Disposable camping

Recycleable cardboard tent ‘solves’ post-festival clear-up chore

Astonishing as it may seem, an estimated 10,000-plus tents are left abandoned after UK festivals every year. “Don’t take anything that you can’t afford to lose” may be an unwritten rule of events like Glastonbury – and sometimes everything seems expendable amid the music and the maelstrom – but it’s not exactly a model of sustainability. “The problem”, says eco-entrepreneur James Dunlop, “is that people are tired at the end of a festival, and they aren’t interested in packing up their muddy tents. I wanted to give people an environmentally friendly, hassle-free alternative.”

His solution: Myhab – a cardboard tent which can be fully reused and recycled come the end of the festivities. Dunlop, 23, won an award for it at the New Designers Exhibition last year – and has just secured £500,000 from finance group Mint to get it into production.

He’s gone one step further than Tangerine Fields, the festival tent providers, by equipping Myhabs with a solar powered light, a raised plastic base, and, apparently, a PIN-activated safe for valuables. The main body of the tent will be made from fire-retardant, water-proofed cardboard, which can be customised with your name and a design (to make it easily identifiable when you stumble back to it). All for £60-£100.

“You can order online and it’ll be there ready and waiting for you at the festival,” says Dunlop. “So you can chuck your bags in and go and enjoy the music.” Afterwards, you just head for the hills, and leave the Myhab team to disassemble, reuse and recycle the lot for you. – David Howells

1 May 2007

David Howells