Lam Soon admitted into the 2025 Design Power Index

DBCS and Consulus are pleased to announce that Lam Soon is admitted into the Design Power Index (DPI) 2025.

The Design Power Index is an economic premise and framework based on three key questions:
1. Does design generate economic value?
2. If yes, what is the value?
3. Is the nominated organisation great at harnessing the power of design to generate economic value and shape societal impact?

This inaugural index is launched by the Design Business Chamber Singapore (DBCS) in partnership with its global knowledge partner Consulus, a global impact investment and creative change firm, as part of DBCS’s 40th anniversary.

Companies and organisations are first shortlisted from a wide range of industries and then nominated. By accepting the nomination, honorees affirm that design shapes economic value through their business model, products, and services. Acceptance also means they agree to participate in an assessment the following year for the Design Power Index 2026, ensuring a deepening study on the value of design for economic growth. Acceptance of nomination, use of the logo, and participation in next year’s survey are without fee.

As of now, the estimated total market value of the private and listed companies who have accepted the nomination has reached SGD 20 billion. For the non-profit organisations included, their work impacts the lives of Singaporeans.

Lam Soon

Lam Soon is an exemplary company where design is not just a feature, but is generating significant economic value through the manufacturing and sale of highly recognizable, design-first products in the consumer goods market. Its success is rooted in the strategic use of branding and packaging design to elevate everyday essentials into premium, trusted items. The economic value Lam Soon generates is a direct result of its expertise in translating basic commodities into strong consumer brands. Through meticulous design services, the company has transformed products like cooking oil and detergent into household names such as Naturel, Knife, and A-1.

Lam Soon consciously uses design language to communicate brand values and product attributes – the apple green label for Naturel Premium Blend healthy oil (endorsed by the Health Promotion Board), the orange label for Knife with its focus on heritage, the light green label and clear liquid for bio-home that reflects its plant-based active formulation eschewing petrochemical bases, and the light blue packaging for UFC Refresh Coconut Water, Singapore’s No. 1 brand.

Lam Soon also seeks non-generic packaging solutions for improved ergonomics and better differentiation. Examples include the unique hexagonal-shaped bottle with clear labelling for bio-home and the introduction of handleless bottles for its 2L cooking oil range to reduce plastic use. The distinctive design of its packaging, branding, and product presentation serves as the core intellectual property that differentiates its offerings, drives brand loyalty, and allows it to command a premium price in a competitive market. By leveraging design to communicate quality, heritage, and health benefits, Lam Soon has successfully built a business model where the visual and conceptual design of its brands is the fundamental product that fuels commercial success and market leadership across the region.

About the Design Power Index (DPI)

The Design Power Index (DPI) is the world’s first longitudinal economics index designed to measure and track the economic value generated by companies through the strategic use of design and the creation of design intellectual property (IP). Showcasing 40 companies and 20 organisations recognised for their business growth, market creation, technological innovation, and social impact through design, the inaugural DPI 2025 provides a holistic lens of design’s contribution to the economy.

Developed by the Design Business Chamber Singapore (DBCS) in partnership with Consulus, the DPI analyses design’s impact across four dimensions:

• Business of Design — Companies who have achieved revenue and growth through creating unique intellectual property by design
• Market of Design — Companies who have harnessed design to create a new business category
• Technology of Design — Companies who have used design to innovate and shape use-behaviour
• Social Impact of Design — Companies/organisations who use design to shape societal change or impact