"Design creates culture; Culture shapes values Values determine the future."

With this motto and out of our strong belief that the industry can no longer compete in today’s global market without building a competitive edge that sets it apart from all others, came the first Design+Industry Competition (D+I) to open a window of opportunities for bright and innovative young Egyptian designers.

D+I competition 2

Egyptian Furniture Export Council2nd Design & Industry competition — Egyptian Furniture Export Council
2nd Design & Industry competition

Design creates culture; Culture shapes values; Values determine the future."

After the outstanding success of the first D+I Competition nationally at Furnex last November 2012 and internationally in one of the most important design shows in the world, the respected SaloneSatellite of the Salone Internazionale Del Mobile held yearly during April in Milan, EFEC proudly announces the launch of the second Design+Industry Competition.

D+ I Competition

Industry cannot compete in today’s global market without building a competitive edge that sets it apart from all others. Egyptian industry can no longer depend on trade restrictions to maintain its market share, nor can it compete with the cheaper Asian manufacturers in the current open trade structures. The only way they can build an advantage is to invest in innovation and in what Egypt has an abundance of: human creative capital.

D+I Competition is more than just a design competition. It is an attempt to attract the creative powers of Egyptian designers and through linking them to industry a new source of productive energy can be released. It is an attempt to exhibit the creative energies of young designers in a format that industry can appreciate and link with. The D+I competition is an initiative of the Egyptian Furniture Export Council (EFEC) and the Chamber of Woodworking and Furniture Industry (CWWFI) under the umbrella of +20 Egypt Design.

All designers below the age of 35 are invited to participate with their product ideas in this exhibition of creativity. All product ideas addressing the functional needs of people at home or work are eligible for participation. These can be furniture items, textiles, marble, or lighting elements. The objective is to connect these ideas and their creators with those who are in the business of manufacturing and selling products so as to emerge with a mutually beneficial formula that will also impact the broader market.

Designers will compete with their product design ideas for the opportunity to have them prototyped by reputable manufacturers and to be exhibited in the high profile Furnex Fair next November 2012 to manufacturers who might find good business potentials in them and hence buy the idea to manufacture it and sell it. Furthermore, the EFEC and the CWWFI are intent on sponsoring the presentation of the best of these ideas in the SaloneSatellite, the young designers section of the Milan International Furniture Fair.

+20 Egypt Design week

2010 – El Moez street

20 Egypt Design is a government-funded initiative which will drive business through creativity and design. The event, a long term project for the country, aims to place Egyptian design and Cairo, a rapidly emerging player on the cultural scene, onto the international design map. Created by esteemed Italian designer Paola Navone, +20 Egypt Design will present the history of a large international, cultivated and open-minded family; narrated through installations in different rooms of three historical Cairo homes. Products showcased will be selected from the best Egyptian design companies, as well as international brands. The final result will be a fascinating juxtaposition of tradition and innovation, local and international, classic and modernity; an emotional melting pot of different cultures.

Ahmed Helmy, EFEC Chairman, comments on exporting the first design urban event to Cairo: “It is very important for us to promote design in order to increase and further develop the local culture. We want to encourage people from Cairo to understand and feel the uniqueness of the design experience, through the important involvement of the industry within the production of mass-produced products. +20 Egypt Design will also promote to the international design community the potential of Egypt design both on production and trade/market terms.’’

DesignPartners will organize +20 Egypt Design, providing a business-focused communication strategy, ground-breaking creative thinking and industry-leading content activation to maximize the design initiative and assist with promoting Egypt as an emerging design country which is combining tradition and innovation. Maurizio Ribotti, DesignPartners CEO, comments: “We are proud to be involved in this important project for Egypt and will bring our passion for design, our love of the fresh and new and our quest to make design and creativity central to this country’s economy.’’

Paola Navone has always been interested in mixing and melting together traditional elements in innovative ways; for +20 Egypt Design, Navone will play with space, volume and light, contextualizing local Egyptian product design with international global brands. The event will be held in the renovated area of Cairo’s Old City, El Muiz Street, and will take place in a special atmosphere, located between shops, mosques and museums, the three historical houses dedicated to the exhibitions (Suhaymi from the 1648, Kharazati from 1881and Gaafar from 1713) are a rare example of true magic Egyptian spaces, once occupied by important local personalities.

+20 Egypt Design will be organized across five different sections:

Services: Business lounge, Press services, customer services, welcome registration point

Culture: Design Library pop up edition, Design talks, ZonaTortona movie premier

Entertainment: opening event, special dinner, mini market (local product) hotspot visits

Collateral activities: Factory visits and FURNEX exhibition

Communication: branding activities, media relation and pr activities

Design+Industry workshop 2

2010

The project aims to help integrate design into the furniture manufacturers internal processes through a process that starts from developing a design brief to developing a design concept for an appropriate product, and prototyping this design into a manufacturable end product.

The process brings together international designers with manufacturers, young local designers and design students.

Basic Furniture Design Course

14-1-2010

EFEC has started a series of design managment courses on the 14th of January 2010 at the EFEC premises. The first course is about the basics of furniture design.The instructor of this course is "Dodo Arselan" from IED - Italy.

Design & The Industry Presentation - 4-1-2010

The Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritim

Design & The Industry Presentation was held on the 4th of January 2010 at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport.

New Era In Egyptian Design - Launching Event - 9-12-2009

IMC Theatre New Era In Egyptian Design's Launching Event was held in the theatre of the IMC premises on the 9th of December 2009. The event started by an opening message by Amina Djeddaoui,Furniture Sector Head, Industrial Modernization Center followed by Project Presentation by Ahmed Helmy – Chairman, Egyptian Furniture Export Council,then Design Partners Presentation by Maurizio Ribotti – CEO, Design Partners.

Design & Industry Presentation - Le Marche' 20-11-2009

Cairo International Convention Center CICC 20-11-2

This Seminar included Three Parts: the first one was "how to create an ideal home" by Christophe Pillet. The second one was "Express it … How to express yourself to design your own space" by Dr. Mohamed Noaman. The third one was "Design and the Industry" by Ahmed A. Helmy, Chairman Egyptian Furniture Export Council EFEC. This Seminar was one of the Events held within Le Marche Exhibition".

Design+Industry workshop 1

EFEC collaborated with Rhimal design and the European institute of design (IED) - Milan to organize the first international Design + Industry workshop (D+I) in Egypt. It was led by a group of 8 renowned international designers from Japan, USA, Europe and Egypt. They worked with a selected group of forty young Egyptian designers together with twenty Egyptian manufacturers.

The workshop consisted of four consecutive phases starting with brainstorming and conceptual design and ending with the production of prototypes by the participating companies. The objective was to developproduct ideas that have their roots in the Egypt story and are global in their marketability, yet manufactured by Egyptian companies. The outcomes were exhibited in international exhibitions under the brand name of KYME.

Damietta Seminar 9-11-2009

Wood and Furniture Innovation and Technology Seminar was held from 9-10 November 2009 at Domyat Bridge. The Seminar was organized by the Italian Trade Commission I.C.E., in cooperation with EFEC (Egyptian Furniture Export Council) and the Egyptian Furniture Industry Development Association together with the Damietta Chamber of Commerce. The Seminar included two sessions the first was by Antonio Zangrilli while the second was by Maurizio Tancioni. The event aimed to acquaint the local businessmen working in this sector about new development of the industry and in particular the possible field of cooperation among Italian and Egyptian Companies.

EFEC 2nd Visit to Damietta 19-10-2009

On October 19, 2009, the EFEC team visited Damietta for the Second time. the visit included Four factories: El Tantawy Furniture, Meuble For French Furniture (Showroom & Factory), French House For Furniture & Pinocchio (Showroom & Factory).

13th International Business Forum Congress 14-10-2009

Cairo International Convention Center CICC 14-10-2

13th International Business Forum Congress

October 14, 2009

at Cairo International Convention Center CICC

12:00 p.m - 1:30 p.m

Ramadan's Iftar 30-8-2009

Grand Hyatt Hotel - Nubian Village 30-8-2009

On August 30, 2009, The Egyptian Furniture Export Council EFEC & the Chamber of Wood Working & Furniture Industry CWWFI Organized a "Ramadan Iftar Party" at the Nubian Village, Grand Hyatt Hotel. This Iftar was attended by EFEC Team & Board members,CWWFI Team & a number of journalists...etc

Furniture Technology Center (FTC)-Course:Understanding the European standard for furniture 25/26-8-2009

The Furniture Technology Center started on Thursday, August 25th & for two days. This course was given by Eng. yahia shafik, deputy executive manager of the FTC & Mr. Paul Greenbank, the technical director of the FTC.

EFEC Staff visits Damietta 11-8-2009

On the 11th of August 2009, the EFEC Staff Visited Damietta. They visited some factories at New Damietta City, Old workshops at old Damietta & Ended the trip by visiting Ras Elbar...

Factory visit (FIRA-Minart-Multi M Group) 1-7-2009

On the first of July 2009, The Egyptian Furniture Export Council's Staff visited some FIRA Lab & Minart Factory at 10th of Ramadan city & Multi M Group at Alkhanka

Monthly meeting with All Export Council Executive Directors 5-7-2009

Egyptian Furniture Export Council EFEC's Office

Monthly meeting with All Export Council Executive Directors Guest : Mr. Tamer Safwat – Expolink Executive Director who did a presentation on Egyptian Exporters Association (Expolink)

MOU signing with IED/Rhimal

FURNEX 09 EXhibition-DESIGN HALL 6-6-2009

MOU signed with IED & Rhimal Co. during the event which was held on the 6th of June at the design hall,FURNEX 09 CICC.This event was attended by the Egyptian Furniture Export Council EFEC's chairman,board members & staff,IMC Chairman & a some journalists.

Open Forum on " Design With an Eye on The Future"

An Open Forum on "Design With an Eye on The Future" was held in Cheops Auditorium, Cairo Internatioal Convension Center (CICC, on May 28, 2009. It was Organized by The Egyptian Furniture Export Council (EFEC)& Rooya Group.

Furnex 09 Press Conference

Egyptian Furniture Export Council (EFEC) office

A press Conference was held at the Egyptian Furniture Export Council (EFEC)'s office on the 2nd of june 2009. This Event was managed by Eng. Ahmed Helmy, The Chair man Of the EFEC,Eng. Shereef Abdelhady, the Vice president & Mrs. Omneya Elmaghraby, The Ex

SCHULER EVENT

This event was organized by IMC on the 1st of March 2009 At the Egyptian Furniture Export Council (EFEC) office and was attended by 33 companies.

Accreditation Certificate- FIRA

Eng. Ahmed Helmy the Chairman of the Egyptian Furniture Export Council & the C.E.O Meuble El Chark S.A.E.has given the Accreditation Certificate by FIRA testing centre

Christophe Pillet Event

Christophe Pillet, Ahmed Helmy, on Friday April 18 at the Egyptian Modern Collective Stand.

Timeless Stories

2008 - Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan – Italy

In 2008 EFEC collaborated with Alchemy's designers Karim Mekhtigian and Mohamed Fares in another project "Timeless Stories" with an attempt to capture the multi-dimensional lifestyle of Egypt. The output of this project was exhibited in the Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2008 in Milan – Italy.

The platform

2007 - Furnex

In 2007 the design emphasis was taken to another level through several projects with international designers like Christophe pillet and Karim Rashid who worked side by side with the local Egyptian manufacturers. The output was exhibited in Furnex 2007 at the event "The platform"

The Core

2006 - Furnex

Featured in Egypt's international furniture fair Furnex 2006, highlighting the diversity of local manufacturers as they begin their collaboration with local designers.