Estonian Designers' Union has launched a sustainable design competition RoheAsi (GreenThing). The competition is organized in cooperation with the city of Tallinn, which in 2023 will hold the title of European Green Capital.

RoheAsi invites professionals (designers, artists, etc.) to create environmentally friendly products that are usable in everyday life, yet stylish, innovative and of high aesthetic value, and that incorporate the principles of environmental sustainability (reuse, reuse, circular economy), practicality and longevity.

The competition is open to new initiatives and ideas to promote and support an environmentally friendly way of life among different social groups. It hopes to find smart solutions and designs (including for official souvenirs) related to the focus themes of Tallinn – European Green Capital 2023: inclusive city, smart city, sustainable city, learning city.

"Even though it is not in anyone's interest to boost the mass production of meaningless products, there are things that have and will have emotional value. They also include aesthetic gifts, which are often associated with beautiful memories. We hope that the designers participating in the competition will also be able to add ethical and practical value to their competition ideas,” said Ilona Gurjanova, President of the Estonian Designers' Union.

There are three categories in the competiton: the Symbolic RoheAsi, the Representative RoheAsi and the Dignified RoheAsi. 

The prize fund is € 9,200 and the Estonian Designers' Union will issue one additional purchase prize.

Ideas can be submitted to the competition from March 14th to May 22nd 2022 on the website of the Estonian Designers' Union, in addition, a prototype of the idea must be submitted to the Estonian Design House+ (Suur-Karja 14).

From 25th May to May 29th, an audience favorite will be voted in social media based on photos of the competition entries.

The winners of the competition will be announced on May 31st 2022. The works submitted to the competition will be available to the general public at a special exhibition in the early summer of 2022.

The competition continues the initiative of the Estonian Designers' Union to find products for which there is a significant demand and is a continuation of the competition series, within which the best SmallThing, the best Men'sThing and the best Children'sThing have already been selected.

For the European Green Capital 2023, Tallinn has set the goal of improving the quality of life of its citizens and creating an environmentally friendly city with a better living environment and urban space, which also has sustainable management.

Tallinn wishes to involve its communities more in the planning of the city, to find ways to support and implement green innovation, to develop carbon-neutral mobility and the circular economy, and to help city's residents better understand the importance of nature protection.

You can read more about Tallinn - European Green Capital 2023 here.