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Oristand: Hootsuite CEO’s Back Pain Leads To Launch Of $25 Cardboard Standing Desk

By Jonathan Franks
Published on: 08:44 PST, Jan 14, 2016

Hootsuite CEO Ryan Holmes reportedly launched the Oristand, a portable standing desk made out of cardboard.

The mere concept of investing in a cardboard desk may not seem very appealing to the average consumer. However, the Oristand appears to go above and beyond with its overall design and structure.

Using industrial-grade cardboard, the Hootsuite founder worked with Nathan Martell and Steve Suchy to design this standing desk. Throughout the promotional video, which has been circulating online since its release, the desk is simply referred to by its nickname “Ori.”

Perhaps one of the biggest highlights and major selling points of the portable desk is its price tag.

Yahoo Finance reports that the Oristand is currently being sold individually for $25. However, a discounted offer is also available for bulk orders processed through the official website that allows consumers to buy five Oristand desks in a pack for the price of four ($100).

“Many companies want to provide stand up desks as an option to enhance the work environment and promote the overall health and well-being of employees, however cost is a big barrier. The investment is simply not feasible for many small-to-medium sized businesses. We wanted to create a product that would solve this problem for both companies and employees.”

Another highlight of the Oristand is its collapsible structure. This particular standing desk is designed to transition from fully collapsed to fully functional in ten seconds or less, according to the website.

Holmes also expressed his excitement about the launch of the Oristand on Twitter Wednesday, stating that he is “so happy for [his] little design concept launch.” Ryan further credited the Oristand for saving his own back.

Yahoo Finance reports that it was his back pain that inspired Ryan Holmes to work on developing an inexpensive and simple alternative to the traditional standing desk.

According to VanCity Buzz, Holmes experienced a sore back one day after working at his traditional desk. Using some leftover cardboard, the Hootsuite CEO created a make-shift standing desk, an invention which eventually became the prototype of the Oristand.

Joseph Stromberg published an article in March 2014 for Smithsonian magazine in which he outlined five health benefits of using standing desks. According to the report, using standing desks instead of traditional desks can help a person to reduce the risk of:

  • Obesity
  • Cancer
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Type 2 Diabetes & other metabolic issues

The report further stated that a person who spent less time sitting can have a lower long-term mortality risk.

One study conducted in 2012 showed that if the average American reduced his or her daily sitting time to three hours, their life expectancy could climb two years.

Does this mean that one should use a standing desk at all times, especially if they have a desk job? No!

A number of different experts recommend switching periodically between sitting and standing. Standing up all day can cause foot, back, and knee problems, which is why it’s suggested to either use a desk that can be raised upward or a standing desk option that makes it easy to switch between sitting and standing.

Based on its overall design, it seems as if the Oristand was made to fit into the second category, providing consumers with an affordable yet effective solution.

[Image Credit: Dollar Photo Club]

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