Hootsuite’s Ryan Holmes launches Oristand standing desk

Vancouver-based Oristand, a new venture launched by Hootsuite founder Ryan Holmes, has launched to provide an inexpensive standing desk option, retailing for $25 US, compared to a typical minimum cost of $200 and up for a full-feature standing desk.

The Oristand is made of industrial strength, recyclable cardboard and is the result of Holmes’ personal struggles with back pain resulting from sports injuries that left him unable to sit for prolonged lengths of time.

“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,” said Holmes. “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.”

Holmes enlisted the help of Vancouver designers Steven Suchy and Nathan Martell to help bring his vision of an inexpensive and easy-to-assemble and disassemble standing desk to reality.

They settled on a manufacturer near Seattle for production, who also manufactures complex cardboard boxes for Nike.

“I’ve personally found great benefits from having the flexibility to stand or sit while working, and don’t believe a stand up desk should be a luxury,” said Holmes. “Our intention with Oristand is to make it accessible to anyone wanting a flexible work station.”

The ergonomically correct desk can be set up in 10 seconds, weighs less than two pounds, and is strong enough to accept a typical laptop-and-keyboard combination.

The Oristand collapses to less than a one-inch width, making it easy to store and portable.

The product comes in black, white and natural colours and retail for $25 US each, or $100 for a five-pack, with custom branding involving company logos available for bulk orders.