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© 2026 Nowy Styl

RE:THINK DESIGN COMPETITION

  • re:think
    design
    competition

Design furniture for tomorrow: comfortable, functional and 100 % recyclable. Under the scientific supervision of Fraunhofer CCPE, we invite designers, students and creative minds to develop soft-seating solutions made from just one material. Use cutting-edge insights from materials science and circular economy to create furniture that perfectly combines comfort, function and sustainability. Give real sustainability a shape!

Shaping the future together

We continue to rethink responsibility – from ecoDesign to monomaterial. With the re:think design competition we want to show how design and circular economy can inspire each other.

We are looking for visionary ideas for seating furniture that consist of only one material and are fully recyclable – be it an armchair, sofa or modular seating element. If desired, you can complement your concept with matching lounge tables – a bonus for a well-thought-out design.

View participation info
All designs must be based on the monomaterial design set from Fraunhofer CCPE (who accompany the competition scientifically) and participants will receive access to the design set – for true circularity and a future without waste. This way creativity meets research, innovation meets responsibility.

  • As a manufacturer we assume responsibility – for our products, the people who use them and the world in which they are created. It has always been our goal to keep our ecological footprint as small as possible and to act in a way that preserves a future for the next generations – so that what we do today still allows a tomorrow. That is why from the start we have relied on ecoDesign in sustainability – this commitment has already been honoured multiple times: In 2025, Nowy Styl received the EcoVadis Platinum Award for the fourth consecutive time – as the only company in the industry.

Participation & Submission
We seek designs whose focus lies on design, sustainability and circular thinking. Furniture composed of one material that unites comfort, functionality and aesthetics.

Participation is free and open to both individuals and teams. A preliminary registration is required by 3 December 2025. The subsequent submission phase runs until 1 March 2026.

Submission is digital via e-mail. Please send a PDF file with renderings or sketches from all perspectives, a short product description including idea, material and function. In addition, please attach at least three high-resolution images (JPG or PNG, minimum 2000 px). Details for submission will be provided after registration.
Registration
Fraunhofer CCPE Monomaterial Design Set
In plastics engineering the term “monomaterial” is used for products whose individual components are all based on the same polymer. If this is a thermoplastic, the product can be recycled mechanically in a fully “single-material” form – without disassembly. This greatly simplifies recycling processes. It not only reduces waste but conserves natural resources.

Photo: © Fraunhofer CCPE / Mike Henning
More about the monomaterial design set
Knowledge sharing – get inspired
Register now for the competition and participate in the monomaterial webinar! Together with Fraunhofer CCPE we are offering a compact webinar on 9 December 2025 that will optimally prepare you for submission. Experts will provide insight into the monomaterial design set, answer questions and share valuable tips on how you can (further) develop your concept technically and in terms of design.

To participate in the competition a preliminary registration by 3 December 2025 is required, followed by the submission phase ending 1 March 2026.

Photo: © Fraunhofer CCPE
Register now
Good design deserves recognition

The winning design will receive a prize money of €3,000 and the opportunity to further develop and implement the design together with Nowy Styl.
The second and third placed entries will each receive €1,500.
 
A jury of experts with proven expertise will review the submitted concepts and award prizes to the most convincing entries:
  • Antonio Scaffidi, designer, founder of the design collective danish-designMAKERS and lecturer at the Royal Danish Academy
  • Prof. Dr. Sascha Peters, founder and managing director of the future agency Haute Innovation, honorary professor and one of Europe's leading experts on materials and technology
  • Dipl.-Des. Sabrina Schreiner, group leader for ‘User-centred technology design’ at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT and
  • Cezary Janas, Director of Product Management at Nowy Styl
Key dates and deadlines
Registration by:
03 December 2025

Monomaterial webinar:
09 December 2025

Submission deadline:
01 March 2026

Award ceremony:
23 April 2026
 

Register now and become part of sustainable furniture innovation!

Register now Specification Sheet
Q&A
  • The competition is open to designers, architects, product developers and creative minds in the field of furniture and interior design. If you would like to develop innovative ideas for sustainable soft-seating solutions, you are warmly invited to join — whether you are a young professional or an experienced designer.
  • We are looking for creative concepts for soft-seating furniture that unite comfort, functionality and design. This includes armchairs, lounge chairs, sofas and modular seating elements. Optionally, you may add matching lounge tables — this is a bonus for especially thoughtful concepts but does not factor into the judging.
  • All designs must be made from 100 % PET of the Fraunhofer CCPE Monomaterial Design Set. Screwed-free connections are mandatory, as is a uniform colour design. If needed, you may also use fabric made from recycled PET, for example for upholstery or for covering cushions made of soft PET mesh.
  • Monomaterial refers to products whose individual components are entirely made from the same polymer. Thermoplastic monomaterials can be mechanically recycled efficiently without prior disassembly. This significantly simplifies recycling processes, reduces waste and helps conserve natural resources.
  • Your submission should include:
    A PDF file with:
    • Renderings or sketches from all perspectives
    • A short product description including idea, material and function
    At least three high-resolution images (JPG or PNG, min. 2000 px)
  • Prior registration is required by 03 December 2025. The product design entries may then be submitted during the entry phase by 01 March 2026. Further details about the submission will be provided after registration.
  • For any questions regarding the competition, the monomaterial set or the submission process, please contact our competition team. Feel free to write to marketing.de@nowystyl.com or call +49 9438 949-354.
  • You retain all copyrights to your submitted designs. By participating in the competition, you grant Nowy Styl only the right to review your designs within the scope of the competition and to use them for presenting the competition results as well as for marketing and communication purposes. If your design is awarded and later potentially produced, we will coordinate with you regarding any further use.

    We treat all submissions confidentially and ask that you do the same. Additionally, the three competition winners agree not to share their awarded design concepts with competitors or third parties for a period of six months after the award.
  • All products must be designed with user safety in mind. Many soft-seating products need to comply with EN 16139, which specifies strength, durability, and safety for users up to 110 kg (or more for public spaces). Participants are not expected to carry out EN 16139 testing themselves. Designers should ensure that their concept is structurally sound, stable, and suitable for public use.
  • To ensure an objective evaluation, submissions are anonymized for the jury. Names or any hints about the designers are not visible during the assessment, so it cannot be determined whether a submission comes from professional designers or young professionals. This way, all designs are judged fairly and impartially.
About Nowy Styl
For over 30 years Nowy Styl has revolutionised the way we design working spaces. As one of Europe’s leading office furniture manufacturers, we create solutions that unite functionality, ergonomics and aesthetics. Spaces furnished with Nowy Styl pieces promote collaboration, wellbeing and productivity in equal measure.