Reimagining Waste: A Cardboard and Rope Chair with Circular Ambitions

A new open-source furniture project by India’s Dhammada Collective rethinks design through the lens of sustainability, repairability, and accessibility. Called the ‘Paper Tube’ Chair, this seat is made from discarded cardboard tubes and rope—materials that usually end up in landfill due to their poor recyclability. The design turns waste into structure, offering a low-tech yet clever alternative to conventional furniture.

A Philosophy of Joyful Frugality

The idea took shape after architect Nipun Prabhakar visited Pierre Jeanneret’s former home in Chandigarh. There, he saw the famous teak library chairs, once designed for student hostels, now sold at high-end auctions. Together with studio partners Simran Channa and Nilesh Suman, Prabhakar questioned this transformation. Could a chair, once practical and modest, return to those values using waste materials?

Back in Bhopal, the studio began collecting leftover cardboard tubes from a local print shop. These thick cores, coated in glue, can’t be recycled locally. The team experimented with different constructions and soon realised that rope could bind the tubes into a strong, flexible structure. Instead of glue or nails, a continuous figure-eight lashing held the components together. The result was a design that could flex under pressure, allow easy repairs, and use only reclaimed materials.

Simple Structure, Smart Function

The ‘Paper Tube’ Chair consists of 15 cut tubes and bright red rope left over from a weaving workshop. Each part is replaceable. Some tubes remain hollow and serve as hidden storage—perfect for glasses, notebooks, or pencils. Friction points are protected with 3D printed washers and feet, improving durability. A thin coat of varnish seals the surface but keeps each scratch and print code visible. This gives the chair a raw, honest finish that reflects its origins.

Inspiration for Designers

Dhammada’s chair offers valuable lessons for interior and furniture designers seeking sustainable alternatives. The project shows how circularity, local reuse, and simple tools can lead to elegant, functional design. Product and packaging designers may also explore similar methods of tension-based assembly or dual-purpose components.

The design is open-source. Anyone with access to cardboard tubes and rope can replicate or adapt it. Dhammada is even developing new projects—like paper-tube birdhouses—using the same approach.

Source: Wallpaper*
Photos: Nipun Prabhakar