I’ll be honest, I thought nothing could tear my love away from my darling Henry vacuum, but my mind may have just been changed by this new product from Vax.

Student Jake Tyler designed the world’s first cardboard vacuum cleaner as part of his final year degree project after working with Vax under an industrial placement scheme.

The vacuum is made from recycled and recyclable materials which means less waste going to the landfill.

It’s also got a pretty cute way of cutting back on packaging: it IS the packaging.

Green cleaner

In a rather ingenious bit of design, the box the product comes in transforms into the main body of the cleaner itself, clicking neatly into place over the innards.

The cardboard parts can be replaced for around one tenth the cost of their plastic counterparts. The cardboard unit is fully flame retardant and — better than that — fully customisable.

Finally, something the kids can draw on with no hassle from mum and dad!

The manufacturing process cuts back on assembly lines and means the units can be produced locally with minimal distance distribution for a more environmentally friendly process all round.

To me, this is the future. Concern about unsustainable electronics and household appliances has been growing for some time now and the throwaway culture we live in can go on no longer.

The only concern is how flimsy these vacuums are, but I’d really have to test one for myself to judge that.

The project also demonstrates some of the brilliant young talent we have in our universities today. As Paul Bagwell, Director of New Product Development at Vax, says “It’s so important that manufacturers such as ourselves support young British designers like Jake, as they are they key to this country’s future success.”.

I’m all for it if it means more exciting new products like this!

Would you consider a cardboard alternative to your brown and white goods? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us at @dorkadore!

Tamsin Worrad

Tamsin is a crafty, geeky blogger, who can be found tweeting, blogging on her blog Miss Believer, and writing about tea over on splashofmilk.wordpress.com

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