Of course, the same cardboard that coexists with us can be transformed daily into your sofa, bed or table. But also in a lamp or shelf. This new use of the cardboard is spreading throughout Europe, and slowly through Spain, and it is a sustainable way to reuse this material as well as making affordable items to decorate any home.
Although it is now when it is spreading, in the 70’s, the architect Frank Gehry developed two lines of cardboard furniture, a whole world to discover not only in a decorative way but also thanks to its functionality because it is resistant as well as removable and recyclable.
One question presented is how to avoid the inherent characteristics of the material, such as its low resistance to fire and humidity, a problem that can be solved by applying fire-retardant materials and treatments to prevent moisture from appearing. The advantages of a cardboard furniture from a wooden furniture are depending on the circumstances and the use. For example, its lightness is ideal for people who often move, student flats or public events where assembly and disassembly must be fast and very ephemeral. Also, taking into account that no external elements such as glue or screws are used, it becomes an option for easy assembly, storage and recycling. It should also be noted that prices are popular, bringing the current design to all budgets, which makes furniture against the crisis. Currently, one of its most widespread uses is for “home staging” as simulated furniture in the pilot properties or that are in the portfolio, in order to show the possible customer how the room would be decorated.
The weight that cardboard can withstand is also a matter of doubt in deciding to take the lead to this type of material but it seems that a chair, for example, can withstand a fine 150 kg and shelves up to 250 kg, as well as beds that can hold up to 1000 kg per m2, according to the German architects of Room in a Box.
This packaging has made this type of furniture known as “IKEA type”, since they come together with assembly instructions of only a couple of steps and have a process of easy construction.
At present, it is worth noting that there are two companies in Spain that are dedicated to manufacturing this type of furniture, which are Cartonlab, in Murcia, and KrtonPlan, in Valencia.
