Folding wood booklets detail edge

Technology should be used to make our lives easier and better – there’s no doubt about it. The creative types at Snijlab agree: the Rotterdam-based service uses their computer-controlled laser cutter to make products on demand. Some products they invent and develop themselves, like these impressive folding wood booklets.

Continue reading below
Our Featured Videos
snijlab folding wood booklet

The booklets use a revolutionary laser cutting technique developed by Snijlab for making wood flexible. The technique allows the single piece of wood to be bent nearly in half (without hinges and with no cracking or breaking) to form a front and back cover. Between the two covers is a small pad of paper held in place with a tiny clip.

Folding wood booklets detail

Each booklet is made from a single piece of birch plywood and finished with a clear varnish. According to the manufacturers, booklets like these could easily and inexpensively be made on-site by anyone with a laser cutter. But in case you don’t happen to have one, Snijlab offers them for €25 (around $33).

Folding wood booklets detail flat

More from Snijlab

“Recently we discovered a really nice technique that makes wood flexible. This is so cool we want to share it with you! We designed wooden booklets that use this feature. They’re made from a beautiful birch plywood and are finished with a clear varnish. The hard wooden cover can be opened fully to the back side for comfortable holding. A tiny clamp inside, made from the same material, holds a standard A7 writing block.”

Folding wood booklets notebook

“The booklets come in a horizontal and vertical version. Actually they not only look cool, it shows exactly what we think digital production is all about. By using manufacturing techniques like this it is possible to make all product features in a single production step and in one material. This cuts down production effort and logistics and makes for a beautifully simple product. Because a laser cutter is a fairly common tool products like this could be manufactured locally, all over the world. By working from sheet materials the products can also be flat-packed, saving even more resources and costs on shipping.”