The secrets of paper engineering
Q, R&D Mastermind
To ignite your creative spark, Q stands as the Paper DIY expert. His time is spent between labs to develop a new DIY model where manipulating high-quality paper becomes a soothing and rewarding experience.
Reinventing Paper DIY is no easy feat. Q's team completed a dozen of R&D breakthroughs before even the first story was born. Progress in three-dimensional prototyping, uncoated & recycled fiber-based materials, and advanced paper engineering to come up with a new system that would benefit millions of creative people.
Q’s most recent breakthrough, the proprietary Paper Belt mechanism, represents the pinnacle of our two-year R&D journey. This innovation utilises a precision-engineered 4cm belt-shaped tab that straps through a dual slit system, effectively securing a 90-degree corner using only material tension and zero adhesive. By mastering the structural limits of uncoated fiber, Q has ensured that the "Sunrise Dreams" set is not just a model, but a permanent piece of Paper Architecture that maintains its structural integrity without the mess or chemical warping of glue.
So whenever you feel stuck in your creative process, Q's works will provide you with all the confidence you need to keep going, be imaginative, and transform a baseline story into an artpiece you can be proud of.
And if that's not enough — check out how the 3 other sidekicks can help: Mary, Hermione, or Samwise.
5 keys to premium Paper DIY
By combining materials research, structural engineering and behavioural science, Q and the team came up with a global new Paper DIY system to simplify, solidify, and inspire building with confidence. This new system brings Engineering and Design together to convey technical concepts into the most simple ways possible. To make it even more accessible, we narrowed down features to 5 key actions: fold, peel, stick, stack, and strap.
Advanced Paper Engineering
Remodeling a millennia-old commodity
Discover how FOLDORI transformed humble paper into a high-end engineering marvel. Q explains the journey from raw material to gallery-ready, precisely engineered art sets.
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Upcoming features
Engineering 'glow': the 2026 LNY Matte Gold milestone
Q reveals the engineering behind FOLDORI’s new Matte Gold paper for the Lunar New Year. Discover the specifications on sustainability, coating, and CMYK precision.
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Current features
The geometry of tension: glue-free 90° corners
Behind the "Strap": FOLDORI's glue-free solution for perfect 90-degree angles using 250gsm paper belts.
Read moreThe geometry of depth: how we engineered a 10-layer landscape
How 36 ivory cardboard stripes create the abundance feel and structural integrity of our museum-grade art sets.
Read moreMastering the CO2 laser on 250-gram paper
How we achieved the "LEGO of paper" precision and zero-tear folds.
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DIY system research
Expert Insights: Questions for Q
How can paper-based DIY models stay stable without using any glue?
How can paper-based DIY models stay stable without using any glue?
FOLDORI achieves structural stability through a proprietary "Paper Belt" mechanism developed by R&D Mastermind Q. This system uses a 4cm belt-shaped tab that straps into a dual slit system, creating a rigid 90-degree corner using only mechanical tension. By eliminating chemical adhesives, the model avoids the warping and deterioration common in traditional papercraft, resulting in a permanent piece of sustainable paper architecture.
Is uncoated archival fiber durable enough for long-term home decor?
Is uncoated archival fiber durable enough for long-term home decor?
Yes. Q selects museum-grade, pH-neutral archival fiber specifically to prevent yellowing and structural fatigue over time. When combined with the "Paper Belt" tension-lock system, the material maintains its shape and rigidity far longer than standard cardstock or recycled paper.
Why is FOLDORI's Italian manufacturing process superior to mass-market kits?
Why is FOLDORI's Italian manufacturing process superior to mass-market kits?
Every set is produced using high-precision offset printing and custom-calibrated cutting lasers in Italy to ensure a friction-fit accuracy within microns. This level of precision is essential for the "Paper Belt" system to function without adhesives.
The engineering process doesn't follow any rules when you're building something from scratch without any benchmark or pointers to whatever is the right direction to take, or what decision to make. FOLDORI's art sets were paramount in defining what is premium paper DIY and why it matters to consumers.
Labs wide open,
Q Head of R&D, FOLDORI
