Fresh Wood call for entries now open

The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) will host its 13th biennial Fresh Wood student furniture competition at the 2023 AWFS Fair, July 25-28 in Las Vegas. The competition is open to high school and post-secondary students in accredited woodworking or related programs.

There is no fee to enter and entry applications will be accepted until May 1, 2023.

The 2023 Fresh Wood Special Theme is “Small Projects”. This theme was selected by the Fresh Wood committee to encourage new schools and students to enter the competition.

“We realize that some schools and students may have less resources, less time, and less support”, says Fresh Wood committee member Mei-Yen Shipek. “Encouraging more Small Projects will open the doors to a broader range of students and remove barriers associated with building traditional, large furniture projects.” The Small Project category is for projects that are 1 cubic foot or smaller in overall size. There are no restrictions on style, but the project should be made primarily from wood.

Five other entry categories make up the Fresh Wood competition: Case Goods, Seating, Tables, Design for Production, and an Open category, in which projects can be made of any material and there are no size restrictions. In the Design for Production category, students must design a functional item manufactured out of one 4’ x 8’ sheet of plywood and all structural wood components must nest inside of and be cut from the same sheet.

Entries will be rated by a panel of judges that represent different aspects of the industry. Judges’ scores will determine the finalist pieces that will be on display at the AWFS Fair. AWFS covers project shipping and the majority of travel costs to bring students and their teachers to the AWFS Fair.

For more, visit www.awfsfair.org.