Press Release
Design Nest and Nuwa Circular Solutions Receives the Silver A' Design Award for Spiral Eco3 Recyclable Christmas Tree in Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design
Design Nest and Nuwa Circular Solutions recognized for sustainable products, projects and green design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Spiral Eco3 Recyclable Christmas Tree by Design Nest and Nuwa Circular Solutions, designed for DesignNest, has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design category. The recognition forms part of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Silver A' Design Award
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
About Spiral Eco3 Recyclable Christmas Tree
The Spiral Christmas Eco3 is the first artificial tree made entirely from 100 percent recyclable materials that is completely recyclable at the same time. Unlike traditional models that combine plastic and steel, this design features a patented spiral frame made from recycled, fire retardant pet plastic. It flat packs to reduce co2 emissions, assembles in under a minute, and includes USB-C powered lights with international plugs. Compact, sustainable, and easy to store, it offers a modern, planet friendly alternative to conventional holiday trees.
About Design Nest and Nuwa Circular Solutions
Naomi from DesignNest is a dynamic force in the world of product innovation. With a passion for creativity and a deep understanding of market trends, she helps designers, businesses, and manufacturers bring unique consumer products to life. From concept development to global marketing, Naomi guides projects every step of the way, turning bold ideas into market-ready successes with worldwide appeal.
Award Record
Design Nest and Nuwa Circular Solutions is a winner of 1 A' Design Award, including this recognition.
About the A' Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design Award
The A' Sustainable Product Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good sustainable products by leading designers and brands worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to sustainable product designers, green product manufacturers, eco-friendly product brands and industrial designers from all countries. Typical entries include sustainable projects, environment friendly designs, recycled, upcycled and bio-degradable products. The awarded sustainable product designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/sustainable-product
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/172798
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/172798
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!172798
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/368496
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://shorturl.at/ZLG2D
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Spiral Eco3 Recyclable Christmas Tree
- Function
- Recyclable Christmas Tree
- Category
- Sustainable Products, Projects and Green Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Sustainability
- Colors
- Black, Maroon, Saddle Brown and Olive
- Images
- 5
- Client
- DesignNest
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Design Nest and Nuwa Circular Solutions
- Country
- Netherlands
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #172798
Credits
- Team
- DesignNest B.V., Nuwa Circular Solutions B.V. and Edelman B.V.
- Image Credits
- Kim Thy
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Each year, tons of plastic trees are disposed of and cannot be recycled, as the plastic branches are inseparably molded over steel wires. This design introduces a unique spiral mounting system to uphold plastic branches made from 100 percent recycled pet. The spiral integrates Christmas lighting, powered by a universal usb-c adapter to reduce electronic waste. It can be flat-packed to lower the co2 footprint and is easy to set up.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration originated with Weye Hu, who observed the waste caused by non-recyclable artificial trees. DesignNest collaborated with experts to create a 100 percent recycled and recyclable pet spiral structure that holds branches without steel. Unlike pvc, which is harmful and non-recyclable, this tree uses newly developed fire-retardant recycled pet. It also features the first usb-c powered Christmas lighting system with global plug compatibility, reducing electronic waste.
- Research
- Research focused on sustainability issues in artificial Christmas trees. Weye Hu led studies on plastic, recyclability and greenwashing practices in the industry. Brainstorm sessions with global designers and DesignNest led to feasibility studies and prototypes. Materials, engineering, tooling, and safety compliance (rohs, ce, flame retardant tests) were validated. Through desk, market, and field research, a safe, affordable, and 100 percent recyclable tree was developed.
- Challenge
- Designing a unique artificial Christmas tree without steel, while maintaining the authentic look and feel of a traditional tree, was a significant challenge. Finding a collaborative manufacturing partner was also difficult due to the industry's conservative stance and reluctance to innovate. Several material trials failed in terms of strength, aesthetics, or fire safety. Ultimately, overcoming cost-related thresholds was essential to making the innovation viable for the market.
- Realization and Technology
- The spiral and branches are made from 100 percent recycled and recyclable pet. The spiral integrates mounting hooks and is injection molded in one piece (patents pending). The plastic is sheet-extruded into long, thin layers, which are then cut into needle-like slices and rotation-wound into a garland. The garlands click into hooks with no extra parts, cutting production time from 50 to 15 minutes. Usb-c lighting includes a built-in chip with multiple modes for cost efficiency.
- Operation and Interaction
- The Christmas Eco3 spirals into a cozy tree and is designed for full disassembly, allowing materials to be recycled, unlike traditional trees. It sets up in about a minute: drop the spiral onto the frame and enjoy the built-in lights with no untangling needed. It collapses into a compact, flat bundle, cutting co2 during shipping and saving storage space. Powered by usb-c, the adapter can be used year-round to charge other electronics. Fully recyclable plastic allows for easy disposal.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in April 2023 in the Netherlands. The feasibility study, material research, structural research, structural engineering, 3D prototyping, pcb design, micro-chip development, mold design and testing continued in Shenzhen, China. Test-showcased to large international buyers in the Netherlands and later finalized again in Shenzhen, China.
- Specifications
- Tree dimensions: 800 x 800 x 1800mm Packaging dimensions is 820 x 820 x 160mm The tree can be made in various heights, from a table top Christmas tree to a tall 2.4m tree.
- Keywords
- Eco-tree, Sustainable Christmas tree, Designed for disassembly, End-of-life recycling, Universal USB-C Power Adapter, Waste Reduction, Spiral Tree, Integrated Christmas Light, Spiral Light, Flat-packed
