The Canton Fair Design Innovation Award (CF Award) is an annual recognition program with the mission of “Setting Innovation Benchmarks and Steering Transformation and Upgrading.” It identifies outstanding products that excel in both design and commercial value, showcasing innovative merits, boosting trade deals, supporting industrial advancement, and forging a distinctive Canton Fair brand that highlights the development of new quality productive forces.
After 13 years of cultivation, the influence of the Canton Fair Design Innovation Award (CF Award) has been steadily growing. To date, it has attracted a total of 10,525 companies submitting 20,398 products for evaluation, with 1,058 companies winning awards for 1,365 products. The 2025 CF Award set a new record in participation scale, drawing 1,400 companies and 3,210 product entries. Among these, 137 companies received awards for 167 products. The specially curated CF Award Exhibition Hall has become a major highlight, attracting 68,000 visitors over the past two sessions and earning the reputation as the Canton Fair’s “Treasure Pavilion.”
CF Award Exhibition Hall (Canton Fair’s “Treasure Pavilion”):
A landmark destination for delegation visits — a hub for premium buyer traffic — a centralized showcase of benchmark products — a focal point for innovative media coverage — a strategic window for sourcing and supplier engagement.
Award Benefits: Priority participation in promotional events — Bonus points in brand booth evaluations — Permanent display on the official online platform — Featured exhibition in the popular offline showcase hall — VIP exhibitor service privileges — Promotional coverage on official websites and media channels — Complimentary use of exclusive award logos — Honorary recognition at the awards ceremony.
Product Awards:
The categories include the Supreme Gold Award, Gold Award, Silver Award, and Bronze Award.
Product Categories:
(Product categories are dynamically adjusted based on the exhibition sectors of the Canton Fair.)
Electronics & Home Appliances, Lighting & Electrical Equipment, Gifts & Decorations, Fashion, Industrial Manufacturing, Hardware & Tools, Building Materials & Furniture, Home Textiles, Health & Leisure, Vehicles & Two-Wheelers, Household Goods, Toys & Maternity/Baby Products, Stationery.
Event Timeline:
Product Submission (Deadline: May 2026) → Preliminary Evaluation (June–July 2026) → Product Delivery (Early August 2026) → Final Evaluation (Late August 2026) → Awards Ceremony (During the Autumn Canton Fair) → Award Benefits Activation (October 2026 – September 2027)
Feedback from Award-Winning Enterprises：
With the endorsement of the CF Award, the awarded products have gained significant international exposure, effectively enhancing their commercial value in the global market.
After visiting the CF Award Exhibition Hall, buyers have expressed deeper recognition of the companies and their products, contributing to increased sales conversions.
Winning the CF Award has noticeably boosted foot traffic to the exhibitors’ booths. The award emblem has successfully attracted more professional and quality-focused buyers, reinforcing the awarded companies’ market appeal.
Feedback from Buyers：
I enjoy a lot this CF Award Gallery because it reduced my time, my hard work and also easily I can capture the good product that is based in Canton Fair.
Usually they (CF Award) have very innovative products that are going to be more generalized in the future,and I feel like visiting the gallery is a bit like looking into the future.
l think China’s products are of better quality, which is their (CF Award Products) charac- teristics.
Expert Commentary：
He Renke
Chair of the CF Award Jury
Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, School of Design, Hunan University
Invited Vice President, China Industrial Design Association
“The most distinctive feature and greatest strength of the CF Award, compared to other design awards, lies in its founding mission: to support China’s vast number of export-oriented enterprises. By promoting outstanding design, it helps products successfully enter the international market. This deep integration of design with market access sets the CF Award apart from others. The award has achieved remarkable success and continues to maintain a strong upward trajectory.”
David Kusuma
Former President of the World Design Organization (WDO)
Vice President of Global R&D, Tupperware Brands
“I have served on the jury of many other international design awards around the world, but I found this process (CF Award Selection) to be very good. It was very deliberate. I think that anyone who has been able to succeed in the entire process and come out winning an award should get special recognition.”
Srini Srinivasan
Former President of the World Design Organization (WDO)
Founding Chairman of the WDO Foundation
“CF Award itself is bringing the Chinese design to the international platform.”
Eligibility Criteria：
The submitted product must fall within the scope of product categories exhibited at the Canton Fair (food products are not currently included in the evaluation).
The applying entity must be the designer or rightful owner of the submitted product, holding independent intellectual property rights or relevant legal authorization. The submitted product must have been launched within the last five years (inclusive).
Registration Method：
Please register by clicking the link below or scanning the QR code.
The registration deadline is May 30, 2026.
Registration Link:
https://exhibitor.cantonfair.org.cn/#/login
For the registration guide, please refer to:
https://cief.cantonfair.org.cn/cn/cf/detail.aspx?oid=54699&m=m1
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us:
WeChat: 18520362854
Phone: 020-89069205 / 020-89138591
Email: cf@cantonfair.org.cn
