Why are the Paris 2024 Olympic athletes sleeping on cardboard beds?
The Olympic cardboard beds are back for Paris 2024, taking pride of place in every athlete's bedroom in the Olympic and Paralympic Village.
The beds first made headlines at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, and not necessarily for their eco credentials: A media frenzy at the time saw them dubbed the 'anti-sex beds' and suggested that it was a tactical move after an intimacy ban was imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
'We know the media has had a lot of fun with this story since Tokyo 2020 but for Paris 2024 the choice of these beds for the Olympic & Paralympic Village is primarily linked to a wider ambition to ensure minimal environmental impact and a second life for all equipment used during the short period of the Games,' the Olympic organisers told Reuters.
'It goes without saying that the quality of the furniture has been rigorously tested to ensure it is robust, comfortable and appropriate for all the athletes who will use it, and who span a very broad range of body types.'
As far as functionality goes, Team GB champion diver Tom Daley gave his followers a first-hand review, showing the Paris 2024 duvet cover, mattress, mattress topper and bed frame made from cardboard. 'As you can see, they're pretty sturdy,' said the gold medallist as he jumped on the bed.
Australian tennis players Daria Saville and Ellen Perez went a step further to test the durability of the cardboard beds by doing the worm, squat jumps, volley practice and more.
So who's the company behind the innovation? Japanese bedding company Airweave, who have provided about 16,000 cardboard beds.
'We designed these cardboard beds so that they can support up to three or four people jumping, because after winning a medal, people are very happy,' Motokuni Takaoka, founder and president of Airweave told Wired.
While the bed base continues to attract plenty of attention, the mattress (also manufactured by Airweave) is also worthy of a mention. It features high-rebound airfiber technology that is said to allow better weight distribution, enhanced breathability, and long-lasting resilience.
The airfiber blocks inside the mattress are equipped with four firmness options for shoulders, lower back, and legs – basically enabling each athlete to customise their mattress to best fit their body type.
The cardboard bed bases will be recycled after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, while all mattresses, blankets and pillows will be donated to charities.
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