The entrepreneurial spirit and the tendency to gravitate toward the least expensive materials available have come together in a perfect storm of…genius…cheapness? You decide. A college student has created what is arguably the most cost effective, easy to assemble office desk ever. It’s made out of recycled cardboard and weighs just a few pounds. You can fold and slot it into shape within minutes from the time it arrives at your doorstep. There are no tools needed. When it no longer serves a purpose, you can put it out for the recycling man. The price? Just 20 Canadian dollars.

As you might expect, you get what you pay for with this piece of furniture. It’s basically the ramen noodle of the office furniture world. There’s a surface, a cutout for your feet, and two low interior corner braces. The material is moisture resistant. So if you spill a Big Gulp on it, the whole thing won’t collapse. Just be careful about resting your elbows on the desk. It’s not designed to withstand much weight (just a laptop and a few books or supplies).

That’s about it. Like the original model T Ford, you can get this desk in any color you want as long as it is brown. However, you are encouraged to doodle and decorate your desk to add your own style. In that way, it does serve a dual purpose as the world’s largest Post-It note. If you want to really splurge, you can go wild and buy the accompanying 3 tier cardboard bookshelf as well.

Would you put this on your Christmas list for the college student in your life?

What about using it for a startup business (the kind that you start in your garage or your basement)?

If someone gave you this desk, would you think it was a great idea – or a joke?

Let us know in the comments.