ASEAN Furniture Design Award 2025: Celebrating Creativity & Sustainability
Bangkok, Thailand
The ASEAN Furniture Design Award (AFDA) 2025 marked a historic milestone as the first-ever regional furniture design competition initiated by the Thai Furniture Industry Club (TFIC) under Thailand’s leadership of the ASEAN Furniture Industries Council (AFIC) for the 2024–2025 term. Spearheaded by Dhanakorn Kasetrsuwan, Chairman of AFIC, this visionary initiative was created to provide a platform for emerging designers across ASEAN to showcase their creativity, honor their cultural roots, and promote sustainability and innovation within the furniture industry.
The judging session was held on April 1 at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, under the theme “Seat for the Future”. Participants were challenged to create seating concepts that incorporated ESG renewable materials and forward-thinking solutions that reflect the needs of a sustainable future inspired by Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
Five finalists—each representing their home country after winning their national-level competition—joined the ASEAN round. They represent countries such as Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Designs were evaluated based on the following criteria by a panel of 11 judges represented a diverse range of perspectives from government, industry, and design sectors across ASEAN:
- Sustainability and Community Responsibility (ESG)
- Creativity and Innovation
- Market Feasibility
- Durability and Safety
- Prototype Presentation
An award ceremony and designer panel was held on April 2 at STYLE Bangkok 2025
Following are the winners of AFDA 2025:
ASEAN Furniture Design Award 2025 Winner
Raihan Syahmi (Singapore) – Heritage 60 Stool
The winning design captivated the judges with its comprehensive approach to sustainability, seamlessly integrating aesthetics, material responsibility, and product lifecycle thinking. The Heritage 60 Stool offers a contemporary reinterpretation of the iconic Singaporean Kopitiam stool, tailored for modern living. Beyond its thoughtful design, the piece exemplifies conscious material sourcing and end-of-life planning, crafted using sustainably certified materials sponsored by PEFC-certified company ETH.
Popular Vote Winner
Deya Tsyna Saco (Philippines) – Amara Bench
The Amara Bench touched the hearts of delegates with its strong connection to Filipino cultural heritage. Showcasing a unique traditional braiding technique, the piece stood out for its meaningful story and careful craftsmanship, earning widespread admiration and the popular vote.
The winners of AFDA 2025 received award trophies presented by the Deputy Minister of Commerce, who presided over the award ceremony. Both awards were presented on behalf of the Minister of Commerce, Pichai Naripthaphan, recognizing excellence in design and the commitment to sustainable development in the region’s furniture sector.
The awards presentation was followed by a panel discussion with the five finalists, who each shared insights about their design process, the inspiration behind their work, and their vision for sustainable design in ASEAN.
A highlight of the day was a keynote talk titled “Sustainable by Design” delivered by Wikkie Netten, APAC Marketing Manager of PEFC, who shared valuable perspectives on sustainability in product design, sourcing, and innovation.
To conclude the event, each finalist received a certificate of recognition, presented by Thanun Ounkomol, Chairman of AFDA 2025, who closed the program with an inspiring message encouraging continued collaboration and creativity in the region.
