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We’re thrilled to share that dbsorb has been named a finalist in the 2025 Best Design Awards, in not just one, but two categories: Non-Consumer Product Design and Sustainable Product Design.
This recognition is especially meaningful to us. It’s our very first submission to the Best Awards, and being acknowledged alongside some of New Zealand’s most innovative designers is both humbling and energising.
Rethinking the Small Things That Matter
In commercial interiors, permanent fixings and adhesives are often treated as an afterthought. Yet these “small parts” play a big role in construction waste, making buildings harder to adapt, and contaminating valuable materials at end of life.
Our team set out to reimagine how acoustic systems are installed. The goal was simple: create a fixing system that’s reversible, fast, and circular, without compromising performance or design.
The result is a family of five injection-moulded mounting solutions:
- ReadyClip™ – Factory-fitted for clean, fast, glue-free mounting to walls and ceilings.
- FinLock™ – Securely holds vertical fins and baffles, removing the need for high-energy materials.
- FinLock + TCR™ – Interfaces seamlessly with standard ceiling systems.
- X-Clip™ – Enables perpendicular installation with ease.
- FrameLock™ – Provides strength and structure for freestanding or demountable systems.
Together, these clips eliminate adhesives, reduce material waste, and make installation, removal, and reuse dramatically simpler. Each component is made locally with pre-consumer recycled plastic sourced from third-party manufacturing waste. At end of life, they can be removed and reused or recycled in place, without risk of contamination.
👉 Explore our full range of VOC-free mounting systems.
Innovation in Service of People and Planet
What makes this system different is not only its technical performance, but the quiet way it shifts the industry norm. By replacing disposable adhesives and permanent fixings with durable, reusable clips, we’re embedding flexibility and circularity into interior design by default.
Here’s what the aftermath of removing glued acoustic linings looks like:
Damage left behind after removing glued acoustic linings; exactly the kind of waste, mess, and unnecessary repairs dbsorb's reusable systems are designed to eliminate.
This benefits both installers, who save time and avoid waste on site, and clients, who gain interiors that are easier to adapt, reuse, and recycle over time.
We’ve already seen these systems in action across a range of commercial and educational projects, supporting beautiful, adaptable spaces with lower environmental impact.
👉 Take a look at our case studies to see how these clips perform in the real world.
Looking Ahead
For us, design has always been about more than just acoustics. It’s about creating products that support people, respect materials, and adapt to change.
Being recognised in both the Non-Consumer and Sustainable Product Design categories is a proud milestone, and a reminder that even the smallest design details can unlock big opportunities for sustainability.
We’re grateful to the Best Awards jury for this recognition, and to our team, partners, and clients who continue to push us forward.
This is only the beginning.
