BRUNO 2026 Product Design Award Winners Announced 12.10.2026
2 October 2026 Estonian Design Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in Estonian design
The winners of the BRUNO 2026 Product Design Awards were announced at the Estonian Design Awards gala held at Põhjala Factory. Stella Runnel and Henna Hintsanen received the award in the lifestyle product design category for their cellulose-fibre tote bag, Eneli Siimon won the spatial and environmental product design category with her KOMA seat, and Harri Ehrlich and Andres Uuetoa of Balteco’s design team were recognised in the engineering product design category for their next-generation steam generator, SteamBot. The BRUNO Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to Estonian design was presented to fashion designer Ivo Nikkolo. The international jury selected the winners from 67 entries submitted to the competition.
In the lifestyle product design category, the cellulose-fibre tote bag by Stella Runnel and Henna Hintsanen stood out for its refined aesthetics and intelligent use of materials. Its innovative cutting construction makes efficient use of the sustainable material while giving the bag a clean and elegant appearance. The design also represents an important step for the Stella Soomlais brand, traditionally known for its leather goods, by introducing a fully vegan alternative. The bag’s body is created from a single sheet of material according to zero-waste principles, leaving no material unused.
In the spatial and environmental product design category, the award went to KOMA, a seat designed by Eneli Siimon. The playful and space-efficient design reimagines a familiar piece of furniture, allowing users to explore different sitting positions and ways of using the object. KOMA also gives high-quality materials from secondary industrial streams a new purpose, combining circular design principles with flexibility and user freedom.
The engineering product design award went to SteamBot, a next-generation steam generator designed by Harri Ehrlich and Andres Uuetoa of Balteco’s design team. The compact, wall-mounted unit brings a professional steam sauna experience into the home bathroom. Its minimalist design, smartphone controls and compatibility with customised shower and steam sauna solutions make it a contemporary addition to the home spa. SteamBot brings together Estonian design, product development and manufacturing to support everyday wellbeing.
The BRUNO 2026 winners were selected by an international jury comprising Luke Pearson (United Kingdom), Jaume Domenech (Germany), Terry McStea (United Kingdom), Isabelle Vérilhac (France) and Margot Vaaderpass (Estonia). According to jury chair Luke Pearson, the winning projects demonstrate how innovation, usability, quality and sustainability can come together in a coherent design solution. The jury also recognised several outstanding entries: the “Sole-mate” leather bags by Anna Chirkova; the “Sunlit” jewellery collection by Kairi Lentsius; the “Silen Space Gen 2” quiet room; the “Hula” swivel seating series by Pent Talvet; milk and sour cream carton holders by Kaur Peri; the 100% natural packaging material RAIKU by Tõnis Jalakas; and the “SOSIN” straw marquetry clock and table lamp collection by Mirjam and Markus Pärnamets. The BRUNO People’s Choice Award went to “URBAN PEDESTRIAN”, a modular wearable visibility system designed by Karen Milistver.
The BRUNO Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Ivo Nikkolo, one of the key pioneers of Estonian fashion following the restoration of independence. Founded in 1994, the Ivo Nikkolo label was among the first Estonian design brands with a distinctive authorial identity, helping bring local fashion from the Soviet-era system into a contemporary market economy and international context. According to Ilona Gurjanova, former president of the Estonian Association of Designers, one of the founders of the BRUNO awards and organiser of Design Night Festival, Nikkolo’s dedication, courage and vision have left a lasting mark on both the Estonian and international design landscape, inspiring colleagues and younger generations alike.
