The Furniture Design Competition goes wild: last call for 2025 entries
Forget spaceships — South Africa’s newest alien invasion is happening in your lounge, on your patio, and possibly beneath your coffee cup.
This year, the 2025 Furniture Design Competition is all about turning the “bad guys” of the forest — alien invasive woods — into design darlings. Think pine, gum, blackwood wattle, or poplar… the sorts of trees that gatecrash our ecosystems, now getting their moment in the stylish spotlight.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), along with The South African Furniture Initiative (SAFI), the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), Proudly South African, and a squad of design-savvy partners, is calling on the country’s boldest creative minds to send in their most original furniture ideas before entries close on 30 September 2025.
The brief?
Design indoor or outdoor furniture for the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) that’s functional, beautiful, proudly South African… and made from those pesky alien woods. Sustainability, creativity, and a dash of cultural flair are non-negotiable.
“By using alien invasive species of wood, we’re not just encouraging sustainable practices — we’re proving these materials can produce high-quality, innovative furniture. It’s not just about looks. It’s about solving real-world problems through design.”
Lynn Adonis, SAFI’s Administrator and Qualifications Manager
Design roots in SA heritage
This isn’t just a woodworking challenge — it’s a chance to weave South Africa’s rich cultural and natural identity into your designs. We’re talking selective splashes of colour, patterns that nod to our landscapes, and subtle hints of our iconic fauna and flora. But keep it considered — this is about quality, not kitchen-sink chaos.
Two ways to play — and plenty to win
Student category: Win a year-long internship in the furniture industry, a six-month Furniture Design Incubation Programme with Furntech, plus media profiling to launch your career.
Professional category: Walk away with a Proudly South African membership, a year with the Institute of Interior Design Professions, exhibition opportunities, national media coverage, and tech goodies like laptops or graphic tablets.
Lynn Adonis calls it “career-defining” — whether you’re a fresh-faced student or a design veteran looking for your next big break.
Beyond the competition — a movement
This competition isn’t a one-off; it’s part of the DTIC’s broader push for skills development and design innovation. SAFI is helping to connect with universities and institutions like Durban University of Technology (already keen to jump in) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal to encourage accredited qualifications in furniture design.
The fine print
Judging is based on concept, functionality, innovation, ease of manufacture, local materials, commercial appeal, and the “would-this-sell-overseas?” factor. Finalists will be announced 30 November 2025, with exhibitions and final judging happening early 2026. Winners will follow shortly after.
Your move, SA designers
If you’ve got the imagination to turn environmental troublemakers into timeless pieces of furniture, this is your stage. Multiple entries are welcome (just fill out a separate form for each), and there’s no entry fee.
