sustainablyMonmade

One Green Product
Design Competition 2021

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Go To Submission Form

 

Announcing Monmade’s One Green Product Design Competition 2021. We challenge you to create a new, stand-out product for the built environment that combines design, innovation, sustainability, and local impact.

One product that has reduced environmental impact.
One product that is helping to support the local economy.
One product that can make a difference in the built environment.

Think good, uncomplicated, functional design. Think creative, scalable, and sustainable products influencing the next wave of design and development projects in Pittsburgh and beyond. Submit your application by April 12, 2021.

 

Join us for a Virtual Info Session on Wednesday, March 17 @ 11:30 AM.

RSVP To Attend

The Award

Monmade’s design competition helps bring selected products concepts to market. The top 3 winning product design teams will be offered a $1,500 grant to further develop and standardize their product concept. Monmade will help launch winning products through our catalog*

*Monmade does not take ownership over the products developed as a result of this product competition and awards. We encourage design teams to launch and promote their products through their respective businesses.

The Motivation

Monmade brings artisanal design to market and supports regionally sourced, responsibly made, and environmentally conscious products for design and development projects. This design competition reflects our sustainablyMonmade initiative and core commitment to increasing the sustainable production practices for our network to have a positive impact on regional economies, the environment, and social well-being. The winning, finalized products will provide Monmade the opportunity to build our catalog with products that align with our sustainablyMonmade initiative.

The Product Categories

Product submissions should be furniture or fixtures for the built environment. Suggested product types include (but are not limited to) interior and/or exterior:

  • Public Bench Seating
  • Pendant Lighting
  • Bike Racks
  • Recycling/Trash Receptacles
  • Scalable Room Dividers/Screen Systems

We strongly encourage utilizing locally-sourced materials, recycled content, bio-based materials, products made with FSC certified wood, and using low-to-zero VOC adhesives, paints or finishes.

Learn more about sustainablyMonmade and our thoughts on responsibly made design.

Timeline

Monday, March 1, 2021 Competition Launches
Wednesday, March 17, 2021 Virtual Info Session @ 11:30AM    RSVP to Attend
Monday, April 12, 2021  Submissions Due
Earth Day, April 22, 2021 Awards Announced
April 2021 – Beyond Grant processing and ongoing product finalization

Qualifications

Product design team (applicant) must be located in western Pennsylvania or northern West Virginia.

A design team may consist of an established artisan producer, design professionals collaborating with a manufacturer, or product designers ready for growth**

Applicant must submit their product concept for consideration as defined by submissions requirements below by Monday, April 12, 2021.

Applicant must be able to accept grant funding and product orders through a legal business entity or partner with an established, insured manufacturer (e.g. LLC, S-Corp, B-Corp). If applicant does not have a legal business entity then they acknowledge that they are willing to consider creating a legal business entity (other than a sole proprietorship) and carry liability insurance, with Monmade additionally insured.

If awarded, applicant must be willing to apply grant money for the further development and standardization of winning product ideas.

Applicant must be willing to sign a working agreement with Monmade and its affiliate the Creative Business Accelerator (CBA) and have their product and business represented in Monmade and CBA’s respective marketing and promotion.

We strongly encourage:

  • Minority, women, and/or veteran-owned applicants
  • Applicants with evidence of and/or aspirations for social impact:
    • Charitable contributions and community support
    • Reactivating postindustrial spaces
    • Revitalizing main street corridors
    • Elevating underserved populations

 
**Important Note: If you are an individual designer who does not have capacity to produce the product or process orders you may apply as a partnership with a supporting manufacturer; Monmade can help facilitate connections to supporting manufactuers if needed. We also encourage Architectural or Interior Design Professionals to submit product concepts created in collaboration with regional producers.

If you have questions about your qualifications contact: shayna@monmade.org

Evaluation Criteria

Product submissions must be original design. We also welcome products that are currently being developed for current or past projects.

Applications must be made using the form linked here, which includes uploading renderings and completing required text fields.

A panel of design and development industry experts will oversee the product competition and decide winning product concepts. Monmade will not be a voting member in the selection panel.

Winning product concepts will be based on creativity, functionality, sustainability, scalability, and overall design. Winning product design teams will be announced on April 22, 2021.

Priority will be given to product concepts that help to fill current market needs and are submitted by applicants working in low-to-moderate income (LMI) areas or minority, women, and/or veteran-owned design teams.

Design Rights & Ownership

Applicant represents that they own all right, title, and interest to the submitted product concepts.

Monmade does not take ownership interest in the products developed as a result of this product competition and its awards.

Winning applicants will allow their design team names, images, and product information to be used for marketing and promotional purposes by Monmade and CBA.

Submissions

Applications must be submitted by Monday, April 12, 2021 at 11:59PM (EST) in order to be considered for this competition. Applications must be completed with the following information using the submission form linked here.

  • Product name
  • Design team contact + demographic info
  • Product narratives including:
    • Product design intent and the functionality of the concept
    • Materials used
    • Sustainable attributes
    • Reason(s) for the design and the gap(s) the product helps fill in the local market
  • Visual rendering(s) to scale with basic dimensions and applied materials noted
  • Concept design board or mood boards showing sources of inspiration are encouraged but not required

If you have questions about this competition contact: shayna@monmade.org

 

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