Down the hall in your resource library, a shelf is overflowing with carpet samples. Rethink these beautiful, fashion-forward textiles…they aren’t trash, destined for the dumpster. They’re design materials.

So what to do with these samples? After they’ve served their purpose for your design project, we say re-use them to make a design product. Recycled materials became design elements because designers chose to see them as such. Why not carpet samples, which are high style, high performance, and wonderfully ‘reuseful’?

Create a design that will transform these textiles into a beautiful and/or functional fixture, piece of furniture…or any interior product you dream up. The winners will be promoted at NeoCon and in Floor Focus, and have blueprints of their design posted for free download, to forward-thinking designers around the world. Visit the site for details. Deadline: 15 May.