Second Edition of Tactile Baltics at Milan Design Week 2025

Tactile Baltic – a joint platform of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to showcase contemporary Baltic design to a global audience – will launch its second edition during Milan Design Week from 7 to 13 April 2025.

Following a successful debut at the London Design Festival 2021, the second edition of Tactile Baltic at Milan Design Week 2025 will celebrate and share design excellence from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and promote appreciation of the Baltic region’s innovation, craft heritage and cultural storytelling.

As the name suggests, Tactile Baltics focuses on the tactile, inviting visitors to experience Baltic design through a sensory lens. Drawing on generations of craftsmanship, designers reinterpret traditional techniques using modern technology to create forward-thinking, experimental works. Baltic designers share a commitment to exploring new uses of materials and pushing creative boundaries, combining regional tradition with technological innovation. The exhibition will feature a curated selection of up to 30 pieces, with 10 pieces from each Baltic country, including furniture, lighting, tableware, textiles and fashion, giving visitors a comprehensive overview of Baltic design today.

Visitors can expect a variety of design that addresses key themes shaping contemporary practice in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, including:

Sustainable and circular design focus: Key themes include circular design, promoting sustainability and environmental responsibility through innovative material usage.
Repurposing industrial waste: Designers creatively transform industrial waste into meaningful, functional design objects, demonstrating the Baltic commitment to resourcefulness.
Material Experimentation: Baltic designers push boundaries through innovative material combinations, using natural and recycled elements to create unique, experimental forms.

Organisers and Curators

Organisers: Latvian Design Centre, Lithuanian Design Forum and NID
Project Lead: Dita Danosa
Curators:
- Estonia: Triin Loks
- Latvia: Dita Danosa
- Lithuania: Audronė Drungilaitė
Visual Design: Kirils Kirasirovs / augusts
Set Design: Brigita Bula / Brigita Bula Arhitekti
Media Enquiries: David Gorrod / Seen PR

Previous Showcase: London Design Festival 2021 Tactile Baltics debuted at London Design Festival 2021, where it garnered widespread acclaim. The exhibition, part of the Shoreditch Design Triangle, allowed visitors to connect with the tactile beauty of Baltic nature and materiality. Focusing on sustainability, craftsmanship, and innovation, Tactile Baltics showcased 32 design pieces, including tableware, furniture, lighting, textiles, and jewellery, from emerging and established designers. The London Ambassadors of the three Baltic States attended the event, underscoring the significance of this unique platform for Baltic design.

In collaboration with Adorno, a curated digital gallery for collectible design, Tactile Baltics also presented an online collection of contemporary collectible Baltic design under the theme “Designing Futures.” This digital showcase offered a global audience the opportunity to experience Baltic design vision through unique, region-specific philosophies and innovative design approaches, extending the exhibition’s impact beyond the physical space in London.

Tactile Baltics’ previous showcase at the London Design Festival 2021 garnered substantial media coverage, with 74 publications and over 105 million online readerships, and expanded its global reach through a virtual showcase on Adorno’s digital gallery platform under the theme “Designing Futures.”

Join Us in Milan Tactile Baltics at Milan Design Week 2025 offers an engaging opportunity to experience Baltic design that balances traditional craftsmanship with experimental, sustainable approaches. We invite you to explore the tactile narrative of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and to be part of this inspiring celebration of Baltic creativity and cultural heritage.

This exhibition is funded by the Baltic Culture Fund and supported by the Embassies of the Republic of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in Italy.

More Information: tactilebaltics.com