In today’s world, we don’t think twice before throwing something away. You can even go, so far, as to say that we are a ‘throwaway society’. Waste is at an all-time high.  22 million tons of paper waste is produced every year, with cardboard occupying a major portion of that. We buy things we don’t need and throw away things the second we’re done with them. And the Cozy Cleo table lamp is a rebellion against such a world! Based in Germany, the design studio EveryOtherDay designed this 3D-printed table lamp. It was created using recycled plastic bottles and cardboard. This sustainable product is a fine specimen of circular design and wholly embodies minimalistic design principles.

Designer: EveryOtherDay

Designed by Frederik Rasenberger, the lamp is a result of a circular process. This process involves recycled cardboard being pressed and molded into shape without the use of any kind of additives. It is shredded into pieces by adding water, and then pressed into shape by applying 5 tons of pressure using a hydraulic press. It is then left for a couple of days to set, allowing it to turn as hard as wood. Once it has been hardened and set, a delicate water-repellent layer of varnish is applied to it, providing protection against moisture. This hardened and molded cardboard forms the base of the lamp.

On the other hand, the recycled plastic bottles are shredded and processed via 3D printers. This processed plastic is transformed into the corrugated shade of the lamp. Once the two components are connected, they form the Cozy Cleo table lamp. The Cleo table lamp is a holistically sustainable product defined by minimal aesthetics, clean lines, an intriguing geometric shape, and a captivating visual language.

“It is a first step to make it clear to the consumer that we no longer own materials, but only use them until they are put to another use,” said Rasenberger.

The table lamp is Rasenberger’s innovative attempt to tackle the excessive wastage of cardboard, and instead incorporate it in a circular design process, providing the material with a new and redefined identity. In this entire process, almost 200g of cardboard, and 10 plastic bottles are recycled. Once the lifecycle of the lamp has ended, it can be recycled, allowing the materials to once again be utilized in a completely new and different manner.