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Recognising the best and brightest exhibitors...

Once again, a panel of expert judges will gather to assess and celebrate the January Furniture Show’s most outstanding exhibitors.

Launched in 2015 by Furniture News magazine in partnership with the January Furniture Show, The Furniture Awards have become a key highlight of the exhibition.

Judged by industry professionals from retail, manufacturing, and beyond, and chaired by Furniture News’ Paul Farley, The Furniture Awards offer a valuable opportunity to stand out in the crowd.

Open to all JFS 2025 exhibitors, this is a prime opportunity to gain additional exposure both digitally and onsite at the show. Enter now and demonstrate why your business excels in one of the categories listed below.

ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED - Good Luck!

Winners will be announced at the Social Studio (Hall 2) on Sunday 19 January at 5:30 pm during JFS.

 

Furniture Awards 2025

 

Furniture News

Categories:

Best of British

As British-made goods gather momentum, are you delivering the best in homegrown design and build? This category is for businesses that principally manufacture in the UK, and demonstrate high standards of output, with regard for their place in the local economy and industry.

Keywords: employment, charity, growth, investment, sourcing, manufacture, design, ESG, staff retention, employment, exports, partnership, quality, standards, branding, heritage.

Sustainability

Environmental and ethical concerns are more important than ever – do your materials or manufacturing processes make you a natural winner? This category is for any business that champions sustainable practices and demonstrates the will to make the world a better place.

Keywords: carbon reduction, recycling, reuse, net zero, sustainability, energy saving, carbon footprint, ESG, fair trade, tree planting, packaging, logistics, FSC, PEFC, green, greenwash.

Design Innovation

You may push the boundaries of creativity, or simply deliver impeccable style – but are you leading the way when it comes to good product design? This category is for any business that puts original design at the heart of its strategy – entries should include visual evidence of these directions, plus detail of their route to market.

Keywords: aesthetics, creativity, IP, unique, trends, tastes, R&D, presentation, marketing, original, evolution, commercial, price, value, audience, consumer, retail, PoS, materials.

Global Player

With fluctuating prices and problematic supply chains still common, imports remain a difficult juggling act. This category is for any business that majors in imports, and their entry will need to reflect their strengths in product development, pricing and fulfilment, plus details of how their offer is tailored to the UK marketplace.

Keywords: localisation, logistics, scope, standards, service, speed, quality control, benefits, economies of scale, currency, partnership, communication, heritage, trends, growth.

Superior Service

As the pace of change accelerates, businesses must embrace new, more efficient ways of working. This category gives the industry’s service providers – from software and CGI specialists to sales and logistics providers – an opportunity to highlight why their offer could be a game-changer in today’s market, as well as providing suppliers with an opportunity to highlight achievements in their own service provision.

Keywords: support, trade services, infrastructure, technology, outsourcing, specialist, results, communication, bespoke, savings, efficiency, delivery, marketing, management.

Winners announced at JFS 2025

Join us on Sunday 19 January at 5:30pm at the Social Studio in Hall 2 as Furniture News Editor, Paul Farley, and Clarion Retail Portfolio Director, Zoë Bonser, announce the winners.  Best of luck!


 

Celebrate the winners at JFS!

Our Judging Panel

Paul Farley

Editor-in-Chief, Furniture News & Panel Chair

paul farley

Having developed the awards alongside JFS for its 2015 relaunch under new ownership, Paul has co-ordinated the programme since, promoting it heavily through the event’s Principal Media partner, Furniture News magazine.

Paul joined the magazine – and the industry – in 2006, and soon went on to edit the UK domestic furniture industry’s flagship title. He is a well-known and respected figure in the trade, and works hard to deliver engaging content for the magazine’s readers, and tangible results for its advertisers.

Paul also works closely with the International Alliance of Furnishing Publications (IAFP) and The Furniture Makers’ Company to help co-ordinate marketing and communications across the wider industry.

Malcolm Walker

Director, FIRST MW

 

Malcolm Walker

A judging mainstay since the programme’s inception, Malcolm’s career has revolved around retail, and chiefly the home furnishing market, for the last 50 years.

He was the Buying Director and Director of Product for Furniture Village for many years, and prior to that, spent over 20 years with the Maple, Waring & Gillow group, in various roles from sales consultant to store management, making the move into buying in 1987 while managing the flagship international store on Tottenham Court Road, before becoming group Buying Director.

Malcolm now runs his own consultancy business – a progressive company, working with industry-leading home furnishing brands and high-quality suppliers in the UK, Europe, US and Asia on product design, development, and concept realisation.

Becca Maloy

Head of Buying, 100% Comfort

 

Becca Maloy

Having studied Surface Design at university, Becca worked as a textile designer in Vienna before moving back to the UK to start her career in retail.

She has since worked in various buying roles for Dreams, Furniture Village and AIS (Associated Independent Stores), before moving to 100% Comfort, an innovative new business that aims to deliver omnichannel sleep solutions, in January 2024.

Darryl Simpson

Managing Director, W J Aldiss

Darryl Simpson

Darryl has been in and around the furniture business for 38 years, and now operates two regional furniture and furnishing stores in Norfolk. 

He began at 17 on the furniture floor at Oldrids of Boston, before progressing into merchandise and store management, being appointed to the board position of Merchandise Director at the age of 29.

In 2013 Darryl was recruited by W J Aldiss as Commercial Director, to bring extra strength to the management team in homewares, and develop an online division. In 2016 he was appointed MD, immediately creating a new executive team which saw sales and profit increases, enabling further investment in IT, ecommerce platforms, and premises redevelopments.

Darryl’s experiences have been forged almost exclusively in independent retail, further enhanced by involvement in local chambers of commerce, business improvement groups, Chairman of Associated Independent Stores (AIS) and as a Group Director at the (BSSA) BIRA Oxford Summer School for a number of years.

Richard Naylor

Founder & Managing Partner, Hawksfield Consulting

Richard Naylor

Richard has over 20 years’ experience in the UK furniture industry, holding board positions at Steinhoff UK, Hypnos and Harrison Spinks.

He holds an MSc with distinction in Sustainability, and a Level 7 apprenticeship as a sustainability business specialist. He is a fellow of several sustainability organisations, and guest lectures in leading sustainable business on Cranfield University’s executive MBA.

Richard is passionate about helping the UK furniture industry become more sustainable, and is a specialist in helping businesses build financial value or find lost financial value through the various opportunities that sustainability represents. His consultancy, Hawksfield, offers transparent sustainability outsourcing services for small- to medium-sized enterprises.

Emma Leeke

Managing Director, Leekes

 

Emma Leeke

The Leekes home department store business is part of Leekes Retail and Leisure Group, and the retail operation was established over 125 years ago by Emma’s great grandfather. During her time with the business, Emma has overseen its expansion into the West Midlands through the acquisition of the Coles of Bilston group, and of Park Furnishers into Bristol. In November 2024, Leekes opened its newest store, in Cheltenham, taking its portfolio to seven. The group employs over 650 people, and boasts a total turnover of close to £90m. 

Emma sits on national buying groups including Minerva, Fortis and CIH, as well as being a member of CBI Wales. In recent times, Emma has contributed as a panelist to a Government initiative looking at future strategy for the retail industry.

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Hall 1 & VIP Lounge Partners

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