Tip Ton chair
'Tip Ton' chair by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for Vitra
(Image credit: TBC)

The Design Guild Marks might be just a sprightly six years old, but these annual accolades have already become a coveted stamp of excellence in the British design industry for furniture designers working in volume production. This year's recipients have just been announced - and they're a diverse bunch indeed.

Full marks went to the 'Tip Ton' chair by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for Vitra that tilts forward, creating a sitting position that encourages movement - an action proven to increase flow of oxygen around the body, therefore boosting the sitter's brain power (see W* 145 for more information). Of equal noteworthiness was the 'Radial Table Mechanism', a clever device by Martin Dodge Furniture designed to smoothly lift and fold table leaves; and the extremely refined wooden 'Finnieston' console table and bookcase for Channels, among others.

A further 18 Design Guild Mark recipients were plucked from 41 entries in a judging process akin to an episode of Dragons' Den. Designers entered the judges' lair, where I was privileged to sit on the panel alongside 10 others, including Sebastian Conran and Olga Polizzi. Here, entrants pitched their products one-by-one, a hugely informative process that revealed the thinking behind the creations.

Design Guild Marks were given to those that met the stringent design standards of The Furniture Makers Company, which introduced the awards in 2008. Innovation, problem solving, and expert craftsmanship are just a few of the traits they champion. Displaying these in spades, 2013's troops of recipients offer a very rosy snapshot of the British design industry as a whole.

Finnieston Console Table

'Finnieston Console Table' by Samuel Chan for Channels

(Image credit: TBC)

Finnieston Bookcase

'Finnieston Bookcase' by Samuel Chan for Channels

(Image credit: TBC)

Radial Table Mechanism

'Radial Table Mechanism' by Martin Dodge for Martin Dodge Furniture

(Image credit: TBC)

Raffa Chairs for couch design

'Raffa Chairs' by Ian Archer for Couch Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Design Guild Marks

'Diabolo' by Mark Gabbertas for Chorus Furniture

(Image credit: TBC)

Grey Sofa by black cushions

'Sofa Collection' by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby for Knoll International

(Image credit: TBC)

Open space with couch and armchairs

'Navajo' by Ali Edwards for John Lewis

(Image credit: TBC)

Design Guild Marks

'Metro' by Mark Gabbertas for Lyndon Design

(Image credit: TBC)

Mir by Mark Gabbertas

'Mir' by Mark Gabbertas for Chorus Furniture

(Image credit: TBC)

MirA by Mark Gabbertas

'MirA' by Mark Gabbertas for Chorus Furniture 

(Image credit: TBC)

Rockingham Rocker chair

'Rockingham Rocker' by Dave Green for Sitting Firm

(Image credit: TBC)

Vanity units

UniteSE 'SpaceStation' by Terry Hunt for KI

(Image credit: TBC)

colourful chairs

'Juno' by James Irvine for Arper

(Image credit: TBC)

Design Guild Marks

'Credenza O' by Je-Uk Kim for JiB design studio

(Image credit: TBC)

Design Guild Marks

'WHY Chairs' by Roger Webb Associates for Connection

(Image credit: TBC)

Wooden chair

'The Horseshoe Chair' by Steuart Padwick manufactured by Sitting Firm distributed by Steuart Padwick

(Image credit: TBC)

Design Guild Marks

'Jonty' by Simon Pengelly for Chorus Furniture Ltd

(Image credit: TBC)

Wooden chair

'Holland Park' by Russell Pinch for Ercol

(Image credit: TBC)

Marylebone Chairs by Wales

'Marylebone Chairs' by Wales & Wales for Benchmark

(Image credit: TBC)

Design Guild Marks

'Corsair Range' by Wills Watson & Associates for WJ White

(Image credit: TBC)

Malaika Byng is an editor, writer and consultant covering everything from architecture, design and ecology to art and craft. She was online editor for Wallpaper* magazine for three years and more recently editor of Crafts magazine, until she decided to go freelance in 2022. Based in London, she now writes for the Financial Times, Metropolis, Kinfolk and The Plant, among others.