Most people will have heard how bad it is for you to sit all day. Inactivity can cause obesity, poor posture, and general unhealthiness – which is why so many people are switching to using standing desks at work or at home. The biggest problem is how expensive they are to buy. We recently featured the UpStanding Desk, which offered an affordable solution to this problem by converting your existing desk from sitting to standing. The Cardboard Standing Desk from Chairigami offers another, even more affordable, solution.
The Cardboard Standing Desk is, as its name suggests, a standing desk made entirely from cardboard. Strong corrugated cardboard, to be precise. Corrugated cardboard was chosen because it's "lightweight, durable, recyclable, and inexpensive." The result is a standing desk made from four pieces of cardboard that fold and slot together without any need for glues or fasteners.
The desk weighs 15 pounds (6.8 kg) but is capable of supporting up to 300 pounds (136 kg). It is not designed to last forever, but is durable enough to last an estimated 2-3 years. With a height of 42 inches (107 cm) it's suitable for people between 5'2" and 6'2" (157 and 188 cm), though it's unlikely to be as comfortable to use for extended periods of time as an adjustable standing desk would.
Comprising a desk top, two legs, and a support brace, the Cardboard Standing Desk can be built in less than five minutes. Being made from cardboard – 70 percent of which is recycled – makes the desk an eco-friendly option for those bothered by the concept of unnecessary waste. However, it could be argued that owning a piece of furniture that needs to be replaced every 2-3 years isn't the greenest option available, either.
The Cardboard Standing Desk is being funded through a Kickstarter campaign which has already hit its goal of US$25,000. At the time of writing, the desk is only available to those in the US, but Chairigami is exploring the possibility of adding a reward level for international shipping. The desk is being offered as a reward for pledging US$85 or more, with deliveries currently estimated for July 2014 – when and if it reaches production.
The Kickstarter campaign video below shows Zachary Rotholz, the Yale graduate behind Chairigami, demonstrating the Cardboard Standing Desk. While dancing. Badly.
Source: Kickstarter