A' Design Awards opens 2026 textile design call for entries

A' Design Award & Competition has opened entries for its 2026 Textile, Fabric, Textures, Patterns and Cloth Design Awards, with a September 30 deadline and results due May 1, 2027. The competition is open worldwide to textile and fabric professionals and offers winners PR, publicity and exhibition benefits.

Why it matters: - The competition gives textile designers, manufacturers and material developers a global stage for work focused on innovation, function and aesthetics. - Winners receive promotional support that can help projects gain visibility with press, industry peers and potential clients. - The awards also highlight textile development as a design category tied to manufacturing, sustainability and advanced surface materials.

What happened: - A' Design Award & Competition opened calls for entries for the A' International Textile, Fabric, Textures, Patterns and Cloth Design Awards 2026. - Eligible entrants include textile designers, fabric engineers, pattern creators, clothing companies, textile manufacturers, textile brands, industrial design studios, fashion designers, interior designers, material science specialists, textile artisans, weavers, knitwear designers, carpet manufacturers, upholstery designers, textile innovation firms, consultancy groups and research and development companies worldwide. - The competition accepts textile innovations, fabric developments and material designs created within the last 10 years. - The entry deadline is September 30, 2026. - Results will be announced on May 1, 2027.

The details: - The competition uses a two-phase process that begins with a complimentary preliminary textile design evaluation. - Projects that pass the preliminary stage can move to nomination. - A nominal fee applies for nomination. - Eligible work includes woven fabrics, technical textiles, textile patterns, upholstery fabrics, smart textiles and surface materials. - Listed examples include structural fabric, engineered cloth, smart textiles, technical textiles, woven fabric, jacquard fabric and tapestries. - Sub-category descriptions are available in the competition's online category page: Additional details. - Professional-edition laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes a Design Excellence Certificate, lifetime use of the winner logo, a yearbook of best designs, exhibitions in Italy, an award trophy, an invitation to the gala night, translation of awarded works into foreign languages, entry to Prime Clubs, and inclusion in World Design Rankings, Designer Rankings, Textile Design Classifications and Design Legends platforms. - Winners also receive an exclusive interview published on Designer Interviews and included in press kits. - Awarded projects get a press release, design images, photographs, logos and a large set of high-resolution assets for publicity. - Press kits are distributed to thousands of accredited press members, and dozens of press partners have already committed to publishing a selection of winning projects. - The press kit preparation, distribution service and A' Design Prize are free for laureates.

Between the lines: - The competition is positioning textile work as both a creative and industrial discipline, with emphasis on production quality, material science and commercial relevance. - Anonymous judging by more than 300 academics, designers, textile specialists, material scientists and industry professionals is meant to frame the awards as merit-based rather than popularity-driven. - The prize package is built to turn a win into media exposure, not just a trophy. - The broad eligibility list suggests A' Design Awards is aiming to attract both fashion-facing and technical textile entrants.

What's next: - Designers and companies can register and submit work through the A' Design Awards entry process. - Past winners are available for review at Textile awards winners. - More information is available on the competition page: Competition details. - Entries and registration are available here: Submit an entry.

The bottom line: - A' Design Award & Competition is using its 2026 textile awards to recruit global entries and offer winners a visibility-heavy prize package ahead of a May 2027 announcement.