Hannover. The eight winners were announced during the award ceremony on the second day of the fair, 13 January 2023. The prestigious awards – presented in collaboration with the trade magazines COVER and HALI – celebrate contemporary carpet design and have been reflecting the innovations and trends in the industry for more than 15 years.

The award winners are considered exceptional examples in the industry that combine design, quality and craftmanship to a special degree. In addition to the selection criteria of design and design concept, material, execution, structure and quality, the jury also paid attention to the aspects of sustainability and branding. “It was a great opportunity to be part of the Carpet Design Award judging process, sharing ideas with other members of the rug industry”, revealed Jamie Metrick, Managing Director of Elte and this year's jury member and elaborated further: “The awards are really important for the market as they offer an invaluable window into the designs, trends and techniques of a particular time.”

With the newly introduced category "Sustainability Award", the Carpet Design Awards 2023 take into account the growing importance and demand for sustainable design and ethical carpet production. “This year the Sustainability Award is a great addition to the event as for the rug market it is a topic that we must all start to take notice of”, emphasised Lucy Upward, Editor of COVER.

All CDA-finalist carpets will be on display in Hall 2 until the last day of DOMOTEX.

EUCA Award for special achievements in the carpet industry

During the Carpet Design Awards, the European Carpet Importers Association announced the winner of the EUCA Award – also known as the Carpet Oscar – for the 15th time. Since 2007, this award honours personalities in the European carpet industry for outstanding achievements and thus ultimately expresses the gratitude of the entire industry. Bahram Tahbaz, this year's winner of the EUCA Award and founder of Bahram Tahbaz Oriental Carpet Import, accepted the award for his lifetime achievements personally on site.

And the winner is…

Category 1: Best Studio Artist Design | Original small scale production design from an artist or designer
Omaggio a Maria Lai: Legarsi alla montagna, Joias | Tortolì (IT)

Category 2: Best Modern Design Superior | Original contemporary designs showing optimum use of materials
AAD...Enclosure of Life, Saraswati Global Pvt ltd | Jaipur (IN)

Category 3: Best Modern Design Deluxe | Original contemporary design showing optimum use of materials
Green Agate ltd., Ashtari Carpets bvba | Antwerp (BE)

Category 4: Best Transitional Design | A new rug that interprets traditional designs for a contemporary audience
Talisman Hand-knotted, Wendy Morrison Design | Musselburgh (UK)

Category 5: Best Flatweave Design | Original rug design demonstrating the flatweave technique
Tulu, Manglam Arts | Jaipur (IN)

Category 6: Best Collection | Contemporary Traditional or Transitional design collections demonstrating a common theme
Trails Collection by Sebastian Herkner, M2Rugs | Hamburg (DE)

Category 7: Best Interior | A high-end customization project or rug installation represented by high-quality images
Emily Forgot - Modular (Amity), FLOOR_STORY | London (UK)

Category 8: Sustainability Award | A rug that is produced with a low carbon footprint or/and that incorporates ethical practices
Taufa, Jaipur Rugs | Jaipur (IN)