“Commitment of the design community remains strong” say Ukrainian design week founders
Photography courtesy of Ukrainian Design and Innovation Week
This year’s Ukrainian Design and Innovation Week went ahead despite Russian strikes affecting the local design community. The event’s founders share their top picks of exhibited brands that have continued production amid the war.
“The reality of operating in Ukraine remains extremely challenging,” Ukrainian Design and Innovation Week founders Anatolii and Kateryna Roskovshenko told Dezeen.
Ukraine has endured the constant threat of Russian bombardment for over four years, and recent months have been increasingly deadly for civilians, according to Human rights group Amnesty International.
Daily life for Ukrainians continues to be upended. Designers and manufacturers are navigating keeping operations running as Russian strikes damage their warehouses.
“Air raid alerts, power outages, disrupted logistics, rising costs, and damage to production facilities directly affect everyday operations,” said the husband-and-wife duo. “Several major Ukrainian furniture manufacturers have had their production facilities and warehouses hit by Russian strikes, causing significant damage and disrupting their work.”
“Businesses often have to adjust their schedules at short notice, reconsider investments, and find alternative ways to maintain production. Some have been forced to scale back operations or temporarily suspend projects,” they continued.
In the face of this, the design community came together for this year’s Ukrainian Design and Innovation Week, which took place in Kyiv from 5 to 11 October.
The flagship Design Hall exhibition gathered two hundred Ukrainian brands across interiors, furniture, decor, lighting and product design, showcasing their work to thousands of visitors.
Ukrainian Design and Innovation Week, which joined the international community of World Design Weeks in 2023, made changes to its planned programme to keep attendees safe. During the event, Kyiv experienced attacks that interrupted electricity and water supplies.
“Several planned events had to be cancelled for security reasons, while some furniture brands were unable to participate following earlier attacks on their facilities,” said the Roskovshenkos.
“We adapted Design Hall to take place entirely indoors, with changes to the original programme.”
“Yet the commitment of the design community remains strong,” they continued. “Thousands of people attended Design Hall, and hundreds of designers, manufacturers, and creative professionals came together to exchange ideas, establish new connections, and support each other’s work.”
Design brands in Ukraine are exploring new ways of developing products, testing materials and reaching customers, according to the Roskovshenkos.
“Despite the challenges of working during the war, Ukraine’s design industry continues to evolve,” they said. “Collaboration has become an essential part of how the industry operates, helping businesses share knowledge, find new opportunities, and adapt to uncertainty.”
“Particularly encouraging is the fact that new Ukrainian design brands continue to launch, even as existing businesses navigate difficult circumstances.”
“Over seven seasons of Ukrainian Design and Innovation Week, we have witnessed this evolution firsthand,” the pair continued. “Brands are becoming more confident in their identity, finding new niches, rethinking their production processes, and developing products that reflect their own creative vision.”
Read on for Anatolii and Kateryna Roskovshenko’s highlights from this year’s Ukrainian Design and Innovation Week:
“Juniper is a Ukrainian brand that combines traditional Carpathian craftsmanship with contemporary design, working with natural materials such as sheep’s wool and wood.
“In collaboration with KredoBank, the brand has created a collection of four wall panels inspired by Ukraine’s distinctive landscapes.
“Through natural textures and handcrafted techniques, each piece captures the character and atmosphere of these places, bringing elements of Ukraine’s cultural and natural heritage into contemporary interiors.”
Kint x Gushka
“Gushka is a Ukrainian wool textile manufacturer [that] preserves traditional craftsmanship, creating its products on historic weaving looms using age-old techniques and natural wool from sheep that graze freely on the Carpathian slopes.
“Kint is a Kyiv-based furniture and object design brand [that] specialises in creating original furniture, decor, and accessories for residential and commercial spaces.
“The first collaboration between Kint x Gushka, initiated in 2024, brings together contemporary furniture design and traditional Ukrainian craftsmanship. The result is a limited-edition series of armchairs, reimagining kint’s signature design through natural Carpathian wool and Gushka’s traditional textile techniques.
“The two versions feature different handcrafted finishes – Stranded uses hand-applied wool strands layered over a smooth base to create a distinctive textured surface, and Brushed is made by hand-combing wool using a traditional smooth-weaving technique, resulting in a softer texture.”
“KosKa is a Ukrainian brand working with recycled paper-based biomass, combining traditional handcrafting techniques, material experimentation, and contemporary artistic expression.
“Founder Kateryna Kostevych creates each object by hand, exploring the possibilities of sustainable materials and bringing together natural textures, tactile qualities, contemporary forms, and functionality.
“The featured objects include Trypillian Bull, an original interpretation of ancient Trypillian ceramic figurines, and two lamps named Hat and Bright Eye.”
“Tiini is a Ukrainian brand that creates lighting, furniture, and accessories, born at the intersection of tradition and modernity.
“The brand breathes new life into authentic crafts, harnessing the richness of materials and their interaction with light to create unique pieces for the home.”
“Venko is a Ukrainian design and production workshop founded in 2014 in Radyvyliv.
“The brand specialises in creating three-dimensional wooden wall panels and decorative pieces, with a particular focus on textures and the expressive qualities of natural materials.”
Yalanzhi Objects
“Yalanzhi Objects is a Ukrainian brand of lighting and decorative objects founded in 2019 by Yuliia and Yevhen Melnychenko. The brand approaches light as an artistic medium, not merely a functional element, but a way to shape spaces, establish rhythm, and create an emotional focal point within an interior.
“Many of its pieces are crafted from Zemletsvit, the brand’s signature biocomposite – a natural material characterised by tactile surfaces, earthy tones, and a distinct handmade quality.
“Yalanzhi Objects combines contemporary design language, sculptural forms, and a thoughtful connection to Ukrainian culture.”
Ukrainian Design and Innovation Week 2026 takes place from 5 to 11 October 2026 at various locations in Kyiv, Ukraine. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.
Photography courtesy of Ukrainian Design and Innovation Week
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