RecyclingDesignprize
How can the future be sustainably changed through design? What visions can innovative re- and upcycling ideas open up? The “RecyclingDesignprize”, which has been organised by the Arbeitskreis Recycling e.V., Herford, in cooperation with Marta Herford since the museum was founded in 2005 and approximately every two years, offers answers to these questions.
The RecyclingDesignprize is an open competition for the sustainable design of new products from waste and residual materials, for which (semi-)professional creatives can apply. The submissions show current developments from the fields of material research and circular economy, social design or transformation design and how design can influence sustainable processes.
The most convincing designs are selected by a specialist jury from several hundred entries from all over the world and presented as “Outstanding Ideas” in an exhibition at Marta Herford and subsequently in cooperating institutions. The first three places are each endowed with prize money.
A competition for pupils or schools in the region takes place to accompany the exhibition. The projects selected by a jury can then be seen at Marta Herford.
Open Call: 12th RecyclingDesignprize – Outstanding Ideas 2026
Invitation to participate – A competition to create new products from waste and residue materials. We are seeking innovative upcycling ideas, new developments in the field of materials research and the circular economy, social design or transformation design – sustainable, visionary, imaginative, original.
Closing date for entries
31. 8. 2026
Prizes
1st prize: 2.500 euros
2nd prize: 1.500 euros
3rd prize: 1000 euros
No entry fee!
Requirement: Availability of the works during exhibitions.
A selection of the most interesting entries will be presented alongside the award-winning projects in the exhibition Ausgezeichnete Ideen (Outstanding Ideas) at Marta Herford.
Opening
12. 3. 2027
The works will subsequently be displayed at Neues Museum Nuremberg and Zitadelle Spandau, Berlin.
See all terms and conditions at www.recyclingdesignpreis.org
The Jury
Carina Bischof
Executive Director and Board Member / Fashion Revolution Germany e.V.
Prof. Tim Brauns
Detmolder Schule für Gestaltung / Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe
Dana Giesecke
Head of Research FUTURZWEI. Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeit, Berlin
Dr. Ralf F. Hartmann
Director of the Cultural Department Berlin-Spandau
Kathleen Rahn
Director Marta Herford
Dr. Simone Schimpf
Director Neues Museum Nürnberg
Oliver Schübbe
OS2 Designgroup, Herford
Claudio Vendramin
RecyclingBörse! Herford
Imke Volkers
Scientific Co-Director Museum der Dinge, Berlin
Veronika Witte
Artist and Curator, Berlin
11th RecyclingDesignprize – Outstanding Ideas 2024
1st Prize: nat-2™ Post Cov Sneaker (shoe) by Sebastian Thies, Munich
2nd Prize: Frumo (material) by Mareen Baumeister, Berlin
3rd Prize: Cross-sections of the anthropogenic warehouse (tiles, wall elements) by Marisa Gaab, Landau
Special Prize: DIY PING PONG (table tennis game) by SUPERFILIALE Markus Zimmermann, Frankfurt am Main
THE JURY
Carina Bischof
Managing Director and Chairwoman of Fashion Revolution Germany e.V.
Prof. Tim Brauns
Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe /Detmold School of Design
Dana Giesecke
Scientific Director FUTURZWEI. Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeit, Berlin
Udo Holtkamp
RecyclingBörse! Herford
Kathleen Rahn
Director Marta Herford
Dr. Simone Schimpf
Director Neues Museum Nürnberg
Oliver Schübbe
OS2 Designgroup, Herford
Imke Volkers
Scientific Co-Director Museum der Dinge, Berlin
Veronika Witte
Artistic Director Galerie Nord | Kunstverein Tiergarten, Berlin
1st Prize: nat-2™ Post Cov Sneaker (shoe) by Sebastian Thies, Munich
2nd Prize: Frumo (material) by Mareen Baumeister, Berlin
3rd Prize: Cross-sections of the anthropogenic warehouse (tiles, wall elements) by Marisa Gaab, Landau
Special Prize: DIY PING PONG (table tennis game) by SUPERFILIALE Markus Zimmermann, Frankfurt am Main
THE JURY
Carina Bischof
Managing Director and Chairwoman of Fashion Revolution Germany e.V.
Prof. Tim Brauns
Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen-Lippe /Detmold School of Design
Dana Giesecke
Scientific Director FUTURZWEI. Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeit, Berlin
Udo Holtkamp
RecyclingBörse! Herford
Kathleen Rahn
Director Marta Herford
Dr. Simone Schimpf
Director Neues Museum Nürnberg
Oliver Schübbe
OS2 Designgroup, Herford
Imke Volkers
Scientific Co-Director Museum der Dinge, Berlin
Veronika Witte
Artistic Director Galerie Nord | Kunstverein Tiergarten, Berlin
10th RecyclingDesignprize – Outstanding Ideas 2022
1st Prize: “Stack and Stack (In Pandemic)” (a stool) by Haneul Kim, Seoul (KOR)
2nd Prize: Vecchie Mura (a composite material) by Domenico Fama, Detmold, Laura Muschalla, Bünde / Technische Hochschule Ostwestfalen Lippe, Detmold (DE)
3rd Prize: Pretty Plastic (a wall covering made of shingles) by Hester van Dijk, Reinder Bakker, Peter van Assche / Kollaboration Overtreders W / bureau SLA, Amsterdam (NL)
Special prize – donated by FUTURZWEI.Stiftung Zukunftsfähigkeit, Berlin: “MHLD – Multifuncti-onal Hybrid Laundro Drive / STREETWARE saved item” (Street shopper / participatory art object) by Barbara Caveng, Alice Fassina, Céline Iffli-Naumann, Purvi Dhranghadaryia, Jan Markowsky, Lukas Treiber and Lotti Seebeck (Berlin).
9th RecyclingDesignprize – Outstanding Ideas 2019
1st Prize: PERSEA (ceiling light) by Kathrin Breitenbach, Dortmund
2nd Prize: The Shellworks (material) by Amir Afshar, Andrew Edwards, Insiya Jafferjee and Edward Jones, London
3rd Prize: re…use me (men’s collection), Ana Stamenkova, Berlin
8th RecyclingDesignprize – Outstanding Ideas 2017
1st Prize: ROPE:rug (carpet), Belgian Sep Verboom, De Pinte, Belgium
2nd Prize: Shards (wall tiles), Lea Schücking, Kassel
3rd Prize: SAME:SAME (clothing collection), Anna Sophie Flemmer, Hanover
7th RecyclingDesignprize – Outstanding Ideas 2015
1st Prize: Den Löffel abgeben – Alltagsbesteck, Emmy Galle and Bruno Winter (tubadesign), Munich
2nd Prize: blade made furniture, Césare Peeren (Superuse Studios), Rotterdam, Netherlands
3rd Prize: zerobarracento (textiles), Camilla Carrara, Milan/Berlin