When you think of furniture, you think of pieces made using the most traditional materials. We are conditioned to associate furniture primarily with wood, plastic, and metal so when we see products made from anything else it leaves us in awe. Vadim Kibardin decided to give an innovative, sustainable twist to it and designed furniture from paper. Why is his furniture a piece of art? Well, he has spent 5,110 hours making it by hand!

Every piece of furniture that Kibardin makes is one of a kind, there is no mold and he shapes them all himself. We are now moving towards a sustainable lifestyle but Kibardin has been doing this for over 25 years – he has successfully recycled 2000 pounds of cardboard which is equivalent to saving 17 trees. To put it into perspective, 17 trees absorb 250 pounds of carbon dioxide each year and we need to ramp up the materials we use in design so that they serve a functional purpose while also contributing to slowing down the climate crisis. Using sustainable construction materials like paper and turning it into furniture that is stylish, modern and eco-conscious is the future of long-lasting interior design.

Usually, sustainable furniture is all bamboo and cork, and the earthy tones may not fit everyone’s taste but this paper furniture certainly provides an upscale alternative. Earning praise from renowned global creators including Japanese industrial designer, Naoto Fukasawa, Kibardin’s work shows that you can use a ‘weaker’ material like paper to build a sturdy table or a durable accent chair. He has a Black collection and Totem collection along with many commissioned pieces that are housed in galleries, museums or homes of art collectors.

Designer: Vadim Kibardin