Huntsman Textile Effects presents ‘LAUNCH PAD’ - Award for European textile designers

Huntsman Textile Effects, in collaboration with rooms for free e.V., is presenting a new award for talented European textile designers, LAUNCH PAD – The Huntsman Award for European Textile Designers - taking designers to business.

Launch Pad is an annual award to support the successful implementation of a business project or a commercial design concept proposed by graduating textile designers from universities across Europe. Besides the financial award, the winner will profit from business networking and specific counseling to develop his/her plans.

The prestigious jury presided over by Olivier Fournier, CEO of HTH Holding Textile Hermès, with senior textile designers from the industry and deans of university faculties will present the first award winner at Heimtex, Frankfurt, on January 10, 2008.

“This award underlines our commitment to the European textile industry” says Dr. Michael Effing, Vice President Huntsman Textile Effects, EAME, “and is our contribution to ensuring a sustainable future for textile design made in Europe.”

The Germany-based non-profit association rooms for free e.V. will co-ordinate the Launch Pad award (www.roomsforfree.de/huntsman). The association maintains an international exchange forum for design universities in the centre of Europe focused on textiles, fashion and living space. Its objectives are to underscore the importance of creativity in Europe and to build interfaces between the textile business world and design academies.