The Furniture Makers’ Company Announces Design Guild Mark 2026 Holders
The Design Guild Mark Awards Ceremony 2026 takes places today, on Tuesday 19th May 2026, in the Arper UK showroom during Clerkenwell Design Week, celebrating the latest designs and the pioneering designers shaping the industry across Furniture, Interior Design Elements, and Lighting.
The Design Guild Mark is a non-profit awards programme established in 2008 by The Furniture Makers’ Company to champion British industrial design and recognise outstanding achievement within the sector. Originally focused solely on Furniture, the programme has since expanded to include categories for Interior Design Elements and Lighting.
Entries are evaluated by a diverse panel of judges against a series of key criteria, including innovation, functionality, form, brand impact and environmental responsibility.
Lighting - The Modernist Collection - Joe Armitage - Joe Armitage / The Canopy Collection - Sam Cooper & Richard Platt - The Marchmont Workshop4 / Interior Details - The White Hart Collection -Emma Sims Hilditch and Marlborough Tiles - Marlborough Tiles
The ceremony will be hosted by Alexander Crofts, CEO of Crofts & Assinder and Chairman of the Design Guild Mark, with honorary guest Andrew Tanner, Head of Design at Habitat, who will celebrate design excellence with the presentation of The Jonathan Hindle Prize. The accolade recognises the most innovative and creative entries from the year. While sustainability continues to be viewed as an essential standard within the industry, this year’s submissions demonstrated that environmental responsibility does not need to compromise innovation, aesthetics, or creativity.
What sets the Design Guild Mark apart is its hands-on judging process. Applicants are required to present their physical product in person, allowing for detailed discussion and direct engagement with the judging panel. Comprised of internationally respected industry leaders, the independent panel brings extensive expertise and insight to the evaluation of every submission.
Alex Crofts, chairman of the Design Guild Mark, commented:
“This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Design Guild Mark Awards programme – two decades dedicated to championing UK design as a leading global creative force. The calibre and diversity of this year’s entries once again demonstrate the strength of British design talent, bringing together designers at every stage of their careers through a shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and craftsmanship. As we celebrate this milestone year, each Design Guild Mark recipient should take great pride in having their work recognised as part of the gold standard for British design.”
The 2026 product selection is as follows:
Key: Furniture Name - Designer - Manufacturer
FLW - Samuel Wilkinson - SCP
Work - Matthew Hilton - SCP
Archer - Marcus Long - SCP
Levity Collection - Gaze Burvill - Gaze Burvill
Leandesk - Henry Swanzy - Leandesk
The Chanterelle Collection of low tables - Staffan Tollgård & Filippo Castellani - Giorgetti
Knit One - Paul Crofts of Paul Crofts Studio - Isomi
The Ayton Collection - Michael Mcintosh - Treske Ltd
The Canopy Collection - Sam Cooper & Richard Platt - The Marchmont Workshop
Mollu - Sophie Concadoro, Nare Manuelyan & Ross Mclean - Pineapple Contracts
Sail - Studio Webb - Glimarka of Sweden AB
Alta - Jones + Partners - Workstories
Sylva - Jones + Partners - Stiwood
Panda System - Monica Förster - Modus
PLC Tube - Pearson Lloyd - Modus
Dowel Table - Ed Carpenter & André Klauser - VG&P Ltd
Genie Chair - Mentsen - VG&P Ltd
Aarea - Pearson Lloyd - Teknion
Interior Elements:
The White Hart Collection - Emma Sims Hilditch and Marlborough Tiles - Marlborough Tiles
Fenchurch Handle Range - Zoran Matijevic - Crofts & Assinder
Skomer Handle Range - Zoran Matijevic - Crofts & Assinder
Pattern Play - Heather Lloyd - Milliken Carpets
Lighting:
The Modernist Collection - Joe Armitage - Joe Armitage
Alex Crofts, chairman of the Design Guild Mark, comments further:
“One of the defining strengths of the Design Guild Mark Awards is the opportunity for British designers and their work to be recognised by such a distinguished and diverse judging panel. To be selected for the Jonathan Hindle Prize from among this year’s outstanding submissions is an exceptional achievement – a huge accolade that reflects the creativity, innovation and excellence at the heart of British design. It is an honour that should inspire immense pride in this year’s winner.”
Judges for 2026
Jeremy Myerson - (Worktech Academy Professor)
Campbell Thompson - (Pineapple Contacts)
Tom Pearce - (Farrah & Pearce)
Joanna Biggs - (Sherliker Biggs - Hospitality Interior Design Consultant)
Kyle Scorgie - (JPA Design)
Daniel Hopwood - (Studio Hopwood)
Natasha Marshall - (Natasha Marshall Interiors Ltd)
Corrine Pringle - (TP Bennett)
Clare Johnston - (Royal College Of Art)
Emma Sewell - (Wallace Sewell)
Simon Alderson - (TwentyTwentyOne)
Sebastion Wrong - (The Wrong Shop)
Please visit the website: www.furnituremakers.org.uk