The Room in a Box eco-friendly, corrugated cardboard bed that’s taken Europe by storm has finally made it’s way to the UK thanks to a timely Earth Day partnership with furniture retailer Happy Beds, its first and only supplier.
“Our company ethos is “because everyone deserves a good night’s sleep” and that shouldn’t be any different for anyone looking for an eco-friendly alternative to a classic bed,” said Joy Richards, a representative at Happy Beds.
Made in Germany, these eco-friendly beds are made of 100 percent corrugated cardboard – 70 percent from recycled paper fibres – and are easy to assemble thanks to its concertina design. It requires no screws, nuts or tools so unlike traditional beds, the Room in a Box cardboard bed is easy to assemble and dismantle, which the company claims can be done in just 30 minutes (but as quick as a few if you know what you’re doing!). That the bed doesn’t come with additional bits and pieces also means that there is no need for plastic packaging, bolstering the bed’s sustainability credentials. Available in just four basic colours – classic cardboard, white, black and blue – the printing inks used to colour the cardboard is also solvent-free, meaning that few chemical agents or solvents are used, which means a lower overall environmental impact.
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The bed is also light-weight but don’t let that fool you into thinking this bed will easily fall apart and won’t last the distance. The bed has been sustainably-designed with durability and versatility in mind (that the bed is astonishingly hard-wearing is what has made is so successful, particularly with hipsters and eco-conscious millennials) so it can be easily transported and stored when not in use, ideal for those living in small spaces and in high-rise apartments where moving furniture can be a nightmare.
“Just like an ant, our cardboard bed can carry 100 times its “body weight”. With a net weight of just 10kg, our small-sized bed carries a hefty 1,000 kg / m2. The secret of the stability of our cardboard furniture lies in the correct construction and the selection of suitable papers.” – Room in a Box website
Why a cardboard bed though?
When Gerald Dissen, co-founder of Room in a Box, stumbled over a paper chair at a sustainability fair in 2011, he couldn’t get the idea of cardboard furniture out of his mind. He shared the idea with his friend Lionel Palm who felt he was on to something and they decided to make a business happen.
“We started Room in a Box in 2013 with the vision to create eco-friendly and super-portable furniture, and we’ve gone from strength to strength,” explains Dissen. So much strength in fact, that the business now turns over more than £3 million annually.
Our customers love our sustainable corrugated cardboard furniture because it helps them live a low-emissions life, while also being extremely durable.”
Vegans can also rejoice as this sustainable bed is 100 percent cruelty-free, with no part of the bed using ingredients free of animal derivatives. Even the glue is vegan, made from either a corn, wheat or potato-based starch, the glue helps to bond the paper to the corrugated board.
Ethical lifestyle advocates can also rest assured as the bed is produced under ethical and fair conditions in Germany.
With brilliant reviews, an affordable price tag (starting price £99.99), stylish and innovative (read: Instagrammable) minimalist design and the company’s genuine sustainability mission, you can expect to see these beds more often, particularly in dorm rooms, studio flats and apartments in the UK.
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Room in a Box is exclusively sold in the UK through Happy Beds an independent furniture and bedroom retailer based in Batley, West Yorkshire. For more information or to buy one of these cool eco beds, happybeds.co.uk/cardboard-bed.
