The 5th Annual Furniture Design Competition

The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) will recognize local design excellence at the 5th annual Furniture Design Competition held at the Johannesburg HOMEMAKERS Expo.

The Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Bulelani Magwanishe explains that the rationale behind the Furniture Design Competition falls within one of the various directives of the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) that strives to elevate South Africa’s furniture manufacturing capabilities and enhances its competitiveness both locally and abroad.

“We have realised that furniture design is one area that is still very much in need of development and believe that once the concept of design is embraced in the industry, it will reinvent the way business is done. This competition will also ensure that we are able to identify and nurture new talent which we will introduce into this sector,” says Magwanishe.

This year’s competition under the theme, Storage will require that competitors tap into their innovative reserves to create designs that will not only respond to people’s ever changing space needs, but also to ways that they live their lives and make use of space for residence.

The brief includes that the designs must promote innovation, be significantly made out of wood, movable, appeal to the export market and have a specific consumer target in mind. The winners of the competition will be announced on 23 February, live at the show.

The completion comprises of the student and established manufacturers categories. The 2018 instalment is anticipated to showcase more spectacular pieces that will exhibit South Africa’s furniture design potential.

Issued by: The Department of Trade and Industry