CALL FOR ENTRIES


Deadline: 8 December 2008

The Index: Award is the largest monetary design award in the world and is presented every two years in Copenhagen. An award is given in five categories, and INDEX: awards the winner in each category with a prize of €100 000.

The Index: Award does not categorize design according to traditional labels - visual design, apparel and industrial design - since these categories do not fully reflect the interdisciplinary approach employed in most interesting modern design. Index: asks that the nomination bodies think horizontally, across design categories and industries, when selecting their nominees for the five categories vital to human life; body, home, work, play and community.

The winning designs are chosen by an international jury consisting of leading designers, design researchers, design writers and design thinkers from Europe, Asia and the U.S. All jury members have a great deal of professional experience from broad areas of the design industry and wide ranging experience from other internationally recognized juries.

Also, the focus on Design to Improve Life differentiates the Index: Award from other design awards, as design is evaluated in a much broader sense than traditionally, focusing not only on form, but also on the context of the design, e.g. ethical and cultural considerations, and impact, including the number of people affected, sustainability and level of innovation.

Five winners will each receive a monetary award of €100,000 in August 2009.

PRESS RELEASE


November 2008

In order to analyze a new perspective in eco-textiles, the Textile International Forum and Exhibition (TIFE 2008) opened at NTUH International Convention Center in Zhong Zheng district, Taiwan running over the course of three days.

Ministry of Economic Affairs is sponsoring TIFE, which is a platform for innovation and development in the textile industry in Taiwan.

According to TTRI Chairman, the textile industry has emerged as one of the key foreign exchange earners of Taiwan and through innovation and proper management in this sector, the country can remain competitive in the international market despite global financial crisis.

After the opening ceremony, Professor Stanislaw Slomkowski, Director and Head of the Department Center of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies at the Polish Academy of Sciences, gave a keynote address, titled 'The Development and Application of Advanced Textile Materials'.

Mr Detlef Fischer, Vice President of Bluesign technologies, Switzerland, gave a presentation on 'The Certification and International Labels of Eco-Textiles'.

Following on, Dr John Easton Manager, Textile Services-Ecology, Solutions, DyStar UK Ltd, presented papers on 'The Derivative Textile Technologies and Market Trends from EURO REACH'.

Mr Alojzy Urbanowski, Proxy International Cooperation, Poland, Institute of Biopolymers and Chemical Fibers, shared his views on ‘The Development and Applications of Bio-Fibers’.

To continue, Mr Kenichi Ishihara, Manager, Raw Materials Technology, Development Section, Teijin Fibers Limited read papers on ‘The Development and Strategies of Teijin's Eco-Fibers’.

Dr Hiroshi Toyoda, Chief Engineer, The Technical Research Center of Taiyo Kogyo Corporation shared his insight about Introduction of Green Textile for Architectural Structures.

At TIFE 2008, a series of seminars held where a total of 18 experts from Taiwan, Japan, Switzerland, the United States, Germany and the UK exchanged their opinions on the commercial development of eco-textiles and their technical specifications.

The fair is organized by Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI).