Hannover, Germany – One of the global design community’s premier accolades, the iF DESIGN AWARD, has recently commenced its initial jury stage for the upcoming 2025 iteration. Since 1953, the iF Design, an esteemed independent design organization based in Germany, has hosted this coveted award. This year’s session began in December, featuring some of the most esteemed experts from various disciplines within the international jury, focusing significantly on sustainability.
The event noticeably marks a significant evolution of the competition, incorporating a new set of sustainability benchmarks. These criteria, spearheaded by the new Global Head of Sustainability & Impact, Lisa Gralnek, ensure that all entries are evaluated not just on their design and innovation merits but also on their environmental and social impacts. This shift reflects a broader commitment by the design industry to incorporate sustainability into the core of its practices.
The 2025 awards attracted nearly 11,000 entries from 70 countries, spreading across 9 design disciplines and 82 categories, demonstrating the event’s extensive global footprint and its role in setting design benchmarks worldwide. Renowned companies like Apple, Samsung, Bosch, and PepsiCo are among those who submit their designs, each aiming for the prestigious iF Gold, among other accolades.
For this year’s judging panel, 131 professionals from various global locations and design backgrounds have gathered. This diverse group brings a rich perspective to the judging process, which remains one of the most rigorous across design award programs. Noteworthy U.S.-based jurors include Mattel’s Chief Design Officer Chris Down, and Cheryl Durst, CEO of the International Interior Design Association, among others.
The jury’s work is exhaustive and begins with an online pre-selection phase where the top 50% of entries, based on scores, move forward. By February, the panel will meet in person in Germany for two and a half intense days of scrutiny, where entries are physically tested and reviewed across five criteria: Idea, Form, Function, Differentiation, and the newly weighted Sustainability.
This year, sustainability will account for one-fifth of the assessment criteria, underscoring its increasing significance. This new measure involves a collaborative effort with a Sustainability Working Group composed of experts worldwide who will aid jurors in integrating these standards into their evaluations.
In addition to celebrating global design excellence, the jury session also commemorated the one-year anniversary of iF Design’s first U.S. subsidiary. This expansion is geared towards tightening the relationship with the North American design community, enhancing the flow of ideas and innovations across continents under the leadership of Lisa Gralnek.
Through these awards and the newly integrated sustainability criteria, iF Design not only celebrates design excellence but also steers the global design community towards more responsible and sustainable practices. It is a significant step towards a future where design and sustainability are inseparably interlinked, driving positive change both within the industry and across the broader global community.
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