By sourcing olive pits directly from the mills, Pit to Table redirects the waste into manufacturing. This helps the mill owners, who are required to remove the byproduct before they can proceed with production, and it also provides an additional income stream. The company then processes the material by separating the pits from the olive skins before integrating them into the panels.

According to the founders, one square meter of Pit-board contains roughly 20 to 24 kilograms of crushed olive pits, turning something that would otherwise be treated as waste into a durable product.

Offcuts that generated during fabrication are also reused whenever possible. Larger pieces are repurposed into samples while smaller pieces are turned into accessories like key rings, providing only minimal material loss.

Beyond sustainability, the company also places emphasis on inclusion. The founders say their approach actively seeks to ensure that both Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities feel equally represented while also offering opportunities across gender lines without bias.

Interest in Pit-board has grown rapidly since its public debut last year. The company formally launched to an international audience during Clerkenwell Design Week, Mustafa says that “the response exceeded expectations”.

Feedback from the design community has played an essential role in shaping the product’s development. The team involved potential users throughout the process, hosting workshops and consultations. Pit to Table currently operates on a business to business model, supplying Pit-board as a raw material to designers and manufactures, although recent online exposure has prompted enquiries from individual consumers as well. In response, the company is preparing to introduce a small batch of readymade furniture pieces allowing consumers to purchase finished items directly.

By giving new life to olive pits, Pit to Table demonstrates the how waste has potential to become a resource instead of a byproduct.

To find out more info on Pit to Table visit their website: pit-to-table.com