MakerWorld and Nothing Launch a Headphone Accessory Design Challenge With Prizes Worth Printing For

Nothing has a habit of making ordinary gadgets look like they were designed in an art gallery, and now it wants your help making them more useful too. The Nothing Headphone accessory design challenge, run with 3D printing platform MakerWorld, asks makers to design printable add-ons for the brand’s over-ear headphones. Submissions open today, October 19, 2026, and the best ideas could win a Nothing Headphone (1) Pro paired with a Bambu Lab A2L printer.

What is the Nothing × MakerWorld challenge?

The contest is called “Let’s Make It” and it is a sequel of sorts. In 2024, the two brands teamed up on the CMF Phone 1 Design Challenge, which drew a surprising range of community creations. This round moves from phones to audio, so expect fewer cases and more stands, hooks, cushions, cable keepers and things nobody has thought of yet.

Entries must be designed for the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro, Headphone (1) or Headphone (a). That covers a wide spread of owners. The Headphone (1) arrived in India at ₹21,999 with KEF-tuned audio and 42dB hybrid noise cancellation, while the more affordable Headphone (a) launched in March 2026 with a 40mm driver and a titanium coating. If you want a quick refresher on the budget model, our coverage of the Nothing Headphone (a) has the details.

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Three categories and a very good prize

Makers can compete in three categories.

• Best Design, for the accessory that simply looks the part
• Most Functional, for the one that solves a real daily annoyance
• Most Unexpected, for the entry that makes judges say “wait, what?”

Each category winner takes home a Nothing Headphone (1) Pro plus a Bambu Lab A2L printer. The Headphone (1) Pro launched at $399, so even before the printer enters the picture, that is a serious haul. There are also runner-up awards, Community Favourite prizes and participation awards, which means a respectable entry might still get you something.

Key dates at a glance

• Submissions open October 19, 2026 (UTC)
• Submissions close November 22, 2026 (UTC)
• Winners announced December 4, 2026

Uploading at least 24 hours before the deadline is recommended, so the review team has time to process your entry. Last-minute uploads are a gamble with your eligibility.

How to enter

The process is refreshingly simple. Upload your original model to MakerWorld in 3MF or STL format, add photos or renders (real prints are preferred), and write a model description. Then head to the contest page, select “Join the Contest”, and hit “Compete” on each model you want to enter. Adding a print profile can earn more likes and downloads, which helps if you are chasing the Community Favourite award.

Every model has to be printable on an FDM printer, so if you were planning a resin masterpiece, you will need to rethink. That is actually good news for most hobbyists, since FDM printable headphone accessories are the kind people can realistically print at home.

The rules that can trip you up

Read these before you start modelling.

• Each person can submit up to five entries
• Models published before the contest period are not eligible, and neither are past MakerWorld contest winners
• AI-generated models are barred from competing
• Remix and Share uploads cannot win
• Off-theme entries get removed, cost you 100 points and use up a submission slot
• Two removed entries in one contest means disqualification

There is also a clause on Nothing’s product drawings. Participants get a limited licence to use the supplied Design Materials to build their entries, but they cannot redistribute them or publish downloadable files that reproduce them. Nothing also notes that the drawings are a creative reference rather than certified manufacturing specs, so you are responsible for checking dimensions, tolerances and safety yourself. In plain English, test-fit your print before you trust it near a pair of expensive headphones.

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One more detail worth knowing is that entering gives MakerWorld parent Shenzhen Tuozhu Technology and Nothing permission to use your nickname, avatar and submitted materials for promotion, and even to produce non-commercial merchandise. Fan creations also do not represent Nothing’s official position.

Why this matters for makers and headphone owners

Accessory ecosystems usually belong to big brands and third-party sellers. This contest flips that, putting the design brief in the hands of people who actually use the product. Anyone browsing MakerWorld’s 3D printing contest 2026 lineup will find this one unusually specific, which is a good thing, because specific briefs tend to produce sharper ideas.

For USA and Indian readers, the contest is open globally on MakerWorld, so no region lock is mentioned. Printer owners in India, the US, the UK and Australia can all take a swing.