Founded after Hugo Knox witnessed first-hand the scale of waste generated by discarded Christmas trees through his business Tree Brothers, ORNA Group, which stands for Optimised Reused Natural Assets, transforms waste wood into durable, low-carbon materials and products.

Over the past year, the business has reached several major milestones, including national media coverage, award recognition, commercial partnerships, grant funding, and continued product development support.

We caught up with Hugo again to hear how the business has evolved since taking part in the BIG Growth Programme, delivered by London South Bank University and funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund:

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Building a team and creating momentum

“Looking back at what we’ve achieved over the past year has been crazy, but the main thing I’m most proud of is building a team of people who are just as invested as I am. Seeing everyone develop and grow into their roles has been really enjoyable.”

“One milestone that particularly stood out was securing ORNA Group’s first major grant funding. When we got the grant, that was a big moment for us. It wasn’t even about the size of the grant; it was more about what it represented. Being connected with institutions gives you confidence and momentum. Small wins are really important, and momentum builds momentum.”

That momentum has helped ORNA Group gain increasing visibility, including BBC coverage, a feature in Audi UK’s “Driving Home for Christmas” campaign, and recognition by the Intellectual Property Office as a case study in circular innovation.

“It’s been really helpful in terms of exposure. The BBC’s reach was incredible, and then having large brands like Audi talking about what we’re doing, as well as the IPO highlighting it as impactful innovation, really helps support us. It builds credibility, and that opens doors.”

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Advancing the material

Alongside growing public awareness, ORNA Group’s material development has continued to advance. The company now has patent-pending material and is operating at Technology Readiness Level 5 (TRL 5).

“Our material development is driven by my co-founder, Caelo Dineen Vanstone, who leads the research at ORNA Group. Over the past year, we’ve benefited hugely from the academic support we’ve received, which has deepened our understanding of the material’s capabilities.”

“We’ve also recently secured grant-funded industrial-level machinery to improve production quality and performance as we work towards becoming market-ready. We’re still jumping through a few hoops to get everything ready, but we’re seeing great initial results and we’re confident we’ll get there.”

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Connecting circular innovation with the community

“Our collaborations with organisations including Southwark College and Southwark Adult Learning Services have also been particularly enjoyable, sharing our journey and the impact of circular economy innovation at a community level. Those projects showed us that people genuinely care about sustainability locally. There’s sometimes a misconception that sustainability is just a tick-box exercise, but we’ve seen first-hand that people do value it.”

“One of the best things about having residents and students interact with your material is that they become part of the R&D process. They give feedback on the material; fresh eyes always bring valuable insights.”

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Partnerships that support growth

Partnerships have continued to play a central role in ORNA Group’s growth. Alongside support from LSBU and UCL, the company works closely with The King’s Trust, Southwark Council, Innovate UK, ReLondon and the Alliance for Sustainable Building Products.

“One of the reasons we’ve managed to keep going is because we’ve leveraged those partnerships and support networks. The King’s Trust has been incredibly helpful, especially through mentoring and connecting us with its wider network.”

“Despite the growing recognition surrounding ORNA Group, I remain focused on the long-term challenges ahead. In business, you can’t get complacent. You must keep looking ahead, keep building and keep preparing yourself for what’s next.”

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The foundations created through BIG Growth

“Reflecting on the role of the BIG Growth Programme in ORNA Group’s journey, I can honestly say the programme helped establish many of the foundations that supported our growth.”

“When we first spoke a couple of years ago, we were talking about Christmas tree waste and making baubles. That has now evolved into construction materials. LSBU has been a huge help in our development from the very beginning. It’s been a privilege to work with the researchers, and that support is still there.”

“I still keep in contact with people from the BIG programme, and I’ve got nothing but great things to say about it. Being connected to knowledgeable, open-minded and supportive people has been really valuable for us.”

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Looking ahead

ORNA Group’s focus is now firmly on scaling research, securing further funding and progressing through the remaining Technology Readiness Levels towards commercialisation.

“We’re currently waiting to hear back on some important grants and looking to raise investment so we can continue building the team. We’re also preparing for a series of pilots and continuing work to meet the building regulations and standards required for market entry.”

“For me, success over the next year will come down to continuing to build the right culture, where people really believe in what they’re doing and enjoy doing it, while maintaining momentum.”

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Award recognition and continued progress

ORNA Group went on to win the Recycling Award at the British Renewable Energy Awards 2026. The team is now Carbon Literate trained and has delivered guest lectures at LSBU, UCL and the V&A in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects. ORNA Group has also showcased its material at the Chelsea Flower Show and has two active pilots nearing completion.

With continued academic collaboration, growing industry recognition and a clear mission to reduce waste through circular design, ORNA Group is turning discarded materials into long-term opportunities and continuing to optimise reused natural assets.

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About the programme

The BIG Growth Innovation Programme connects South London businesses with academic expertise from London South Bank University and partner universities, delivering tailored collaborative support to help businesses innovate and grow. The programme is funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) by the Greater London Authority. The aim of the UKSPF was to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

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Hugo Knox

Hugo Knox is the founder of ORNA Group, an award-winning sustainable materials company transforming discarded Christmas trees into durable, low-carbon products for long-term use.

After founding Tree Brothers with school friends to deliver, collect and recycle premium British-grown Christmas trees across South London, Hugo has built ORNA Group into a nationally recognised circular innovation business, with BBC coverage, recognition at the British Renewable Energy Awards, academic collaborations with LSBU and UCL, and pilots helping to move the material closer to market.