Manteigas, Guarda, Portugal, May 6, 2025 (Lusa) - Students and professionals in Portugal are being challenged to participate in the Lãnd Design Award, which will reward innovative design projects, pieces and objects that use wool as their main raw material.

The competition is part of the third edition of Lãnd - Wool Innovation Week, which will take place in Manteigas from 24 May to 1 June, an initiative of that municipality in the north eastern district of Guarda and the Association for the Integrated Development of the Mountain Villages Network (ADIRAM).

Those interested should submit their projects by 15 May.

The organisation pointed out that the Lãnd Design Award aims to "enhance the dynamics of innovation and creativity present in the territory, rewarding students, designers and creative people who use wool as the primary raw material in their projects and design solutions".

Sponsored by Crédito Agrícola, the award will distinguish the work of university design students of any academic level (bachelor's, postgraduate, master's or doctorate) and from any national or international educational establishment.

This prize has a total value of €1,500.

The second category is dedicated to sustainability, and projects submitted by professionals in design or any other creative field are eligible.

The total amount to be awarded is €5,000.

Applications can be submitted on the official Lãnd Week website (www.land-week.com), where the competition rules are also available.

The winning projects for 2024 will be announced at this year's edition of Lãnd - Wool Innovation Week, a creative journey focused on wool and its economic potential, the first edition of which took place in June 2024 in Manteigas, in the Serra da Estrela region.

The programme for the third edition includes talks, residencies and artistic interventions, artisans, fashion designers, textile artists, community co-creation workshops, interventions with the educational community, field trips, music, among other initiatives.

"Lãnd presents a programme strategically designed to enhance and reinvent wool. Spread over several months, this creative journey aims to add value to the territory and communities through innovation, design and scientific research," the organisation said in a note sent to the Lusa news agency.

LYM/AYLS // AYLS

Lusa