Getting children involved in practical projects at a young age can aid their development and foster their creative streak ... which is what Kids Imagination Furniture from The Cardboard Guys hopes to achieve. The set comprises a cardboard desk and chair which children as young as five can build for themselves.
The Cardboard Guys are three graduates of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Their range of cardboard furniture was born from an ambition to reduce the amount of waste created on an annual basis. Corrugated cardboard was chosen as the perfect material, thanks to both its strength and ability to be recycled. The bonus with Kids Imagination Furniture is that cardboard can also easily be decorated, allowing kids to let their creative juices run free, and for parents to relax about furniture getting damaged.
Kids Imagination Furniture comprises a desk that's 27 inches (69 cm) across, 23 inches (58 cm) high, and 19 inches (48 cm) deep, and a chair that's 23 inches (58 cm) high, 12 inches (30 cm) deep, and has a seat 13 inches (33 cm) high and 10.5 inches (27 cm) deep. The cover of the desk is reversible, allowing for at least two different designs, and it also features plenty of cubbies for storing art supplies and the like.
The furniture will be delivered flat-packed in a few simple pieces that snap and lock together using The Cardboard Guys' proprietary system. The structure of the furniture means it can hold up to 500 pounds (227 kg) in weight. It's all manufactured from between 40 and 60 percent recycled fiber, and the furniture can itself be recycled when the kids grow out of it.
The Cardboard Guys are funding Kids Imagination Furniture through a Kickstarter campaign, seeking to raise US$25,000. At the time of writing a pledge of $75 or more will get you one desk and one chair, providing the creators deliver on their promises. Shipping is set to begin in June 2015. The video below shows the creators talking a little about the furniture, as well as a demonstration of the manufacturing process.
Sources: The Cardboard Guys, Kickstarter