Justin Thao

Incredifold LLC is where I design and build home/desk lamps using cardstock paper and 3D printing. I incorporate my paper folding skills to create the shades into various geometric and animal shapes. I designed the folding lines that create all of my shades. Some of my lamps have custom patterns in order to bring it to life: the deer, panda, burger, and mushroom lamp). They are then illuminated with the custom LEDs fastened onto 3D printed base that hold the shade together. The base is a custom design to hold all of the electronics I solder together, making it a plug-in and battery- operated lamp. Even though I grew up as an artist, I went the length of learning how to create a product from scratch. That encouraged me to learn more of electrical engineering, 3D modeling, computer drawing, 3D printing and manufacturing. Expanding my knowledge in all areas of creating my brand has given me the advantage of refining my product and seeing its’ potential growth. Diving into the home, commercial, and retail market is a great way expand my brand because I want to go design bigger lamps and build a bigger business.

But my interest in this next challenge is how to expand and incorporate my origami lighting brand into an art that is less commercial. It’s not that my work is not successful enough in the commercial market, but that I believe it has so much value as well non-commercially. Before I began designing my origami lamps, I found many great ideas while exploring the foundation of the folds. I felt like everyone else was just copying folds made by each other and there wasn’t an innovative foundation. I would compile and repeat simple folding methods on top of each other to create unique pieces. In doing so, I was able to find very interesting folds with unique functions that are applicable to many things around us. To my excitement, I felt like I struck gold that was hidden in a field and there was no one to see it. Therefore I left everything behind in order to capture this gold so that I may share it with the world.