Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Vax have come up with a cardboard vacuum cleaner.

No, it's not the practical equivalent of a chocolate fireguard, it's a seriously cool, practical and very green product. This is how it works...

You get your Vax ev vaccum cleaner in its box. The box disassembles to become the corrugated cardboard panels of the vacuum cleaner and they fit around the motor housing, popping into place, no need for glue.

The cardboard panels are flame retardant and fully-customisable, meaning that when you get your felt-tipped pens out, you can design the outside of your Vax ev cardboard vacuum cleaner however you like.

And if you break any panels, that's OK, because they're cheap and easy to replace and, what's most important, is that they're recyclable too, so your flash new vaccum cleaner won't cost the earth!

The brains behind this green and clean vacuum is industrial design student Jake Tyler, who developed the green vacuum cleaner in his final year degree project at Loughborough University. Jake spent a year working at Vax under their student placement scheme and was supported by Vax' New Product Design (NPD) team.

Paul Bagwell, Director of NPD at Vax said:

“With sustainability becoming an increasing concern for manufacturers, the Vax ev shows just what can be achieved when young designers are encouraged to think creatively and push the boundaries of product design.

It’s so important that manufacturers such as ourselves support young British designers like Jake, as they are the key to this country’s future success.”

For further information on current industrial student placement opportunities at Vax visit their industrial placements page or email [email protected]

You can see Jake's green cleaner at the New Designers exhibition to be held at the London Design Centre from the 6th-9th July. Vax are also looking into a very limited production run of the Vax ev, so if you think this environmentally friendly vacuum cleaner is a great idea then badger Vax and tell them you really want one :)