Üllo Receives “Good Design Award Gold” for Wine Purifier at the Good Design Awards
Üllo and founder James Kornacki, PhD, accepted the distinguished “Good Design Gold Award” at Australia’s Good Design Awards taking place on May 17th at the Sydney Opera House.
A jury panel comprising design, engineering and architectural design experts chose Üllo’s wine purifier for excellence in product design, noting the product as a “game changer” that “solves a very real problem in an elegant, super functional and considered way.” Entries were evaluated on three overarching design criteria: Good Design, Design Innovation and Design Impact.
The annual Good Design Awards program is one of the oldest and most prestigious international design awards in the world, promoting excellence in international design and innovation since 1958. Based in Sydney, it is recognized by the World Design Organization (WDO) as Australia’s peak international design endorsement program.
Founded in Chicago in 2015 by Kornacki, Üllo began as the solution to a family member’s sulfite allergy . Growing up, Kornacki remembered his aunt not being able to drink wine because of her allergic reaction to sulfites. Years later, when he learned that sulfites are one of the top food allergens, affecting as many as three million Americans, Kornacki made it his mission to solve the problem. Kornacki spent 18 months developing Üllo’s proprietary Selective Sulfite Capture™ polymer filter while completing his doctorate in chemistry at Northwestern University. Kornacki later teamed with prominent Chicago design agency MNML to transform his scientific concept into the award-winning Üllo Wine Purifier.
While sulfites remain an essential part of the winemaking due to their preservative effects, Kornacki proved that once the bottle is opened, they are no longer needed. Sulfites are the only unnatural chemicals in wine, and are most commonly associated with reports of headaches and hangovers.
In addition to removing sulfites, Üllo includes an adjustable wine aerator and comes with four replacement filters, a travel bag and display base to capture stray drips. It is made from BPA-free materials and fits on top of any wine glass or decanter or integrates into Üllo’s simply designed glassware including carafes, decanters and wine glasses all hand blown from lead-free crystal.
“With Üllo, anyone can enjoy pure wine without the added chemicals,” explains Kornacki. “Our goal is to make wine more accessible and enjoyable to people all over the world.”
Üllo retails for $79.99 for the Purifier and up to $149.99 for the decanter collection. Replaceable filters and included and sold separately. Üllo is featured available from prominent retailers including Bloomingdales, Best Buy, Sur la Table, Crate & Barrel, and Total Wine and More. For more information, please visit www.ullowine.com.
A complete list of Good Design Award Winners is available here.