Upcycling Cardboard Boxes
Aylesbury is hosting an Upcycling event in the Market Square today (Tuesday 3 September). Pop along and get inspired by the renovated furniture, repurposed clothing and other creative ideas.
In support of this local event, we wanted to explain the benefits of upcycling. We also wanted to share some great examples of how cardboard boxes can be transformed into new items for your home.
Why Upcycle?
Upcycling gives goods a new lease of life. It not only prevents useable items from ending up in landfill, but it also provides an affordable way of getting delightful and unique items. In many cases it is possible to make the repurposed item even more desirable than the original and you get a positive sense of achievement when you see the end result.
As an example, equipped with a sander, wood paint and finishing wax, it is possible to transform dated furniture and even pallets into stylish items for the home and garden. Even if you have an eclectic collection of items, applying the same colour and pattern can unify them in your interior design.
It is possible to pick up cheap items at car boot sales, charity shops or even online sites such as Freecycle. With a small initial layout and a little time, you could end up with a collection of original furniture.
What about Cardboard Box Upcycling?
Moving house, ordering goods online or collecting from your local supermarket, one item that is in plentiful supply is the humble cardboard box. Corrugated cardboard is a naturally lightweight, yet strong material and if it is constructed in layers or with supporting sections, it can be incredibly robust. This makes it a great material for upcycling.
We can all remember back to our childhood when a large cardboard box sparked our imaginations. It didn’t take more than a little adjustment to transform the into boats, cars, dens and other wonderful play items. This was fun, but cardboard can be the basis for more complex and desirable items.
If you search ‘cardboard upcycling’, you will find plenty of blogs and pages which offer wonderful ideas for cardboard creations. Some may keep the children entertained, but with a few resources, it is possible to make appealing storage boxes, tealight lanterns, home organisers and photo frames.
Inspiration for Cardboard Creations
When you have mastered the art of smaller DIY projects, you may be tempted to take things a step further.
Cartonable is one of the many groups and individuals who have turned to cheap and readily available cardboard as a material of choice. Take a look at photos on their Facebook page to see how sheets of corrugated cardboard are being transformed into a range of usable sculptural furniture.
An American cardboard packaging company has really pushed the boundaries of how corrugated cardboard can be repurposed. Their team have produced fully functioning guitars, drum machines, skateboards and surfboards, all constructed from cardboard. Check out https://www.ernestpackaging.com/buzz/on-innovation/ to see the full potential of this packaging material.
Finally, the Wikkelhouse is a home, made from layers of laminated corrugated cardboard. Now there’s a thought!
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