The esteemed Design Guild Mark is welcoming applications for the 2025 edition, inviting designers and companies to submit entries for three categories: Furniture, Interior Design Elements and Lighting.
Entry is open to British designers working in the UK or abroad, and designers with UK based design practices.
The Design Guild Mark is a non-profit award programme that was established in 2008 by The Furniture Makers’ Company to raise the profile of British industrial design and to recognise excellence in this discipline.
Submissions can be for an individual product or a collection of products that are currently in production, that were designed for and manufactured by an industrial design process. The designs can be intended for domestic, office, hospitality, educational or corporate use, for both interior and exterior environments. There is no restriction on when the design was launched.
Designers and companies have until 24 November 2024 to submit an entry to meet the early bird deadline and until 19th January 2025 for the final deadline. The application form can be downloaded from the Design Guild Mark website.
The Design Guild Mark is unique to other design awards in that as applicants are required to present their actual piece in person to a panel of independent judges, each a world leader in their field, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the evaluation process.
Notably, this programme is not a competition with a ranking of entries and a single winner; a Design Guild Mark will be given to a design that demonstrates to the judges that it represents the highest standards of originality and innovation in industrial design.
There is a selection of criteria to establish if a design is deserving of a Mark:
Innovation – does the design demonstrate new and original thinking and problem solving/is it different/does it do something better? Function – is the design fit for purpose/does it work well and intuitively/ does it benefit the user and how? Form – is the design aesthetically appealing and its appearance appropriate/is it made well/does it incorporate innovative manufacturing materials and processes? Brand – does the design develop a brand’s position/does it provide a competitive advantage or edge in any way? Environment – does the design demonstrate a responsibility to progressing sustainable and circular practices/is the product designed and made for longevity of appeal and use? Designs awarded a Mark benefit from wide recognition within the design industry and beyond for the designer and the manufacturer.Recipients of a Design Guild Mark from each of the three categories will also be put forward to receive the additional Jonathan Hindle Prize for Excellence.
Additionally this year we welcome a new chairman, Alex Crofts, CEO of Crofts & Assinder Ltd, who is taking helm from his predecessor Rodney McMahon, chairman of Morgan furniture.
Alex Crofts, chairman of the Design Guild Mark, said: “In my inaugural year as chairman, I am honoured to be continuing the growth and development of this this prestigious programme. The Design Guild Mark is now in its 19th year and continues to promote UK design as a leading global creative force.
“Whether you’re a seasoned designer or a rising talent, the Design Guild Mark provides designers with the chance to join the ranks of past winners and set new benchmarks in design. It is a unique opportunity to have their creativity and craftsmanship celebrated on a national stage. Along with the distinguished selection of judges, I am excited to see this year’s entries.”
