Disainiöö Fills Põhjala Factory with Design
Text Timo Raussi Photos DisainiÖÖ / Kevin Loigu and Kaie Kiil
The Disainiöö festival, the largest celebration of design in the Baltic countries, will take place in Tallinn for the 21st time from 28 September to 4 October. Held in the halls and courtyards of the Põhjala Factory complex, the event is not focused solely on fashion, although the opening evening will culminate in the theatrical “Design is in Fashion” show. The programme covers a wide range of disciplines, including product, service and graphic design. Much of the week’s programme is free for the public, and more than 10,000 visitors are expected.
One of the most popular parts of the week is the Disainitänav design market, taking place over the weekend of 3–4 October. Visitors can browse and shop for products from clothing, accessory and jewellery designers, as well as entrepreneurs from other creative industries from across Estonia and the surrounding region. At the other end of the hall, the INTERIOR+ mini-fair will simultaneously offer unique furniture, interior-design items and everyday objects for sale.
A variety of exhibitions will form the backbone of the week-long festival. For example, the international “Arts Thread Global Creative Graduate Show” will showcase work by designers at the beginning of their careers, including biodegradable printing inks and shoes, products made from food waste, and much more. There will also be exhibitions of student work from Estonian design and architecture schools, entries in the Bruno Awards 2026 competition, the best posters from the Haapsalu International Graphic Design Competition, and work by Björn Koop, who began his career in the southern Estonian city of Valga and went on to work in the design departments of global car manufacturers including Hyundai, Kia and Mitsubishi. One example to emerge from Koop’s team’s drawing board and onto the streets is the Kia Ceed.
The festival’s participatory programme includes a “Sip & Stitch” workshop led by New York-based leather craftsman Anthony Luciano. During the three-hour workshop, participants will make their own leather bag under professional guidance. Materials, tools and a drink are included, and no previous experience is required.
The Estonian Design Awards 2026 gala, held on Friday evening, will be the highlight of the festival week. The Estonian Design Awards, presented every two years, recognise the best work in product design, graphic design, website design and service design, as well as a young designer. The lifetime achievements of distinguished designers will also be recognised.
The day before, on Thursday 1 October, the international Future of Product Design conference will bring a number of prominent designers and thinkers from around the world to Tallinn. Keynote speakers will include British designers Luke Pearson and Richard Hall, former World Design Organization president Srini R. Srinivasan, digital innovation expert Jean Louis Frechin, and Ilkka Suppanen, one of Finland’s best-known contemporary designers. The presentations will explore the impact of artificial intelligence, new materials, sustainability and design leadership on the future of product design.
The full programme for the week-long Disainiöö festival, as well as tickets for individual paid events, is available on the official website. You can also experience the atmosphere of last year’s festival in this aftermovie video.
To learn more about this and similar topicsDesign Design Festival Disainiöö events Exhibition Fashion product design Põhjala Factory
