It’s amazing how the simple practice of folding paper has managed to find itself as the hobbies of many nowadays. Origami came from the ancient Japanese practice of folding paper into different shapes and figures. This seemingly simple idea of folding paper was the exact inspiration for Tina Hovsepian and her company.
Cardborigami is a combination of origami and cardboard. Tina’s idea for the company came to her during a senior design project when she was asked to rethink the idea of ‘temporary shelter.’ That’s when she made her first prototype of a temporary, foldable, and cardboard shelter for the homeless. It was immediately a hit, and she started her company in 2010 and it has been successfully running for the past 11 years. The Cardborigami website says, “Our centerpiece product provides immediate emergency shelter to homeless and/or disaster-impacted populations, allowing us to support the work of established partner organizations that offer transitional pathways into permanent housing and other long-term services.” This statement sums up Cardborigami very well and establishes what their goal is. Cardborigami even offers other programs like social enterprise, disaster preparedness, and pop-up homeless shelter sites in addition to their main product.
Carborigami’s mission supports the homeless, which is a big social issue nowadays, and their main product is very clever. Cardboard is biodegradable, so it’s healthy for the environment after it breaks down, and it’s foldable and easy to transport, so anyone can bring it with them for an easy and temporary roof over their heads. Tina even comments on design by saying, “Design fundamentally impacts the daily life of people. Architects are armed with aggressively creative ideas and innovative solutions to complex problems. With more designers taking leadership and focusing their talent on socially responsible design, the world would be a better place.” It is absolutely true that designers bring a lot to the table when it comes to coming up with new ideas and changing the world for the better. “Socially responsible design” could be this company’s mantra, and they are truly succeeding in their mission. It is a wonderful idea to address this issue in the world and I hope to see more Cardborigami products giving shelter to those in need.
Cardborigami is a fascinating company! This company brings back memories of when I used to do origami growing up. I really like how Cardborigami is environmentally-friendly, turning a pastime into something great for the world around us.
Hi! This is a fabulous idea! I love how they took an ancient practice and attached it to a current need. I appreciate how they used an efficient process and eco-friendly products as a means to helping a social need. I would to see what one of these looks like!
This is so cool! I love how it was created to be fun while still helping people who need it.
The idea of foldable cardboard shelters is spectactular. Not only is it environmentally friendly, but the fact it’s origami makes it easy to fold up and transport, which would be really useful for refugees and homeless people. It sounds inexpensive too, which makes it feasible for the people who would need it most