The first Sino-Canadian Solid Wood Furniture Design Competition, jointly organised by the Nanjing Forestry University (NFU) College of Furnishings and Industrial Design, and Canada Wood China, was launched in early June in a virtual format.
The opening ceremony was supported by the Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai, the Shanghai Wood Industry Association, the Fujian Custom Home Furnishing Industry Association, Interni Design Journal and Canadian wood-related trade enterprises.
According to Canada Wood, the competition will focus on the theme of “Green Forests and Vibrant Designs”, to inspire students and teachers unleash their creative design talent using Canadian hemlock that provides versatility and durability with a natural aesthetic.
The NFU College of Furnishings and Industrial Design benefits from the advantages of forestry industries in Jiangsu, China province. The school specialises in furniture design and engineering with a focus on designing for people’s home lifestyle, cultivating the next generation of furniture designers for the industry.
The competition also introduces the sustainable forest management practices of Canada to protect forests forever, promote the importance of certified sustainable materials and concepts of environmental protection that can be applied to the design field in China.
With the designs focusing on the consumer trends of young families in China, Canadian hemlock is being promoted in the market for solid wood furniture in China with the support of the NFU College of Furnishings and Industrial Design, Canada Wood China, and manufacturing partners undergoing the Canadian Hemlock trial programmes.
Canada Wood reports that Xu Wei, dean of the NFU College of Furnishings and Industrial Design, commented that the competition would allow young designers to create new furniture pieces and explore the ways Canadian hemlock can be used, which was a challenge and also a valuable experience for those participating students.
The competition also provided a good platform for teachers and students as well as Canadian forest industry enterprises to discuss and learn from each other.
The competition will end in December 2022.
