Joao Demele Is Honored with the Bronze A' Design Award for Fluf Sofa in Furniture Design

Joao Demele honored for furniture design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 25, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Bronze A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category for Fluf Sofa by Joao Demele, designed for Karams. The result belongs to the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

What the Bronze A' Design Award Means

The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.

Regarding Fluf Sofa

Fluf is a sofa designed for everyday rest and relaxation. The sofa has generous volumes and organic lines. A wooden base supports the soft upholstered body. The base is made with precise woodworking cuts and joints for structural stability and durability. The seat, backrest and arm cushions are filled with foams of different densities to balance support and softness. An adjustable side backrest allows different modes of use, such as reading, resting or socializing. The sofa measures 260 cm in width, 101 cm in depth and 85 cm in height.

About Joao Demele

Victor Leite is a product designer and curator of major brands in the high-end segment decoration, created several pieces of furniture throughout his time at Studio Tri Design and he is currently a partner at Mollde Consultoria, in addition to having been the founder of the show of fixed decoration Casa Mollde + Content - a collaborative project that included the support and sponsorship of more than 40 brands in the segment.

Award Record

Joao Demele is a winner of 5 A' Design Awards, including this recognition. The awards span the editions from 2024 - 2025 to 2025 - 2026 of the A' Design Award & Competition.

About the A' Furniture Design Award

The A' Furniture Design Award is an international furniture competition recognizing good furniture designs by best furniture designers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to furniture designers, product designers, industrial design studios and furniture brands from all countries. Entries typically include chairs, tables, sofas, beds, cabinets and shelves. Awarded furniture designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/furniture

About A' Design Award & Competition

A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/173939
A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/173939
Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!173939
Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/357821

Media Contact

Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953

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Fact Sheet

The Work

Project: Fluf Sofa
Function: Sofa
Category: Furniture Design
Discipline: Industrial Design
Industry: Furniture & Home
Colors: Sienna, Peru, Dark Khaki, Saddle Brown and Burly Wood
Images: 5
Client: Karams

The Recognition

Laureate: Joao Demele
Country: Brazil
Recognition: Bronze A' Design Award
Edition: 2025 - 2026
Design ID: #173939

Design Details

Unique Properties: Fluf is a sofa with generous enveloping volumes. Its design expresses comfort even before touch. The wooden base lightly supports the soft upholstered body. The adjustable side backrest allows different modes of use enhancing ergonomics and user experience. More than a sofa Fluf is a piece sensitive to everyday life adaptable fluid and emotionally connected to those who inhabit it.
Inspiration: The Fluf Sofa is born from the desire to translate affection into form and matter. Inspired by the pursuit of emotional comfort, its design expresses warmth and softness. With voluminous cushions and organic lines, it evokes the feeling of an embrace, adapting to the body and daily life. Fluf translates rest as a gesture of care, connection, and presence.
Research: The research involved ergonomic analysis and sustainable material studies to develop a sofa that combines comfort and environmental responsibility. The goal was to create a versatile adjustable and welcoming design that adapts to different needs. The methodology combined 3D modeling and physical testing with prototypes. The result is a product that balances form and versatility and enhances wellbeing.
Challenge: The main challenge was balancing the organic look of the design with the needs for comfort adjustability and sustainable materials. The goal was to create a sofa that fits daily life without losing lightness or stability. The adjustable backrest was designed to integrate discreetly into the form. Despite limitations in production and materials the project found creative solutions combining form function and care for everyday living.
Realization and Technology: The base of the Fluf Sofa is built with high precision woodworking using accurate cuts and joints to ensure structural stability and durability. The seat backrest and arm cushions are filled with foams of varying densities strategically selected to balance support and softness. The textile finish is applied with careful sewing and shaping techniques ensuring ergonomic comfort and a refined appearance.
Operation and Interaction: The Fluf Sofa offers an intuitive and versatile experience. Its adjustable side backrest allows personalized comfort for different moments such as reading resting or socializing. The enveloping cushions support immediate relaxation while the wide seat invites various postures. Interaction flows naturally adapting to daily rituals with comfort functionality and freedom.
Project Duration and Location: Project started in 2024 and was published in 2025 in Sao Paulo.
Specifications: Materials and Finishes Fabric and wood Dimensions Width 260 cm - Depth 101 cm - Height 85 cm
Keywords: Sofa, Fluf, Affection, Comfort, Design, Modern, Karams, Furniture, Brazilian Design, Ergonomic