The esteemed Design Guild Mark has opened entries for the 2025 edition, inviting designers and companies to submit entries for three categories:

  • Furniture
  • Lighting
  • Interior Design Elements

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 24th 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: https://www.designguildmark.org.uk/apply-now

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

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 years Entries.”

About the Design Guild Mark:

The programme is different, it is not a competition with a ranking of entries and a single winner; instead, the award is given to all designs that demonstrate to the judges that they represent the highest standards of originality and innovation in industrial design.

The award is open to designers working in Britain or British designers working abroad and entries for all categories can be for designs intended for domestic,office, hospitality, educational or corporate use, and for both interior and exterior environments. Submissions can be for an individual product or a collection of products that are currently in production, that were designed for, and are manufactured by, an industrial design process. There is no restriction on when the design was launched.

The Design Guild Mark is judged by a panel of leading industry professionals. Each member of the panel is from the furniture, lighting, hospitality, commercial, retail, textiles or academic industry. Judges ensure that each submission meets the criteria of excellence in design, materials, manufacture, and function.

The awarded designs – representing the domestic and contract markets – will benefit from increased industry and consumer awareness, press and social media coverage, with the designers and companies behind them also receiving enhanced brand recognition.

The Furniture Makers’ Company is the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, which champions excellence in design and manufacture, educates new talent for the future of the industry and supports those in need.

 Furniture Makers’ Hall

12 Austin Friars EC2N 2HE 020 7256 5558

www.furnituremakers.org.uk [email protected]

Chaired by Rodney McMahon, this year’s eminent judging panel were, full details of the judges are here https://www.designguildmark.org.uk/category/meet-the-judges

In 2022, the Design Guild Mark’s graphic identity has undergone a subtle evolution at the hands of Gunter Piekarski. This astute refresh is being applied across all platforms and reinforces the very special personality of this award programme.

The prestigious Design Guild Mark promotes excellence and raises the profile of British design and innovation.

The award recognises the highest standards in the design of furnishings in industrial design by the finest designers working in Britain, or British designers working abroad.

Each product must meet a series of strict criteria including the design’s form, originality, and environmental credentials.

The Design Guild Mark judging panels for 2025 will be:

FURNITURE

  • Daniel Aram – Managing Director at Aram
  • Joanna Biggs – Director at GA Design
  • Elliott Koehler – Creative Director at JPA Design
  • Heather Naylor – B&B Italia
  • Tom Pearce – Co-founder of Farrah & Pearce
  • Luke Pearson – Co-founder and Director Pearson Lloyd
  • John Tree – John Tree Design
  • Campbell Thompson – Sazy
  • Jeremy Myerson – Director at WORKTECH Academy and Professor Emeritus, Royal College of Art

INTERIOR DESIGN ELEMENTS

  • Professor Clare Johnston – Emeritus Professor at the Royal College of Art
  • Natasha Marshall – Designer and Founder of Natasha Marshall Interiors
  • Corinne Pringle – Director at tp bennett
  • Emma Sewell – Wallace Sewell
  • Peter Thwaites – Design Director at Rapture and Wright
  • Daniel Hopwood – Dainel Hopwood Design Studio

LIGHTING

  • Simon Alderson – Co-founder of twentytwentyone
  • Risa Sano – Partner at Mensten
  • Sebastian Wrong – Design Director · Established & Sons