The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) has launched its 2026 Design-it-Digital Student Competition, an online CAD design challenge engaging middle school, high school, and post-secondary students across the United States and Canada.
Owned and operated by AWFS, Design-it-Digital introduces students to the real-world constraints designers and manufacturers face in the woodworking industry.
Participants respond to a hypothetical client brief by designing a wood product solution using industry-standard 2D or 3D CAD and rendering software. Entries are evaluated entirely online by a panel of industry professionals.
The competition supports AWFS’ workforce development mission by exposing students to careers in CAD, engineering, manufacturing, design, and related technical fields within the wood industry.
2026 Theme: Tables
This year’s competition centres on tables, with progressively complex design briefs:
- Design Challenge A (Middle School Only): Coffee Table with integrated board game storage
- Design Challenge B (High School; Middle School Optional): Dining Table seating six adults
- Design Challenge C (Post-Secondary; High School Optional): Expandable dining table seating six and expanding to 10 adults
Each design must:
- Incorporate at least 67% wood products
- Be manufacturable in a standard professional woodworking shop
- Include a bill of materials, labour time estimate, and pricing structure
- Be presented on a 24” x 36” print-ready digital presentation board
Key Dates
- Entries open: March 1, 2026
- Submission deadline: Nov. 1, 2026
- Winners announced (virtual event): Dec. 31, 2026
Winning entries will be professionally printed and displayed at the Fresh Wood Booth during the 2027 AWFS Fair, July 13-15, 2027, in Las Vegas, Nevada, offering national industry exposure.
Eligibility
- The competition is open to:
- Middle school and high school students (grades 6–12)
- Full-time or part-time post-secondary students (maximum age 35 as of December 31, 2026)
- Students enrolled in accredited programs related to woodworking, architecture, design, engineering, or similar disciplines
There is no entry fee. Schools must register for student entries to qualify for submission. All submissions must be in English, and students and instructors must certify originality.
Industry-driven judging
Entries are scored on a 32-point rubric assessing:
- Technical CAD drawings
- 2D/3D renderings
- vManufacturability
- Client definition
- vDesign innovation
- Efficiency
- Functionality
- Cost realism and documentation
An additional $100 AI Innovation Bonus will be awarded to the submission demonstrating the most effective and innovative use of AI within the design process.
Prizes
Middle School Only Division
1st: $400 | 2nd: $200 | 3rd: $100
Middle/High School Division
1st: $600 | 2nd: $500 | 3rd: $300
Post-Secondary Division
1st: $1,000 | 2nd: $800 | 3rd: $500
All winners will receive a Dust Deputy Low-Pro Deluxe courtesy of Oneida Air Systems.
Industry Sponsorship
The 2026 Design-it-Digital Competition is supported by industry sponsors, including INNERGY (Platinum Sponsor) and Oneida Air Systems (Materials Sponsor).
The Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers (AWFS) is a national trade association representing manufacturers and distributors of machinery, hardware, software, lumber, and related products and services used in home and commercial furnishings manufacturing. Through educational initiatives and the biennial AWFS Fair, AWFS connects industry and education to strengthen the future workforce of the wood-manufacturing sector.
