Creative industries
In the Netherlands we believe in the power of design and creativity to transform society. Money, governments and science alone cannot solve complex global issues. We need open ideas, inventive thoughts, and inclusive strategies.
From Rembrandt and Van Gogh to Iris van Herpen and Roosegaarde, Tiësto and André Rieu to The Voice: the Dutch creative minds strive to inspire and connect us all. These icons exemplify the strengths of Dutch design: pragmatic, open-minded, conceptual, and out-of-the-box.
Creative economies
The combination of innovation and sustainability is at the heart of Dutch Design. It begins with our education system and continues with our art school alumni, many of whom have global impact. The Netherlands is home to more than 140,000 designers. Two-thirds of them export their services. In the textile dying industry, Dutch company CleanDye built the world’s first waterless and non-chemical textile dying plant in Vietnam, contributing to sustainable fashion. In healthcare, the Amsterdam Skills Center halves the time of practical medical education via interface design and product designers have collaborated with Philips Healthcare to design prostheses & apps.
