New Recyclable Cardboard Chair Kit-Creativity for Kids Meets Sustainable Design

A concept derived of an architecture school project becomes the Elia Mini Chair, the latest trend in creativity for kids. Architect/Engineer/Dad, Michael Gross has scaled down his cardboard chair into a version for children. This new, environmentally friendly, cardboard chair is easy to assemble and fun to decorate. The ELIA mini chair is perfect for birthdays, rainy days or any day creative inspiration is needed. ELIA products fuse functionality with creative forms to entertain and engage children ages 4 and up. The chair pieces are reversible, providing two surfaces to decorate with paint, markers, crayons or the included stickers.

(PRWEB) April 10, 2008 -- A unique architect-designed cardboard chair, made to be strong enough for adults, is now available in a scaled-down version as an activity kit for kids. Packaged with decorative adhesive stickers, the Elia™ Mini Chair kit allows children aged four and up to create a work of modern art that can be used, re-used and recycled.

Good design that's fun for kids
The Elia Mini Chair is designed by Michael Gross, a local architect and engineer who developed the concept while in architecture school. Gross, who furnished his own home with these chairs for years, was encouraged by the response from friends and colleagues who admired the chairs for their simple yet elegant design and remarkable strength. It wasn't until last year, though, that Gross decided to evolve his concept into a kid's activity product - a decision that was inspired by his role as a parent of a "crafty" 6 year old daughter.

"I have always been drawn to the aesthetic and functional possibilities of simple, natural materials," Gross says. "The Mini Chair lets parents and kids discover how an ordinary, inexpensive material like cardboard can be transformed into something that's incredibly strong, useful and creative - and have a lot of fun in the process. The fact that the product is 100% recyclable is an important feature of the product as it emphasizes our sense of responsibility towards the environment - a concern many parents share and try to impart to their children."

Creativity you can put to good use
The Elia Mini Chair is fast and easy to assemble from a few pieces of cardboard, with no tools or mechanical skills required. A perfect 3-D canvas for kids' creativity, the Mini Chair can be decorated with the included adhesive stickers or with painting, drawing, writing, collage, and decoupage. It is made from cardboard that is kraft brown on one side and white on the other. So children can put it together and decorate one side, then take it apart, reverse the pieces and make a new chair with an entirely different look.

The Elia Mini Chair is designed to support up to 200 pounds and it folds up flat for easy storage. And because it is recyclable, the Mini Chair won't end up in a landfill like so many discarded toys or children's furniture.

Elia products, made by 12BY12 Design, are available at www.creativekidstuff.com, http://shop.walkerart.org/ and www.eliafun.com.

CONTACT:
Rey Tabarrok                                        
12BY12 Design
Phone: (612) 703-2790

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