The description for these needles says they are made of densified laminated rosewood. I asked a question of Rufus & he also said they are made of rosewood. However some Symfonie Rose needles are said to be made of birch. I bought these because they are supposed to be made of rosewood. Who knows what they are made of? As with others, the box they arrived in had a couple of scratches on the surface, revealing that it is a bit flimsy. Other than that, the needles themselves are a smooth as my Lantern Moon needles. They are quite beautiful, especially if you don’t want wildly colored wooden needles. The joins are also as perfect as Lantern Moon. The cords are a bit stiff, but perhaps steam or warm water will help there. When I buy extra cords, I will go with Lantern Moon swivel cords, since they cost about the same as other Knitters Pride cords. With Lantern Moon, you get 2 cables & the hardware. I would buy this set again, regardless of what they are made of, since they are reported to be very strong & I find no contrary information. The experience of using these needles is lovely. They feel silky & the yarn moves well on them. I bought this set for a reduced price that makes them quite a bargain, with 9 needle sizes. Overall a very good buy.