Meet the sponsors supporting the next generation of furniture talent

The New Furniture Makers Exhibition is about giving emerging designers and makers an opportunity to be seen, celebrated and connected with the furniture and furnishing industry.

An important part of that is the exhibition’s awards and prizes, which recognise excellence across design, making, upholstery, textiles and apprenticeships. Behind them is a group of organisations that share our commitment to encouraging the next generation and safeguarding the skills, creativity and innovation on which the future of the industry depends.

This year, we’re delighted to welcome Staples & Co as headline sponsor, alongside our award and prize sponsors NaughtOne, House of Sonnaz, Achieve and Partners, KI, MEON by Gaze Burvill, Blum and the Leathersellers’ Company.

Ahead of the New Furniture Makers Exhibition on 4 November, we spoke to some of our sponsors about why supporting emerging talent matters and what they are looking forward to seeing.

Staples & Co: celebrating heritage while looking to the future

Leading this year’s support is headline sponsor Staples & Co, marking the first time the British bed brand has supported the New Furniture Makers Exhibition.

Available exclusively at Bensons for Beds, Staples & Co has more than 130 years of British bed-making heritage, with its design-led beds handcrafted in Britain using time-honoured skills and premium materials.

For Staples & Co, supporting the exhibition provides an opportunity to celebrate that heritage while investing in the people who will take British furniture design and manufacturing forward.

Emma Forbes, owned brands director at Bensons for Beds, said: “For 130 years, Staples & Co has been built on British craftsmanship, quality materials and the skill of expert makers. Supporting the New Furniture Makers Exhibition allows us to celebrate that heritage while looking firmly to the future – championing emerging designer-makers and helping open up pathways into furniture design, upholstery and British manufacturing.

“We’re proud to play a part in supporting the next generation of talent who will shape the future of our industry.”

Staples & Co is also creating a new opportunity for one of this year’s exhibitors through the Staples & Co Commission. One winner will receive a £1,000 cash prize as well as the opportunity to design a headboard that will become part of the Staples & Co collection – giving an emerging designer the chance to see their ideas progress beyond the exhibition and into a commercial product.

NaughtOne: championing fresh thinking and new ideas

NaughtOne has supported the New Furniture Makers Exhibition for several years and this year sponsors the Design Award, recognising the highest standards in furniture design for a piece or range intended for mass production by designer-makers in higher education.

For Paul Salem, director of design at NaughtOne, giving emerging talent an opportunity to showcase its work is essential to the future of the sector.

“Our business, and the wider furniture industry, needs fresh thinking, new ideas and new talent coming through. It’s only right that we play our part in supporting and encouraging that.”

Paul hopes exhibitors will relish the opportunity to present their work to judges, industry professionals and the public. As well as providing exposure, he sees the New Furniture Makers Exhibition as an important learning experience as designers take their first steps towards building a career.

“It’s always exciting to see the different ideas, approaches and perspectives that the exhibitors bring to the show.”

House of Sonnaz: keeping craft skills alive

House of Sonnaz is supporting two awards this year – the Textile Award, recognising the outstanding use of textiles within a design, and the Upholstery Award, which celebrates excellence in making.

For founder Sonnaz Nooranvary, supporting emerging makers has particular personal significance. Having begun her own career as an apprentice, she knows first-hand how important encouragement and opportunity can be at the beginning of a creative career.

“At House of Sonnaz, supporting emerging talent is at the heart of what we do. I have always believed in the importance of supporting skilled craftspeople and keeping heritage skills alive.”

Sonnaz hopes exhibitors will leave the event with confidence, connections and a better understanding of how they can take their work into the wider world.

She is particularly looking forward to seeing how the new generation combines traditional skills with contemporary thinking, including their approaches to materials, sustainability and the way we live today.

Achieve and Partners: investing in the industry’s future workforce

Achieve and Partners sponsors both the Manufacturing Apprentice Award and Bespoke Apprentice Award, recognising the exceptional work and craftsmanship demonstrated by apprentices through furniture they have produced during their training.

Managing director Amanda Moore believes developing the existing workforce while attracting new talent is essential if British furniture manufacturing is to remain competitive.

“Furniture making is a vital part of our economy and the development of the existing workforce whilst attracting new talent is critical to the sector continuing in its success.”

With an ageing workforce increasing the importance of passing skills and knowledge to the next generation, Amanda sees apprenticeships as a critical part of the industry’s future.

She is particularly looking forward to seeing this year’s apprentice entrants and celebrating the skills and craftsmanship demonstrated through their work.

KI: encouraging new perspectives

A longstanding supporter of the New Furniture Makers Exhibition, KI once again sponsors the School Design Prize, which recognises emerging design talent at GCSE, A Level and Level 3.

For KI, whose predominant market is education seating, supporting young designers has a natural connection with its business and the future of the sector.

Jonathan Hindle MBE, president of KI Europe, said: “Supporting emerging designers encourages bold ideas, innovative materials, and new perspectives for workplace and educational furniture environments, which drive our sector forward.”

Jonathan is looking forward to judging this year’s awards, meeting emerging talent and discovering how the next generation of designers is responding to contemporary challenges, including circular design and sustainable materials.

Blum: safeguarding skills for the next generation

Blum returns as sponsor of the Best in Show Prize, which recognises an outstanding piece from across the New Furniture Makers Exhibition.

For Blum, supporting emerging talent is about ensuring that the knowledge and skills developed by generations of furniture makers continue to be passed on.

“Furniture making is a craft and like any craft it requires time, dedication and guidance to learn and eventually master. Supporting talent safeguards the most precious part of our industry, the people who keep it growing, learning and crafting.”

Thomas Winfield, business service manager at Blum UK, believes one of the strengths of the exhibition is the opportunity it creates for different generations of the industry to come together. Emerging makers can learn from their peers while meeting experienced professionals who can offer advice and insight from their own careers.

And, as sponsor of Best in Show, the team is naturally looking forward to seeing which piece takes the exhibition’s top prize.

The Leathersellers’ Company: inspiring innovation with materials

The Leathersellers’ Company sponsors the Leather Prize, encouraging emerging designers and makers to explore the creative possibilities of leather within contemporary furniture.

Supporting new talent helps ensure the long-term strength of the furniture, making and design sector, while new designers bring fresh ideas and different approaches to materials.

Through the prize, the Leathersellers are particularly keen to increase awareness of leather as a versatile and sustainable material and encourage young makers to develop their skills and experiment with its possibilities.

The exhibition also has a direct connection with the Leathersellers’ wider educational support. A number of students taking part come from educational institutions that receive surplus leather through its dedicated donation project.

“We’re especially excited to see how leather has been incorporated into contemporary furniture design and how emerging makers are pushing the boundaries of what the material can achieve.”

MEON: celebrating outstanding chair design

MEON is sponsoring the Best Chair in Show Prize, recognising excellence in one of furniture design’s most enduring and challenging disciplines.

The prize provides another opportunity for an emerging designer or maker to have the quality of their work recognised by the industry, with the winning chair selected from the pieces on display at this year’s exhibition.

Supporting tomorrow’s industry today

Together, these awards and prizes recognise the breadth of talent coming into the furniture and furnishing sector – from school pupils and apprentices developing their skills to higher education students preparing to take their first steps into professional practice.

We would like to thank headline sponsor Staples & Co and all our award and prize sponsors for investing in that future.

The New Furniture Makers Exhibition takes place on Wednesday 4 November 2026, from 2.00pm-9.00pm, at Furniture Makers’ Hall and the Dutch Church in the City of London.