The competition for the next Carpet Design Awards, which will be presented at Domotex 2014, is now open. Makers of handmade rugs and carpets can submit their entries for the 2014 competition up until November 5th. For the handmade carpet segment, the Carpet Design Awards at DOMOTEX (January 11-14 in Hannover) represents a global benchmark in quality and design. January 2014 sees the ninth competition and, as in previous years, it will be open not only to the exhibitors taking part in Domotex, the world's leading trade fair for floor coverings, but to all manufacturers of handmade carpets. The entries for the highest award in this segment will be presented on January 12, 2014 at the stand of the Carpet Design Awards in Hall 16.
All entries are judged by a high-caliber international panel of experts, designers and journalists. For the first time there will be a two-stage selection procedure. In the first phase nine judges will assess the entries, selecting three products from each of the 10 competition categories. The selected products will be exhibited at Domotex 2014. January 10, 2014 a panel of five judges will choose the winners. "A fine hand-knotted rug is a blend of skilful craftsmanship, knowledge and awareness of tradition, individual creativity and aesthetic judgement. It is an essential element in any high-end interior where quality and class count. Such rugs have always been emblems of distinction and sophistication. The plethora of contemporary rugs available on today's market gives decorators unparalleled opportunity for personal expression, and the Carpet Design Awards at Domotex highlight some of the best examples of these rugs", says panel member and chairman Kristiina Lassus, an internationally renowned designer from Milan.
The Awards give the winners the certainty that their products are a success and deserve the accolade of Best of the Best in their respective category. Prizes are awarded in each of the ten categories. Since the inception of the competition the categories have been continuously upgraded and extended to address the latest trends. This year a new category – Best Transitional Design – has been added in recognition of the growing importance of traditionally designed carpets boasting modern design elements. A further prize will be awarded on the basis of a poll conducted among the visiting public in which they select their "best-liked" carpet among the exhibits.
Those carpet manufacturers who reach the final stage of the competition can present their carpets at the Carpet Design Awards stand in Hall 16 at Domotex. This Awards stand provides visitors with a popular platform where they can exchange ideas, gain inspiration and experience new trends.
Premiere: Competition for young designers and students
Another new feature at Carpet Design Awards 2014 will be the Carpet Design Competition for Young Designers and Students. The competition aims to inspire an interest among the new generation of designers in the art of knotted carpets and is intended to show that the manufacturing process imposes no limits on the creative input of designers. Six selected carpet designs are currently being hand-knotted in Afghanistan and will be presented at DOMOTEX in January. It is from this selection that the judges in Hannover will pick one winner in each of the categories "Young Designer" and "Student Designer". The competition is being sponsored by the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO), a Division of the US Department of Defense. More information is available at: www.afghanmade.com
In 2013, the competition attracted 214 entries from manufacturers in 25 countries.
