As urban cycling continues to increase in popularity, bike commuters still face the same challenge: carrying a clunky helmet with them wherever they go. For part-time, on-demand cyclists in places with bike share programs the problem is even more pronounced: hopping a ride is simply not a safe option unless they happen to have headgear handy.

Hence the EcoHelmet by Isis Shiffer, a graduate of the Pratt Institute of Design in New York. Her collapsible helmet is designed to be low-cost (around $5) and easy to pack into vending machines paired with bike sharing stations.

Recycled paper is woven into a folding honeycomb structure that is light, durable and portable, forming a protective cover in moments. A waterproof coating also protects the helmet from rainfall. Paper sounds like an implausible material, but the design has passed European safety reviews and is looking for approval in the United States. Still skeptical? The video below features some impressive impact tests — sure, the helmet may need to be replaced after an accident, but if it does the job in the moment that is what really matter.

The low price tag presumably makes these cheap enough that riders won’t balk at buying one even for a single ride (though hopefully they would save and store them for future trips given how compact they are when folded up.

Bicyclists need this. Incredible design is not just about looking good (which this does) or working well (which this does), but weaving the solution so that each seems the natural outcome of the other.

With a headlight on the front, break light on the back, and two swooping turn signals on the sides, this streamlined helmet (the result of numerous design iterations) puts signalling up high for maximum visibility and uses universally recognizable symbols and colors for clear communication.

Balázs Filczer created this award-winning (IBDC 2013 – International Bicycle Design Competition) design with both style and everyday usability in mind. A Bluetooth handlebar controller lets the rider signal changes as simply and easily as possible. Rechargeable batteries slide into and pop out of the top for easy charging. And the four built-in lights are not just classy (helpful in promoting actual adoption) but useful as well.