ICFA Calls for Design Excellence Entries

The competition is open to all companies exhibiting at the 2014 International Casual Furniture & Accessories Market in Chicago, as well as fabric suppliers, who are not required to be exhibitors. The entry fee is $100 per product for members of the International Casual Furnishings Association, which coordinates the competition. Non-members may enter for $500 per product.

The entry deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, June 20, 2014.

Entries are sought in 11 categories: dining or bar table, dining or bar chair, chaise lounge, lounge seating – cushion, lounge seating – non-cushion, shade product, outdoor lighting product, heating/firepit, outdoor carpeting/rugs/flooring, fabric and complementary casual product.

Competition rules and entry guidelines can be found here.

The Design Excellence category judging will take place on Thursday, August 28. All category winners will be announced after the judging, with awards to be presented on Tuesday, September 16, in company showrooms.

All companies submitting entries are urged to attend the ICFA Awards Gala at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 18, at the Chicago Field Museum. During this event, the Lillian B. Winchester “Best of Show” Award will be presented from among the 11 category winners. Additional awards to be presented at the gala include the ICFA Manufacturer of the Year, Sales Representative of the Year and the Apollo Awards for retail excellence. In addition, the annual tribute to the Lifetime Achievement Award recipients will be included in the evening’s program.

Ticket information for the ICFA Awards Gala will be available soon.