Estonian-made JALG TV stand wins prestigious Red Dot product design award

The minimalist JALG TV stand, created by Estonian designers Argo Männiste and Veiko Kallas, has won the Red Dot Award in an international design competition that honours outstanding industrial design and the design teams behind the concept.

According to JALG co-author and company director Veiko Kallas, this award is a recognition of Estonian industrial design and the centuries-old tradition of working with wood: “Our goal was to create a minimalist design object that people would want to see in their homes. Beautiful design maintains the harmony of a room and creates a calm energy – something we really need in our lives today.” Kallas added that the Red Dot award, the most famous mark of quality in the design world, is the recognition of the company’s domestic production: “Although we export 99.9% of our products, 100% of our production is based in Estonia.”

According to the author of the original JALG idea, Argo Männiste, the TV stand is inspired by the middle of the last century: “At that time, TVs were successfully transformed into an element of furniture that fits into the interior. The TV has ceased to be a separate technical item that spoils a tastefully decorated room, becoming its part. The goal of our concept was to combine two eras in the most aesthetically pleasing and thoughtful engineering form, which in its minimalism would fit into a modern interior.” The design of the TV stand is adapted to market standards, resulting in most modern TVs being compatible with JALG products.

All JALG stands are handmade in Estonia. The materials used include wood (oak, walnut, and birch), steel and acrylic.

The Red Dot is the world’s most prestigious design award, founded in Germany in 1955 by Design Zentrum Nordhein-Westfalen. Today it has become a globally recognized mark of quality. The Red Dot Award recognizes products with outstanding design: from fashion to consumer electronics, vehicles, medical tech, and furniture.

The award-winning JALG brand is presented at the world’s largest exhibition of contemporary design at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen, Germany. The winning works will be on display in the museum from June 24, and on the same day all of them will also be presented at the online Red Dot exhibition.

Until May 22, JALG is also participating in the Estonian design exhibition as a part of New York Design Week NYCxDESIGN 2024 at the Lafayette Gallery in Soho.

Previously, the Red Dot award in Estonia has been received by Mihkel Güsson (electric heater and sauna control panel Huum, 2021), Mihkel Masso and Rait Arro (Sheetsplint modular splint, 2021), Johannes Maltis (Sortaider Container sorting solution, 2021), Margot Vaaderpass (hanger series WOH, 2020), Mihkel Masso and Karl Saluveer (self-adhesive wall material Groveneer, 2019), Arkadi Berman (Eumar sanitaryware, 2019), Karl Annus (Glens reading glasses, 2017), Alfred Vassilkov (Estelon speakers, 2017), Mihkel Masso (Huum electric heater, 2015), Kaidi Ploomipuu (Narma newWeave carpet, 2011), Julia Maria Künnap (Mari dining chair, 2010), Hannes Unt (Kaerajaan restaurant, 2008), Martin Pärn (Martela folding table, 1998).

The JALG brand was founded in 2016 by designers, friends, and business partners Argo Männiste and Veiko Kallas. Männiste’s many years of experience in the field of industrial design – for example, the development and production of the Estonian ID card reader +ID – as well as Kallas' experience in photography and his knowledge of furniture production provided a good basis for forming a strong team. Today, JALG products are used in more than 25,000 homes in 40 countries. The company’s main markets are Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Germany, the UK, the US, and France.