Social Enterprise 'Grapelab' Wins iF Design Award 2021

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] Grape Lab, an eco-friendly social enterprise supported by SK Innovation, announced on the 18th that its eco-friendly stand product 'g.flow & mini stand' won the main prize in the design category at the German 'iF Design Award' (International Forum Design), one of the world's top three design awards.

The German 'iF Design Award' is one of the most well-known design competitions globally, established in 1953. It comprehensively evaluates design distinctiveness and impact across nine categories including communication, concept, product, architecture, service design, UX, and UI, selecting the best design works in each field. Along with Germany's Red Dot and the USA's IDEA, it is recognized as one of the world's top three design awards, known for its credibility. This year, over 10,000 entries from 52 countries were submitted, and 98 experts from 20 countries conducted the judging.

The awarded product 'g.flow' is the world's lightest laptop stand, portable at the weight of a single sheet of paper (45g). It is made from one sheet of 100% eco-friendly recycled paper without any chemical adhesives or coatings, created using Grape Lab's unique folding technique. It is a one-of-a-kind design worldwide, with design patents registered not only in Korea but also in the United States, Europe, China, and Japan.

Grape Lab not only considers practical design and the environment but also creates social value by employing designers with developmental disabilities, thus generating jobs for vulnerable groups. This aspect was highly recognized, earning excellent evaluations and the honor of being selected as a winning work in the product design category.

Kim Min-yang, CEO of Grape Lab, said, "It is very meaningful that products pursuing environmental and social values, which are often stereotyped as lacking in design or product quality, have been recognized by a credible global design award." He added, "We will continue to strive for sustainable product development and ESG management by archiving various recycled materials and developing appropriate technologies."