Contest Calls for Design From FSC-certified Plywood

Going with the Grain is open to all designers, including furniture designers and manufacturers, architects, and industrial designers.

by Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 10/1/2008

Have a bright idea for a single sheet of plywood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)? Design 21: Social Design Network, an online platform founded by design firm Felissimo and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has launched two competitions in an effort to raise awareness of sustainable forestry: Going with the Grain and Wood, Paper, Checkmark.

Launched by DESIGN 21 members, FSC-US, and the Nature Conservancy, Going with the Grain is open to all designers around the world, including furniture designers and manufacturers, architects, and industrial designers. The contest asks for "an original, functional, and aesthetically appealing object made from a single sheet of FSC-certified plywood (measuring 4’ x 8’ x 1”)."

In May 2009, a prototype of the winning design will be auctioned during the exhibit "The Nature Conservancy’s Design for a Living World," which will focus on sustainable materials. The winner will also be given a manufactured sample of the design.

Benefiting the Nature Convervancy and the FSC, Wood, Paper, Checkmark calls for a savvy marketing plan conceived to create public awareness of the FSC. Contenders are asked to create online and print ads and a URL for the FSC's consumer website. The winner will be awarded a $5,000 cash prize.

Entries for both competitions are due January 13. For more information and entry forms, visit Design 21.