Joyful Rebellion

Product design done better

Joyful Rebellion is a protest response to this trend of overconsumption and waste culture. The 4 small Dutch design studios Noord see Lights, Dooie Mus, Underbug, and DieKees (by MinneWorks) unite to show how products can be made differently. In both material and message, our products encourage a more thoughtful experience.

This message is seen material-wise: all our products are made from natural and/or repurposed waste materials—hardly used in other products. Our designs find innovative applications—like using waste wool as plant support, or clay structures that shelter insects—and are products you want to care for: lamps you can design yourself, or gifts that keep making you smile.

Why we are here

We want to show the existence and power of young and small Dutch design studios. The new generation of designers wanting to create products which contribute to our planet, and make use of the materials which are now considered waste. And not just thinking, but doing. Our ideas did not stop as concepts, but are being produced and sold. Our aim is to change the system from within, our protest not just shouted but also heard, as we create products that enable people to take a step back and say “huh, it can be done differently”.

Noord see Lights: Fully customisable lighting from biobased, sustainable materials—where creativity, individuality, and conscious choices come together.

Dooie Mus: A dead sparrow as the last gift you’ll ever need. A protest against overconsumption, and a wink to the Dutch proverb it’s named after.

DieKees, by MinneWorks: 1.5 million kilos of wool are burned each year. DieKees turns them into biodegradable grower pots.

Underbug: For the overlooked, the underdogs: the bugs nobody thinks twice about but who quietly keep our planet ticking.