Editor's choice: Winners of the most recent German Design Awards

Level 2 Charger

Category: Excellent Product Design - Automotive Parts and Accessories (SPECIAL MENTION)
Company/Client: Canoo
Design: Canoo

The Level 2 charger is designed around the idea of being adaptable for people’s everyday lives. From a clean and modern home garage to industrial warehouse, the modular design allows for the charger to help organize, decorate, or store items.

It is available in both wall mount and free-standing versions. The pegboard design works with a series of accessories. For commercial locations, advertising and co-branding opportunities can be integrated into the optional digital screen.

Rapid Charger 150

Category: Excellent Product Design - Automotive Parts and Accessories (SPECIAL MENTION)
Company/Client: me energy GmbH
Design: me energy GmbH

The Rapid Charger 150 from me energy GmbH is the first grid-independent and CO2-neutral rapid charging station. In the mobile charging station, the liquid energy carrier bioethanol is converted into CO2-neutral charging current. This makes it possible to offer economical fast-charging solutions that can charge 200 km of range in ten minutes – anywhere. Innovation meets formally reduced design language and maximum simplicity within the operation.

ShyTech Display

Category: Excellent Product Design - Automotive Parts and Accessories (GOLD)
Company/Client: Continental Automotive GmbH
Design: Continental Automotive GmbH, Radial Design GmbH

In the fast-moving world with constant presence of technology, the need for rest and simplicity is growing. ShyTech displays are enabling puristic vehicle design and enhanced UX. Its innovation for the vehicle dashboard integrates high resolution displays seamlessly into a 2D formed surface, simulating real wood. The displays become invisible and content only appears when needed.

Statement of the jury

The ShyTech Display is a revolutionary and innovative dashboard, where the displays in the vehicle are only visible when they are needed. The high-resolution displays, integrated seamlessly into a two-dimensional formed surface, simulating real wood, otherwise remain invisible reducing the volume of information when driving, increasing concentration and thereby also safety. The ShyTech Display is Continental's response as an innovator to over-stimulation in our everyday life – a hot topic which, particularly given that autonomous vehicles will in future draw greater attention as a 'third living room', is highly relevant in terms of the user experience.

BF select Diamond Bottle

Category: Excellent Product Design - Eco Design (SPECIAL MENTION)
Company/Client: BF Select
Design: BF Select

The BF select Diamond Bottle is made out of 100% recycled HDPE. Its unique shape represents the features of diamond: stability, luxury and specialty. Filled with high quality ingredients, it is suitable for applications in the cosmetic industry.

ecosoftfibre

Category: Excellent Product Design - Eco Design (SPECIAL MENTION)
Company/Client: eco-softfibre GmbH & Co. KG
Design: eco-softfibre GmbH & Co. KG

ecosoftfibre is a bio-based ecological flexible foam for interior design. Due to its art design and sound-absorbing properties, it is suitable as a decorative wall covering as well as an acoustic panel. It is pollutant-free, emission-free and complies with the principles of the circular economy and can be recycled at the end of its life.

The Simple One - Susanne Kaufmann

Category: Excellent Product Design - Eco Design (GOLD)
Company/Client: ALPLA Werke, Alwin Lehner GmbH & CO KG
Design: ALPLA Werke, Alwin Lehner GmbH & CO KG

The Simple One is an innovative refill system from ALPLA. Made from a rigid material, it offers an alternative to conventional, soft refill pouches (same weight with the same filling volume). It was recently launched on the market by the cosmetics brand Susanne Kaufmann as the refill packaging for its glass bottles. The ultra-light bottle is made from 75 % recycled plastic (rHDPE) and is 100 % recyclable.

Statement of the jury

With Simple One, ALPLA presents a new refill system for natural cosmetics, which is no longer provided in soft pouches. Instead, the container is so stabile that it can stand by itself, even when empty. The ultra-light bottle, which is made from 75% recycled plastic (rHDPE) and is 100% recyclable, does not weigh any more than its soft predecessors. Susanne Kaufmann, the beauty brand that brought this innovative refill packaging for their glass bottles to market, shows how the packaging of the bottle can look convincingly high quality.

Tether Tube

Category: Excellent Product Design - Eco Design (SPECIAL MENTION)
Company/Client: ALPLA Werke, Alwin Lehner GmbH & CO KG
Design: ALPLA Werke, Alwin Lehner GmbH & CO KG

The lightweight tube TetherTube for creams, liquids or powders is made entirely of one material, including the cap, can be produced from recycled plastic and can be fully recycled after use. It is suitable for refilled packaging and is easy to use for consumers. The cap remains connected to the tube with a band after opening. TetherTube can be made from HDPE or LDPE plastic.

The Troupe

Category: Excellent Communications Design - Packaging (GOLD)
Company/Client: Lavernia & Cienfuegos
Design: Lavernia & Cienfuegos

It is a line of bath products for children which aims to provide a sustainable solution by both the recycled PE packaging material and its permanence beyond the time of use of the product.

The focus is on the 'game'. The products can be used as a game at bath time and after, so as to extend its life. The idea was to create a bunch of characters, as a 'troupe' of circus performers, each with their own skills, designed to turn the bathtub into a fun and beloved aquatic circus ring.

Statement of the jury

The idea from The Troupe to combine personal care products for children with a cute toy has been fantastically implemented. With the bottles turning into a spinning top, bubble-blowing wand or a buoy, they can be kept as toys after they have been emptied. The decision to make the bottles out of recycled plastic which can later be returned to the cycle of use is a logical one. An elegant and sustainable approach, which has an overall high-quality appearance thanks to the minimalist design.

Covestro Aesthetics Toolkits

Category: Excellent Product Design - Material and Surfaces (WINNER)
Company/Client: Covestro
Design: Covestro, Ciro Piermatteo, Emily Shi, Fred Ling, Christopher Stillings, Chris Lefteri Design Ltd., Chris Lefteri

To simplify communication with Designers, Covestro launched its Aesthetic Toolkit created together with Chris Lefteri Design. Playful form-factors, molded from polycarbonate, highlight CMF trends.

Targeting Automotive and Electronics & Appliances applications, the 1st edition showcases 24 trendy colors with inspiring material functionalities and textures. The toolkit inspires Designers to combine aesthetics with the performance of polycarbonate and bring their concepts to reality.

Silphie-Papier

Category: Excellent Product Design - Material and Surfaces (GOLD)
Company/Client: OutNature GmbH
Design: OutNature GmbH

Through the bioeconomic cascade use of the energy crop Silphium perfoliatum, a new regional raw material is produced in addition to biogas: Silphie-fibers. Using a biothermal process, OutNature separates the plant fibers of the Silphium and thus receives high-quality, resource-saving natural fibers that are further processed, in combination with pulp, into Silphie-paper. The paper has good printing and processing properties as well as natural look and feel.

Statement of the jury

OutNature uses Silphie-fibres, which are created as a waste product from the production of biogas, a regional raw plant material, to produce eco-friendly packaging and paper materials with a unique character. To this end, the company separates the plant fibers from the energy crop using a biothermal process which yields high quality, resource-saving natural fibers, which can be processed into Silphie-Paper when combined with pulp. The paper has impressive printing and processing characteristics as well as a natural look and feel.

RE:Space

Category: Excellent Product Design - Material and Surfaces (GOLD)
Company/Client: Rökona Textilwerk GmbH & Co KG
Design: Rökona Textilwerk GmbH & Co KG

RE:Space stands for sustainably developed and produced technical textiles. Re:Space products are manufactured in a fully integrated production process that stands for short distances and interlinked processes. These are used in a way that a single origin end-product is created, which can be returned to the recycling process, thus reducing the overall amount of textile waste.

Statement of the jury

With RE:Space, Rökona Textilwerk offers an interesting range of high-quality technical textiles, which not only impress in terms of function and form, but are also sustainable. The fabric, which is available in various materials and surfaces, is produced using recycled ocean plastic. Here a complete recycling cycle comes into play, which stretches from the raw material to the end product up to reuse. This relieves the burden on our oceans and environment and conserves resources.