Born out of necessity

From solder joint to design award

How a hand-soldered circuit board became SOMO Gen 6. Light from Johannesburg, one module at a time.

  1. The first solar module seen from below, a hand-soldered circuit board with LEDs, open on a black lid
  2. An early solar module seen from below, the circuit board in a black lid
  3. A later solar module with a small circuit board and wires in a black lid
  4. A later solar module with a yellow-framed circuit board in a dark lid
  5. A solar module in a clear housing
  6. A solar module in a light housing with a yellow cover over the charging port
  7. A smaller solar module in a light housing
  8. A generation 6 SOMO seen from below, six LEDs in a circle on a dark blue circuit board

Back then

Soldered by hand, open on the lid, no housing.

Today: SOMO Gen 6

100 lumens, 3000 K warm white, dimmable. Charges by sun or USB-C.

Social Impact by Design. Proudly Made in Africa.

  • Red Dot 2025
  • iF Design Award 2023
  • German Design Award 2021

Sonnenglas, winner of the Red Dot, the iF Design Award and the German Design Award

Johannesburg, 2013. South Africa is living through power cuts, and in the city's townships the light goes out at night — or it comes from candles and paraffin lamps, with open flames and smoke.

The first Sun Jar was not a design object. It was a tool, invented out of necessity: a preserving jar, a solar lid, a battery. By day the jar stands in the sun; at night it glows.

Two children walk down a dark alley during a power cut, each carrying a solar light

Power cut

Light for the evenings when the power is gone

Photo: Jodi Windvogel
The first solar module seen from below, a white hand-soldered circuit board with four LEDs and the Sonnenglas lettering on a black lid

Back then

Soldered by hand, no housing

The first module is a bare circuit board on a black lid. Four LEDs, marked LED1 to LED4, every joint soldered by hand. Printed on it: CG13DB29052013.

Improvised, because there was no other way. And it worked.

“The first version was soldered by hand, had no housing and still changed lives. Basic, but good: some of them still work today.”

Stefan Neubig, founder of Sonnenglas

In between

Module by module

Housing, circuit board, switch: with every version we learned something. Eight modules, from the first on the left to SOMO Gen 6 on the right.

  1. The first solar module, a hand-soldered circuit board open on the lid

    Back then

  2. An early solar module seen from below, the circuit board in a black lid
  3. A later solar module with a small circuit board and wires in a black lid
  4. A later solar module with a yellow-framed circuit board in a dark lid
  5. A solar module in a clear housing
  6. A solar module in a light housing with a yellow cover over the charging port
  7. A smaller solar module in a light housing
  8. SOMO Gen 6 seen from below, six LEDs in a circle

    SOMO Gen 6

A generation 6 SOMO seen from below, six LEDs in a circle, a QR code and the print “Made with ♥ in South Africa”

Today

SOMO Gen 6

Six LEDs in a circle, a QR code with its serial number, and printed on the board: Made with ♥ in South Africa.

One module that moves from the Sun Jar to the Light Carafe and onto the Adventure Mount, each in the matching size.

  • 100 lumens
  • 3000 K warm white, CRI above 80
  • Charges by sun or USB-C
  • Dimmable, with a day/night sensor
  • Up to 100 hours on low
  • 28 hours on medium, 5 on full

Discover SOMO

Three people in the factory at Victoria Yards lean in, smiling, over a SOMO a young woman holds in her hands
Photo: Stefan Neubig

Victoria Yards, Johannesburg

Made in Africa, by hand

SOMO is built where all our products are made: in our Fair Trade certified factory at Victoria Yards.

The factory runs almost entirely on solar power. A solar light, built with sunshine.

See the factory

A worker in blue gloves smiles and holds up a generation 6 SOMO circuit board, more boards lie on the table in front of her

The people behind it

The solder joint became a craft

We have been making our lights in Johannesburg since 2013. Whoever starts here learns a trade: soldering, electronics assembly, welding, robotics.

In a region where more than 60 percent of young people have no work, these are steady, fairly paid jobs. 100 percent of the profits go back into the company and its people.

Awarded

More than 20 awards

Red Dot, iF Design Award, German Design Award and many more: Sonnenglas has won over 20 international awards. A selection.

  • Red Dot 2025 · Product Design
  • iF Design Award 2023 · Design Award
  • German Design Award 2021 · Award
  • Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis 2021 · Design
  • Dezeen Awards Design
  • Fast Company 2019 · Innovation by Design
  • Core77 Design Awards Design
  • IDA Design Awards 2022 · International Design Awards
  • Golden Pin Design Award 2025 · Best Design
  • Good Design Award 2024 · Award
  • NY Product Design Awards 2024 · Design
  • BIG SEE Product Design 2023 · Winner
  • AIDA Africa International Design Award
  • Social Products Award 2024 · Award
  • Green Product Award Award

Upgrade

Your old module counts

Every module in this row has a value, whatever its condition — like a deposit. With its serial number or an old order number you get a voucher for a new SOMO.

New light for your favourite jar.

To the upgrade programme Our story

Stay in the light

News from our workshop in Johannesburg — a few times a year, honest and short.

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