What do you normally associate with sustainability? Is it energy-efficient bulbs? Recycling? Reusable bags? Perhaps electric vehicles? While these are all valid ways to mitigate environmental impact, we believe it’s important for companies and consumers to start rethinking sustainability - particularly in how they approach eco-friendly products.
Climate change affects nearly all aspects of human life, from the food we eat to the air we breathe right down to the clothes we wear. In this article, we share insights into how consumers and companies can approach sustainability more creatively and cost-effectively.
Does Sustainability Have to be More Expensive?
Sustainable products are often more expensive than their less environmentally friendly counterparts, but this is not without good reason.
The higher cost of sustainable products is often due to the use of superior materials that make them more durable and long-lasting, reducing the need for repairs and replacements in the long term.
While implementing sustainability measures can involve upfront costs, these costs can be offset by the cost savings that are achieved over time. However, there are exceptions to this rule, as some eco-friendly products can be cost-effective options for businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact.
Examples of these types of products include sustainable furniture, exhibition booths, and recreational equipment.
Furniture
The furniture industry, like many other industries, generates carbon emissions, which is only exacerbated by its reliance on virgin materials. The fast furniture trend, which involves the rapid production of low-quality products that don't last more than a few years, is also compounding the problem. These products often end up in landfills, contributing to environmental waste.
How Does Cardboard Address This Problem and What Are the Gains?
Paper Carpenter is a cardboard design agency, and we saw a way to address this issue. With cardboard as the main structural material, the demand for virgin materials is less, not to mention, easily customisable.
Furthermore, our unique cardboard blend called Gaia Boards™️ is strong, lightweight, water resistant and fire resistant, making it long lasting and easy to transport. Best of all, furniture made from cardboard is less expensive than traditional furniture made from wood or other materials.
Paper Carpenter has produced a variety of cost-friendly furniture from cardboard, including floor lamps, geometric wall features, sofas, beds and tables, proving that sustainability doesn’t have to be expensive.
Exhibitions Booths
It is alarming how much waste is generated by trade shows. In fact, UFI, the global association of the world’s leading trade show organisers, acknowledges this, and revealed custom stands (often made of wood) being dumped in landfills after a three-day exhibition as a blight to the industry.
At Paper Carpenter, we design solutions. And in response to this challenge, we used our proprietary cardboard blend (Gaia Boards™️) and our PaperConnect™️ System to build sustainable custom stands.
The PaperConnect™️ system comprises compressed square paper bars joined together with recyclable plastic connectors to create a durable structure.
Our cardboard being eco-friendly, cost-effective, and durable made it a perfect replacement for the unsustainable materials being used for exhibition stands.
How can Cardboard Help Reduce Waste and Save Money?
Much like cardboard furniture, cardboard exhibitions help reduce reliance on virgin materials. They are also less expensive to build, transport and assemble, making it a perfect option for those who don’t want to spend a lot of time setting up their exhibition space.
Outside assembly and transportation, cardboard, despite being lightweight, is strong enough to handle the hustle and bustle of busy conventions. With an internal structure such as our unique PaperConnect™️ System, that is built to be strong and durable, makes cardboard suitable for use in exhibition booths.
Recreational Equipment
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. As a design agency, we prefer to paint colour, light, and hope over dark and monochrome scenes. Unfortunately, there’s plenty of that in the leisure industry, with huge volumes of waste generated yearly.
Part of our contribution to this problem is a series of equipment designed for fun activities including playhouses for kids, carnival stalls and booths, decorations, and displays - all made using our proprietary cardboard solutions, i.e., Gaia Boards™️, PaperConnect™️, and Cardboard Carpentry™️.
Ready to Rethink Sustainability?
As a cardboard design agency focused on using cardboard from sustainable sources to create innovative solutions, we hope that individuals and corporations realise that there’s more to sustainability than what is shown in mainstream media.
Only by critically reexamining our way of our life - both in how we live and work - can we truly begin to embrace a more holistic form of sustainability. Paper Carpenter is committed to creating a sustainable world through cardboard designs. Speak to us to learn how we can help you or your organisation meet its environmental goals.
