French designer Philippe Starck has created a collection of furniture for Cassina that have been upholstered in Apple Ten Lork, a vegan fabric.

A total of 16 pieces designed by Starck for Cassina, including the Volage EX-S sofa, redesigned with a thinner arm rest, the Privè collection and the Caprice and Passion chairs, have been covered with Apple Ten Lork.

The Italian furniture brand embarked on the "experimental process" from a desire to research alternative materials.

"Cassina's DNA has always been strongly identified by its drive for research and development," said the brand. "This is a first move in looking at what alternatives are available."

Each if the pieces is covered with Apple Ten Lork, a vegan alternative to leather, made from apple cores and skins, a biological industrial waste product.

It is one of a number of apple skin materials manufactured by Italian company Frumat and comes in white, orange and black colourways.

"The idea was to transform biological industrial residuals into a new raw material and to develop with them innovative materials with highly sustainable, bio-based fundamentals," explained Frumat.

"Those residuals, classified as special waste, otherwise got put in landfill or in some cases are burned."