The 2025 Professional winner in the Sustainability is the FREITAG Mono[PA6]: Circular Backpack from FRIETAG lab ag and the team comprised of Jeffrey Siu, Tu Van Giang, Ilke Tokdede, Inge Hettich, Silvio Trionfini, and Denise Eugster. The new Mono[PA6] Backpack is circular—from the fabric to the zippers and buckles, it’s made from a single material and can be easily recycled in its entirety at the end of its life. By launching this innovative product, FREITAG is closing a material loop and taking a significant step towards a circular economy.

The Student Sustainability winner is Aeropod from Wangyang Hu, Ifeoluwa Afolayan, Yuchen Cai, and Alex Clark at the Imperial College London & Royal College of Art. Aeropod is a biodegradable, seed-like device designed to regenerate soil from within. Aeropod allows Farmers to heal their land without losing income—unlocking a future where productivity and regeneration go hand-in-hand.

Kara Pecknold the VP of Regenerative Design at frog led the jury team for Sustainability. Her team included Nicole Miller the Managing Partner at Biomimicry 3.8, Binit Vasa the Workplace Strategy and Culture Manager at LEGO, Kajsa Westman the Experience Design Manager at Inter IKEA Group, and Tom Peach a Product Director at frog.

The 2025 Sustainability category recognizes any designed product, service or system tackling issues around sustainability in a thoughtful, research-backed manner through strategies ranging from materials, production methods, efficient systems, packaging and shipping.