Award-Winning Design

At VITILITY, design is not a surface detail. It is a responsibility. When the first sketches of the ID line were created, one thing was clear: assistive products should not look clinical, outdated or cold. They should be objects of dignity: modern, elegant and worthy of the people who use them.

For decades, the industry accepted a narrow view: mobility aids and household supports were “medical equipment,” not design objects. But as a family company, we never believed that. We believed people deserved better. We believed assistive products should feel natural, timeless and empowering. And we believed design could break the stigma that surrounded this entire category.

This vision led to a design philosophy that blends lifestyle aesthetics with uncompromising ergonomics and comfort. When the first product of the ID line was completed, the ID Grab Bar,  it carried not only function, but a message: this is what assistive design can be.

What followed was extraordinary.
Not only did the ID line resonate with users, retailers and designers, it earned recognition at the highest level of international design: the Red Dot Award, known globally as the Oscars of product design.

This page tells the story of these awards, why they are so rare and why they mark a turning point for VITILITY and the entire assistive industry.

What the Red Dot Award Represents

Each year, hundred of thousands of new products enter the global market. Only a fraction ever stand out. An even smaller fraction are submitted to the Red Dot Award: one of the world’s most prestigious design competitions.

Red Dot is more than a logo. It is a symbol of excellence recognised across industries: from consumer electronics to automotive, sports equipment, furniture, household goods and mobility products. Winning a Red Dot places a product alongside the most influential design icons of our time.

The jury consists of independent experts in industrial design, engineering, architecture and innovation. They evaluate each submission according to strict criteria:
• groundbreaking design quality
• clarity and simplicity
• functionality and ergonomics
• product vision
• emotional value
• impact on users and society
• craftsmanship and material use
• sustainability
• long-term relevance

Out of all global entries, only a small percentage win a Red Dot Award. And out of those winners, only around 1% receive the highest honour: Red Dot: Best of the Best — an award comparable to winning an Oscar.

This is the level where brands like Apple, Ferrari, Bose, Samsung and other world-leading innovators operate. These are companies with billion-dollar design departments, decades of recognition and vast resources dedicated to excellence.

For a family-owned assistive brand to enter this arena and win, is extraordinary. For an assistive brand to win Best of the Best is almost unheard of. Yet VITILITY achieved both.

Our First Red Dot Win

The ID Grab Bar was not just another new product. It was the very first design object created for the ID line and the moment VITILITY publicly shifted from a functional brand to a design-driven one.

Grab bars traditionally look cold, metallic and clinical. The design expectation has always been “safety first,” with little room for emotional value or aesthetic refinement. But VITILITY challenged that assumption.

The ID Grab Bar introduced: a soft, tactile finish that feels warm in the hand. Elegant, modern colour options. A silhouette that blends into interiors rather than dominating them. Secure, ergonomic shape that supports confidence
and premium aesthetic far from traditional medical equipment

When this product was submitted to Red Dot, it became the first assistive design object in VITILITY’s history to compete on the world stage.

And it won.

Receiving the Red Dot Product Design Award 2024 was a landmark moment, not only for VITILITY, but for the entire assistive industry. It sent a clear message: Design matters. Dignity matters. And assistive products can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best-designed products in the world.

This first win marked the beginning of a new era for the brand and confirmed that the ID line was built on a world-class foundation.

Our Second Red Dot Win

One year later, the story reached its next milestone and this time, at the very highest level. For 2025, VITILITY introduced the ID Walking Cane: a complete reimagining of what a mobility aid can look and feel like. The design philosophy was uncompromising: a walking cane should be beautiful, intuitive, stable and a source of confidence. But most importantly, it should be a fashion item rather than a medical device, just like glasses.

The ID Walking Cane introduced innovations rarely seen in assistive design:
• a sculpted aluminium handle wrapped in soft silicone
• ergonomic geometry that supports natural posture
• a shock-absorbing tip engineered for drainage and grip
• a clean, modern silhouette that feels premium and timeless
• colours inspired by lifestyle and fashion
• a tactile experience that feels personal, not clinical

The Red Dot jury awarded it: Red Dot: Best of the Best 2025. The highest honour in the competition. We scored 97 uit 100 points.

This is a level typically awarded to:
• Apple’s breakthrough products
• Ferrari’s iconic designs
• extraordinary engineering achievements
• disruptive innovations in consumer goods

For VITILITY to win Best of the Best with a walking can, is an achievement that redefines the category. It proves that assistive products are not just functional tools; they can be design icons. This win officially places VITILITY among the world’s leading design brands.

Beyond Winning

Winning one Red Dot is already a remarkable accomplishment.
Winning two consecutive awards, in two different years, in two different categories, that is rare.

Winning Best of the Best is extraordinary. But what makes these awards truly meaningful is what they represent:
• Consistency: VITILITY’s design philosophy delivers excellence across multiple product types.
• Vision: The ID line is not a one-time idea, it is a long-term vision recognised by global experts.
• Validation: A design-first approach in assistive products isn’t just different, it’s world-class.
• Courage: Challenging the stigma around mobility aids has real impact, and the design world noticed.
• Leadership: VITILITY is not following industry norms, it is setting a new standard.

These awards confirm that the ID line is not simply well designed, it is reshaping expectations.

Design That Breaks Stigma

Both Red Dot Awards are the result of a deeper philosophy at VITILITY: design should lift people up, not set them apart.

Assistive products often carry stigma because they look medical, technical or institutional. VITILITY believes design can change that. By focusing on curved lines, warm materials, lifestyle colours and intuitive shapes, the ID line helps people feel confident and proud, not self-conscious.

This philosophy includes:
• designing products that belong in modern interiors
• creating objects that look intentional, not clinical
• using materials that feel warm and personal
• ensuring every detail supports dignity and confidence
• blending emotional and functional value
• treating assistive design as lifestyle design

Red Dot recognised this design shift, not only as innovation, but as cultural impact. The awards do not just validate the products. They validate the mission: breaking stigma through design.

The Red Dot Awards of 2024 and 2025 mark a turning point for VITILITY. They show that a family-owned company in the assistive category can compete at the highest global design level, against billion-dollar brands and win.

This recognition is much more than a trophy. It is a confirmation that design, dignity and emotional value belong at the heart of everyday support. It is proof that the ID line stands among the world’s most inspiring product designs.

Most importantly, it is a promise for the future: VITILITY will continue to redefine assistive products with beauty, confidence and world-class design. Creating a new standard for the industry, one award-winning product at a time.