November 2009 – The 2009 RugMark Design-a-Rug competition has been won by Amy Long, studying textile design at Loughborough University, with an original design featuring bold print detail. The competition sets out to inspire the creative talents of young designers and to make them aware of the child labour issues of the rug industry.

Students were invited to respond to a commercial mood Board entitled The Beat of the East. The expert panel of judges awarded Amy first prize for her use of colour and unique block print detail and her rug will be exhibited at the leading design show 100% Design in September.

The runner-up was Crystal Holloway and third prize went to Stacy Brafield, both studying at Manchester Metropolitan University.

On finding out she had won such a prestigious accolade Amy was speechless, later adding she was "absolutely amazed," to have won. As part of her prize Amy has won a trip of a lifetime to Kathmandu to see her rug being hand-knotted as guest of RugMark (UK). She is particularly excited at the prospect having travelled little overseas to date.

Entries were received from universities and art colleges from across the UK. The judges included leading rug designer Deirdre Dyson, who commented on the overall balance of Amy's entry and René Dekker, Head of the Residential Interiors at SHH, who considered her design to be particularly commercially attractive.

The competition was co-sponsored by the rug company WovenGround and 100% Design and the winning entries will be exhibited at the show at Earl's Court in September.

RugMark is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing a better life for thousands of children working illegally in the rug industry across South Asia. For further information visit www.rugmark.org.uk

ENDS.

Press enquiries contact: Fay Handley at Dixon Handley Marketing
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