9 Cardboard Lamps And Lights To Try Right Now

cardboard lamps and light to try right now cover

Cardboard is a great recyclable material, it is tough but soft, ubiquitous and underrated, and incredibly easy to source but did you know that they can be used for making furniture and lamps? The good thing about such pieces is that they can be easily packed and carried wherever and whenever you want it. Such furniture and lamps are good for dorm rooms, rented spaces and just for modern nomads that can’t live in one place for a long time. Of course, you can use them in a usual home, too, it’s a very eco-friendly design. Today we’ll have a look at cardboard lamps and lights.

The Popup Reindeer lighting is just the perfect level of quirky hipster for you. Made completely out of cardboard, these little things are so much fun to look at and so easy to assemble, you’re probably wondering why you don’t have them already. There are various colors and shades to choose from, so you can easily gather your own deer team.

Popup Reindeer lighting by Chen Bikovski (via www.digsdigs.com)

Popup Reindeer lighting by Chen Bikovski (via www.digsdigs.com)

Dubbed Cartonado, this cute little table lamp is laser cut into to pieces than come together to create the profile of an old school lamp and shade. Easily flat-packable, and even mountable, this lovely lighting fixture will provide a soft and warm light, ideal for creating a cozy ambience!

Cartonado lamp by Vicara (via inhabitat.com)

Cartonado lamp by Vicara (via inhabitat.com)

Seattle design studio Graypants presents ceiling lamps called Scraplights. The material is salvaged remnants of corrugated cardboard, the rests of the cardboard furniture plus reclaimed waste from the local area. The lamps are laser-cut into concentric circles to maximize use of material, then it’s stacked and glued by hand.

Scraplights by Seattle design studio Graypants (via www.digsdigs.com)

Scraplights by Seattle design studio Graypants (via www.digsdigs.com)

This lamp is made of package! The shipping tube for the self-assembled lamp turns into the housing for the lightbulb. The tube is laser cut and scored, designed to arrive safely while allowing the user to pop out panels for hanging and fitting the bulb. The height of the lightweight light is adjustable by a cork at one end of the tube, and the horizontal placement of the bulb is fixed by a pencil or coin.

R16 lamp by Waarmakers (via www.core77.com)

R16 lamp by Waarmakers (via www.core77.com)

Munich-based designer Nico Goebel presented Zigzäg Grandma, which is a new cardboard lamp that comes surrounded by a bright orange metal frame that takes it to a whole new level. The frame bends around the lampshade and is a nice contrast to the natural raw appearance of the cardboard. The single cardboard slices are laser cut and clipped into a filigree metal framework.

Zigzäg Grandma by Nico Goebel  (via design-milk.com)

Zigzäg Grandma by Nico Goebel (via design-milk.com)

The MINI HULA Special Edition Set comes with mini reproductions of the iconic designs, including the easy-to-assemble cardboard shade and a Baby Plumen 001 bulb. The set also includes a Plumen Drop Cap Pendant in your color of choice. Create your own pendant!

Plumen drop cap pendant by designer Laura Wellington (via design-milk.com)

Plumen drop cap pendant by designer Laura Wellington (via design-milk.com)

German designer Johannes Kiessler features a sturdy corrugated cardboard construction, emitting more light than two 75W light bulbs. Due to its lightweight construction and 21W tube, the illumination source lowers energy consumption, while waste from production and transportation is also significantly reduced. Weighing just 600 grams, the lamp is meant to be easily disassembled and can be completely flat-packed for shipping and storage. The pendant features four simple components: cardboard, wire, plastic and nylon thread, and can be put together in a matter of minutes.

Numerouno lamp by designer Johannes Kiessler  (via www.designboom.com)

Numerouno lamp by designer Johannes Kiessler (via www.designboom.com)

The Berlin based designers Formfjord produced relief for a problem we all know: the naked light bulb in the freshly furnished apartment creating this unpleasant, cold light until you finally find the right lamp to replace it with. New Flat turns the stopgap into a charming lamp. The cardboard lampshade can be sent by post in an A4 envelope as a greeting card.

New Flat lamp by Formfjord (via www.dailytonic.com)

New Flat lamp by Formfjord (via www.dailytonic.com)

Bye Bye Shanghai. The recycling lamp from Uroboro Design was made from recycled cardboard. The individual close to be closely packed in cardboard ring shape as one pleases. The result is a surprising and interesting one, considering the fact that it’s made just from recycled cardboard. It has a very organic shape that allows the light to come out creating a very artistic look. Because of the earth tones of colors, the atmosphere is a very warm and welcoming one, quite romantic actually.

Bye Bye Shanghai lamp by Uroboro Design (via www.homedit.com)

Bye Bye Shanghai lamp by Uroboro Design (via www.homedit.com)