News: Millmii wins red dot award for product design

An innovative product developed by a Rotherham graduate has been recognised in a prestigious international design competition.

The Millmii salt and pepper mill from start up company, Yormii, got an "honourable mention" amongst some of the world's leading brand names and product developments in the red dot awards for product design.

The award dates back to 1955 and is now one of the world's largest and most distinguished design competitions. This year 1,800 large companies and independent designers from 58 countries registered to the awards and grabbed their chance to prove their design ability in an international comparison with renowned designers and up-and-coming talents.

Very much an up-and-coming talent, Nathan Bestwick, 26, who grew up in Rotherham and studied at Sheffield Hallam University, designed the spice mill so that it can be used by people who have limited strength or dexterity in their hands and works by being rolled in the hands without any need to grip or twist.

The playful and stylish design received one of the coveted awards, which were given by a 30-member jury after an evaluation process lasting several days. The product got an honourable mention due to its particularly successful detail solution.

Nathan said: "We are thrilled to have been recognised for our innovation and design ability with such a prestigious design award.

"More than 1,000 guests from the design world, industry, society and the media will celebrate the laureates of the red dot design award on July 2 – traditionally in the opera house of Essen, the Aalto-Theater. Afterwards, Millmii will be presented in a four-week special exhibition in the red dot design museum and will then be on show in the museum for a year."

Shortly after graduating, Nathan launched a product and graphic design consultancy called If? Works, which grew from RiDO's Fusion @ Magna Business Centre in Rotherham. He went on to set up a kitchenware firm in partnership with Sheffield-based company Gripple, under its "Incub" programme, which nurtures local inventors with the aim of creating future jobs in South Yorkshire.

Yormii was officially launch at the 2012 Spring Fair International at the Birmingham NEC in February. Future products include Spicemii, Munchmii, Honemii, Pourmii, and more.

Yormii website

Images: yormii.com