Good Design Australia has received a record number of submissions to the Australian International Design Awards with a staggering 232 innovative products entering the 2011 program.
"This is a very positive indication that businesses in Australia are seeing the value and importance of differentiating their products and services through design," said Mr Brandon Gien, Managing Director of Good Design Australia.
"Even more encouraging is the incredibly high standard of the submissions and the calibre of the companies behind these great products. It is hard to pick a recognised brand that is not part of the Awards this year. Our Judges are going to have a tough time deciding the winners this year. I've never seen such a high standard set by the industry in the 15 years I've been with the Design Awards."
Mr Gien said there was a noticeable trend in this year's entries towards products that were designed to be more energy efficient and conscious of sustainable design practices.
"With the cost of electricity and petrol prices continuing to soar, it is heartening to see many of the products focussing on sustainable design, be it in the material they are manufactured from to the energy they consume during use, to the consideration given to the end of life of the product.
Sustainability is a very important design criterion that our judges consider while assessing these products, together with other factors such as form, function, quality, safety and innovation. This year, we will be recognising one product that exemplifies excellence in sustainable design, so it is also going to be very challenging to pick a product for this Award," Gien concluded.