cardboard furniture Archives

Posted on December 10, 2014November 6, 2020 by WTPartners

The Flatgoods Story

How did Flatgoods begin?

The founder of Flatgoods, James, started with an interest in graphics, signage, and colorful printing. He also founder and president of a signage company, Icon Sign–that means he is a long-time expert in industrial printers and routers. Because he already had this equipment available (and had a dream to do something better for the environment), James explored the possibilities of cardboard: the recyclable, bio-degradable, and printable building block of Flatgoods. Using some of the coolest cardboard out there (Falconboard, read more about it here), he and a few others began tinkering and designing, and decided to start Flatgoods: a brand specializing in printed cardboard furniture and displays.

You might think that the leap from sign-making to furniture-making is a big one, but we’ve found an awesome overlap between the two realms. We’ve taken custom-printing from the sign world, and combined it with modern furniture shapes to make printable, sustainable, cardboard furniture.

Our furniture is great for your home, your dorm room, your kids’ rooms, your office, or your tradeshow with your brand printed all over it. Seriously. Flatgoods perform beautifully in tradeshow and commercial settings. We make custom tradeshow backdrops, custom display racks or shelves, custom signs, custom… lots of things!

Our goals are to

- - Sell items that are affordable
  - Design items for flat, inexpensive shipping
  - Create a product that solves environmental problems

With the right type of cardboard and smart engineering, cardboard can be as strong as wood. But it’s printable and recyclable. What more could you want?

Watch our video here to see and hear more about us!

Posted on October 27, 2014November 6, 2020 by WTPartners

Dry-Erase U.S. Map Table

Dry Erase Map Table Flatgoods Grand Rapids Mi

Study the States in Style

At Flatgoods, we’re making useful, creative furniture while also pursuing practicality and sustainability.

With this dry-erase map of the United States printed onto a kid-sized table, your kids can grow familiar with the United States early on. Maybe if I’d had this table growing up, I wouldn’t have struggled so much in U.S. Geography!

Kids can color and write in dry-erase on their map, then erase it and do it again. Or, you can buy it without the dry-erase surface for one-time coloring.

This table is also a great size for doing crafts, playing games, etc., and it’s a sustainable option when furnishing a home or classroom on a budget. For product information, click here.

Posted on June 27, 2014November 6, 2020 by WTPartners

A Cut Above The Rest: Designing With Flatgoods

Designing With Flatgoods Grand Rapids Mi
Deksia, a brand strategy firm based in Grand Rapids, was tasked with developing a tradeshow booth for one of their clients, Chop. With the budget provided, creative director Josh Ryther and senior designer Jeremiah Elbel would normally have been limited in their production options for the tree service company. Fortunately, Flatgoods’ low-cost, high quality service allowed them to achieve their goals, and then some.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do anything for the same price (somewhere else). It would have cost three times as much to do,” Ryther said. “With Flatgoods, we were able to design a fully immersive experience that subtly changes your sense of place, which is really hard to do in a 10 x 10 booth. It gave us the opportunity to really draw attention to the brand.”

A three-panel booth was designed, with each panel featuring an education point relating to Chop’s services. “We designed it with Flatgoods in mind. We hadn’t really designed much with them, so we had to devise the structure. But we knew Flatgoods was capable of building anything we could imagine,” Ryther said.

With the low cost of production, Deksia realized they’d have money left over to make something special. “We decided to create a table to go in the center of the booth,” explains Elbel. “We made it bright red, which complimented the whiteness in the backdrop. It really helped create an atmosphere.”

Both Deksia and Chop were extremely pleased with the final product.

“Not only was the solution cost effective, but the actual product itself connected with the values of the company,” Elbel said, referring to Flatgoods’ premium, sustainable cardboard material.

“I think a booth of this caliber builds trust with consumers when they see it,” Ryther said. “It’s extremely professional and extremely forward thinking. It makes an impression, and it wouldn’t have been possible without Flatgoods.

Posted on June 18, 2014November 6, 2020 by WTPartners

Works of Art, in No Time Flat.

Flatgoods customizable furniture used in student art fundraiser

Products made by Flatgoods, a Deksia client that creates eco-friendly, affordable, and completely customizable cardboard furniture, were showcased last weekend at an event benefiting art education for local youth.

DEKflatgoods

HURRAH!, an annual fundraiser hosted by the East Grand Rapids Schools Foundation and Alumni Association, was held Saturday, March 22 at the Urban Institute Of Contemporary Art (UICA) in downtown Grand Rapids. The event included food, a cash bar, live music, and a raffle, with proceeds going toward furthering the arts within the East Grand Rapids school district.

Holly Lampen, a middle school art teacher for the district, was introduced to Flatgoods while working with founder James Mikrut’s other company, ICON Sign. The school received a grant from the East Grand Rapids Schools Foundation to design twelve giant flags for its campus; while developing the flags with Mikrut, Lampen was shown his work with Flatgoods.

“It seemed like a really cool fit for a student artwork auction, where the kids could design the chairs, and we could use them to raise some money,” Lampen said.

Lampen utilized grant money from the Foundation to purchase six blank white chairs and four blank white stools from Flatgoods to use for the HURRAH! event. Students from Lampen’s art class drew on one of the chairs, using the blank canvas to create a unique art piece.

“We have three elementary buildings, one middle school, and one high school, and each building received a chair to decorate. We also have a couple extra chairs that were printed with sponsor names,” Lampen said.

SONY DSC

The student-designed Flatgoods furniture was among the raffle prizes auctioned off at this year’s HURRAH! event. The money raised from these pieces will be used to purchase new art supplies and equipment, as well as to bring in artists to work with East Grand Rapids youth.

“(The students) loved it. They thought it was a really different project from ones we’ve done before. They all wanted them for their bedrooms,” Lampen said. “They’re like ‘oh my gosh, where can I get one of these?’”

Flatgoods currently offers kids chairs, cubbies, end tables, square tables, adult chairs, coffee tables and more in natural stock, white stock, or with a printed design. To purchase a Flatgoods custom furniture display piece for your home or business, head over to the company’s Kickstarter page to pledge.

“It’s such a cool product,” Lampen said. “I’m excited about it. I want some in our classrooms.”