Start of the interzum award: intelligent material & design 2021

The search for the best products of the international supplier industry for furniture and interior design enters a new round

Participants at interzum @home 2021 can now submit their technical innovations, state-of-the art materials and exciting product innovations for the interzum award: intelligent material & design 2021. The global furniture supply industry is invited to face the worldwide comparison until 12 April 2021. The competition is organised for the 11th time by Koelnmesse in cooperation with Red Dot. A jury will decide on the best design achievements in the categories “Function & Components”, “Materials & Nature” and “Textile & Machinery”.

“The competition underlines the importance of design as a value-added factor. Our award winners successfully use the label to set themselves apart from their competitors in the broader market,” says Maik Fischer, Director interzum. Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of Red Dot, adds: “In these difficult economic times, it is all the more important to confidently communicate your own achievements. An interzum award shows that a company is an innovation driver in the industry.”

The world’s leading trade fair “interzum 2021” will be digital

The world’s leading trade fair for furniture production and interior design will go fully digital in 2021. From 4 to 7 May 2021, participants of interzum @home 2021 from all over the world will present their innovations on the digital platform, thus becoming the trendsetters for the design of tomorrow’s living spaces. This way interzum @home offers a new, digital trade fair experience, enabling exhibitors to reach even more decision-makers and multipliers worldwide.

The interzum award also benefits from this new trade fair experience, as the digital form allows for more options for presenting the winners.

The award ceremony on 4 May 2021 will also take place digitally.

Participation in the interzum award 2021 is free of charge

The interzum award: intelligent material & design is aimed exclusively at participants of interzum @home 2021. They can enter their innovations and detailed solutions in the competition immediately and free of charge, submitting one or more products. This year, submissions will only be accepted digitally.

Registrations are possible in the following categories:

Function & Components

Lamps and (digital) lighting systems, semi-finished products for cabinet, kitchen, office and modular furniture, fittings, (digital) locks, built-in parts, hinges, connectors, etc.

Materials & Nature

Wood, veneers, parquet flooring, interior works, decorative surfaces, decor papers, laminates, wood-based panels, laminated plastic, mineral materials, edges, surface treatments, embossing cylinders, sheet metals, natural materials, press plates, etc.

Textile & Machinery

Machines for manufacturing upholstery and mattresses, upholstery materials, upholstery accessories, cover fabrics, leather, adhesives, temperature and humidity sensors for mattresses, smart textiles (light conducting or similar), etc.

Six jurors evaluate submissions

A jury evaluates all competition entries with regard to their design quality, their innovative potential and aspects such as sustainability or a meaningful integration of digital components. A total of six jurors will jointly decide on the submissions after testing and discussing them. Together they will award the prize for “High Product Quality” and recognise outstanding achievements that set new standards as “Best of the Best”.

The jury

Martin Auerbach

General Manager of the Association of the German Home Textile Industry and, within the framework of a cooperation with Association of Interior Privacy and Sun Protection and the Association of the Mattress Industry, its Managing Director, Wuppertal

Martin Beeh

Founder and owner of beeh_innovation, initiator "materials cologne - The Conference for Design and Innovation", and university lecturer for Design Management, Cologne

Annette Lang

Designer, Annette Lang Product Design, Wiesbaden

Dick Spierenburg

Designer, spierenburg studio, Tienhoven

Professor Martin Stosch

Lecturer on industrial furniture making in the Production Engineering and Wood Technology department, Technical OWL University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Lemgo

Professor Dr. Peter Zec

Founder and president of Red Dot, Essen

Dates interzum award: intelligent material & design 2021

Entries deadline: 12 April 2021

Adjudication: 20 April 2021

Notification: 21 & 22 April 2021

Online award ceremony: 4 May 2021 

Online exhibition of all awarded products: from 4 May 2021

Further information and registration:

www.interzum.com/events/events-and-awards/interzum-award/