ROOM IN A BOX
As an inexpensive material, cardboard could have real mass-market appeal if it can overhaul its image as a flimsy, disposable material – something German cardboard furniture brand Room in a Box hopes to achieve. ‘Although our cardboard furniture can be recycled at the end of its life cycle, it is by no means a throwaway item,’ says Gerald Dissen, one of the brand’s founders. ‘Each of our pieces of furniture is designed and manufactured as a fully fledged alternative to a conventional piece of furniture.’ Room in a Box estimates that with love and care, its furniture will last as long as 10 years.
When it comes to sustainability, the figures are hard to ignore. One of Room in a Box’s cardboard bed bases, for example, could be as much as 280 times more climate friendly than a standard bed, using 8,000 times less energy. ‘The corrugated cardboard we use is extremely resource-saving as it consists of at least 70% recycled material and only 30% fresh fibres,’ Gerald explains. ‘The latter come from sustainable forestry and provide the stability needed for furniture construction.’ The furniture is finished with vegan glue made from potato, corn or wheat starch and environmentally friendly water-based paints.