Cardboard beds, since they can be easily and compactly stored, quickly set up and dismantled, can really come in handy during emergencies. Designated shelters often have them on hand. The object of international media attention at a famous international sporting event that took place in Japan last year, cardboard beds are also sturdy, not to mention providing a convenient and environmentally sound solution for temporary living arrangements.

Nevertheless, for all their advantages, many cardboard beds commercially available on the Japanese market, while usually cheaper than non-cardboard beds, can be surprisingly costly.

Japanese company 株式会社アース段ボール Āsu Danbōru Co., Ltd. (Best Carton), which specializes in cardboard boxes, is now selling a cardboard bed for 5,940 JPY (tax included), which is around $50 USD (exchange rates at the time of writing), with free delivery in Japan included on their Rakuten store. In their press release, the company claims that this is one of the cheapest beds now available on the Japanese market

Background

Japan's Disaster Relief Law stipulates that evacuation shelters must be set up within 7 days of the occurrence of a disaster, so the company used this as a guideline to create the cheapest cardboard bed with the minimum necessary contents.

The size of the bed, 183 cm x 99 cm x 30 cm, is slightly smaller than the standard size of a single bed. However, in a one-week durability test with a man 175 cm (5'9") tall weighing 80 kg (176 lbs), there were no problems.

Made from repurposed moving boxes

The price of producing a box specifically for a bed is inevitably high. In this case, Āsu Danbōru was able to keep the price down by repurposing boxes designed for moving and using them for the base. Moreover, after dismantling the beds, the boxes forming the base can be then be used to transport materials from the shelter.

No waste

When the cardboard beds are delivered, keep the outer packing box, since it can be used as an L-shaped partition. As shown in the image below, all you need to do is cut along the glued seams. Having a partition allows you to maintain privacy, which is an important aspect of spending time in an emergency shelter.

Two-layer top boards for durability

Although very strong AAA-tier (15 mm thick) cardboard panels are ideal to support weight, they are expensive. To cut costs and increase durability, the company stacked two W/F (8mm thick) panels, which are less costly and are more sturdy than a single AAA-tier panel.

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Product information

• Name: Easy cardboard bed
• Dimensions (assembled): 990 mm (3'3") wide x 1830 mm (6') long x 316 mm (1') high
• Weight: 10.8 kgs (23.8 lbs)
• Components: Outer box (partition), tape, 6 panels, 9 large boxes, 3 medium boxes
• Price: 5,490 JPY (tax included), free delivery*
• Product page on Rakuten

* You will need to go through a forwarding service like Buyee or White Rabbit Express to have it delivered overseas.