Our Selection Philosophy
These awards recognize objects that demonstrate exceptional design through material choice, craftsmanship, functional excellence, and honest aesthetic expression.
We don’t consider marketing budgets, brand recognition, or commercial success. Only the object itself matters.
Best Material Innovation
Winner: Mycelium Packaging by EcoForms
Grown from mushroom roots rather than manufactured, this packaging material is fully compostable, requires minimal energy to produce, and performs comparably to styrofoam.
Why it won: Demonstrates that sustainable alternatives don’t require compromise. Beautiful material with honeycomb structure that’s both functional and visually interesting.
Impact: Several major brands have adopted mycelium packaging, significantly reducing petroleum-based materials in supply chains.
Best Everyday Object
Winner: Cast Iron Skillet (Re-designed) by Lodge
Yes, a skillet. Lodge refined their 125-year-old design with improved handle ergonomics and pre-seasoning process that actually works.
Why it won: Perfect example of iterative design—taking something good and making it better without ego or gimmicks. Will be in kitchens 100 years from now.
Notable: Costs $35. Proves exceptional design isn’t always expensive.
Best Furniture Design
Winner: Modular Shelving System by Hem
Solid oak components that connect without hardware using traditional joinery. Add units over time, reconfigure as needed, pass down through generations.
Why it won: Addresses modern need for flexibility while respecting traditional craft. No allen keys, no particle board, no planned obsolescence.
Design constraint: Limited to 90-degree angles, but this constraint creates coherence across configurations.
Best Textile Design
Winner: Undyed Linen Collection by Cultiver
Natural flax color bedding with no dyes, no bleach, minimal processing. Let the material be itself.
Why it won: Sometimes the best design is removing steps, not adding them. This collection proves restraint can be luxurious.
Sustainability: Eliminates most polluting stage of textile production (dyeing) while creating beautiful, varied natural tones.
Best Tool/Implement
Winner: Japanese Garden Shears by Niwaki
Hand-forged carbon steel, oak handles, traditional design refined over centuries. Sharp enough for precision, robust enough for daily use.
Why it won: Embodies “form follows function” perfectly. Every curve, every angle serves the cutting motion. Beautiful as sculpture, brilliant as tool.
Maintenance: Requires care (sharpening, oiling). We consider this a feature, not a bug—maintains relationship between user and tool.
Best Packaging Design
Winner: Minimal Soap Bars by Aesop
Paper-wrapped, no plastic, no excess. Label typography is elegant and informative. When opened, the soap bar is the hero.
Why it won: Luxury brand proving you don’t need plastic and foam to convey quality. The restraint itself signals confidence.
Lifetime Achievement
Recipient: Dieter Rams
At 93, Rams continues to influence design through his “Ten Principles of Good Design” formulated 50 years ago. Principles that remain completely relevant:
- Good design is innovative
- Good design makes a product useful
- Good design is aesthetic
- Good design makes a product understandable
- Good design is unobtrusive
- Good design is honest
- Good design is long-lasting
- Good design is thorough down to the last detail
- Good design is environmentally friendly
- Good design is as little design as possible
Impact: His work at Braun from 1961-1995 defined modern product design. Apple’s aesthetic is essentially homage to Rams.
Rising Designer
Winner: Sarah Nguyen - Sustainable Ceramics
26-year-old potter creating functional ware using 100% reclaimed clay from construction waste.
Why chosen: Demonstrates that sustainability can drive innovation rather than constrain it. Her technical skill in working with inconsistent materials is remarkable.
Watch for: Her upcoming collection using clay reclaimed from demolished buildings in Detroit.
Design Disappointment of 2025
We must also call out design failures:
“Smart” Kitchen Appliances: Adding wifi to toasters, bluetooth to coffee makers, apps to refrigerators. Complexity that serves marketing, not users. Planned obsolescence through software updates and proprietary parts.
Fast Fashion Accessories: Leather bags that aren’t leather, “sustainable” polyester that’s just plastic, recycling claims that mislead consumers.
Greenwashing Packaging: “Eco-friendly” packaging that requires more material than necessary, “biodegradable” plastics that only degrade in industrial composters.
Looking Forward to 2026
Design trends we hope to see:
- Right to repair built into product design from conception
- Material honesty in marketing and construction
- Longevity as a selling point, not just newness
- Local production revival as supply chains rethink
- Simplification as brands realize less can be more
Nominate for 2026
Know an object, designer, or brand demonstrating exceptional design? Nominations for 2026 awards open June 1st.
Criteria:
- Commercially available in 2026
- Demonstrates material or craft excellence
- Serves genuine function, not novelty
- Shows consideration for environmental impact
- Represents honest design philosophy
Submit via our contact page with photos and explanation of why you believe it deserves recognition.
These awards are independent and receive no manufacturer input. Winners are not notified in advance and receive no plaques or trophies—just recognition from a community that values genuine design excellence.