Architect and designer Victor Vetterlein normally creates swank loft spaces and modern furniture. His Trash Me Lamp is a little bit different from his other creations. So what makes this lamp extra special?

He wanted to "create a product that is born from the trash and returned to the trash after a short but useful life cycle."

To make these lamps, he pulps four used egg cartons, then forms the lamp body with a mold. It houses a CFL bulb with a fabric cord, and a bag of birdseed in the base keeps it from tipping over. The only new components are the wiring and the aluminum screws that hold it together.

I love this idea! It's a great product, especially for college students who tend to move a lot and trash their belongings after each semester. Not only is this lamp recyclable, the paper body and bag of birdseed can go right into the compost bin when the lamp's life is over.

This would make a great gift for a crafty person, too! If she got sick of the lamp as-is, she could toss the paper and seed bits in the compost and use the leftover parts, which are essentially a lamp kit, to make a whole new lamp!

Vetterlein created a desk lamp and a hanging lantern version of the Trash Me. Right now, it's just a prototype, but keep an eye on Vetterlein's website for a release date!

[h/t De Zeen]