For anyone who has ever lost their USB stick, with its often precious cargo, the process of getting it back, even if lost in familiar territory such as at school or at work, is less than smooth. People don’t know who it belongs to unless it’s marked, and chances are it ends up forgotten somewhere, “inherited” by whoever finds it or even thrown away.

From a quick idea jotted down during a meeting a simple solution to the problem formed. Since “Lost & Found” boxes exist almost anywhere, why not create one specifically for USB sticks in areas where losing them is common, such as copy rooms, common computer rooms and so forth?

A holder of sorts, custom made to fit USB connectors, was made and put up in the common copy room at Umeå Institute of Design, an area where many a USB sticks have been lost over the last few years. No more than a week later the rack had already amassed a small collection of USB sticks, of many I have been told already have found their way back to their owners. Since then the holder has been living its own life with sticks coming and going, lost and found, in cyclical motion.