The Junior Design Awards 2025 are OPEN!
AS ALWAYS the Junior Design Awards #JDA25 remain a unique opportunity to win a highly esteemed award in the family lifestyle arena, recognised by brands, clients and consumers alike. Winners are handpicked by the Junior editorial team and a host of highly respected judges (more on this soon) across our judging days held in early July before all the winners are announced in mid September 2025.
Whether you’ve entered before or this will be your first time, we thought it would be useful to give you some INSIDER TIPS on how to make your entry meet the criteria set and to help you really stand-out. These tips are from our Editor, Bonita Turner and Deputy Editor, Ellie Crompton, based on what we have observed over previous years’ entries and are meant to be helpful and inspire you to make your entry ‘shine’.
Please know you will in NO WAY be marked down if you don't follow all, or even some of these steps. They are for guidance only.
15 Tips on how to enter the Junior Design Awards 2025 from the Editors
- VISIT THE SITE
Visit the dedicated Junior Design Awards 2025 site to enter. Here you will find a Q&A page, information about the categories and our contact information. Do also keep an eye on Junior Magazine as we have lots of helpful articles and regularly post news and updates. You may also want to look over past winners articles.
- READ IT TWICE
Be sure to read through all the categories – we have 93 awards – to ensure you are entering the award that reflects your brand, product or label and that it’s also an award you would want to win! If you need help with deciding which category best suits your brand please do contact us. You can contact us via email at info@juniordesignawards.co.uk OR via Instagram @juniormagazineonline
- MAKE SOME TIME
Set aside a little time to enter. You will need to fill in an online entry form and upload images. This counts as the first round of judging (shortlisting) and it’s important you say and show what you want the Junior Editorial team to judge you on. It can take anything from approximately 25-35 mins to fill in the form.
INSIDER TIP: It’s worth knowing the judges see an edited version of this copy – SHOUT ABOUT YOUR BRANDÂ
- BE CLEAR & CONCISE
Especially when it comes to the wording when entering – we don’t spell check you, don’t worry! You have 100 words to describe your entry (e.g. this is what your brand, collection, product, shop is etc) and 300 words to tell us why you should win (e.g. what makes your brand/product special? What makes you stand out? What do you stand for? Your brand message). Try not to repeat this copy as this is your chance to really shout about your brand or product.
INSIDER TIP: PLEASE REMEMBER to add a link to your website or shop so we can take a look – and the judges can visit you easily.
- IMAGES ARE KEY
You can upload 5 images for judging – be sure these represent your brand or product in the best light. They can be lifestyle images, product shots, cut-outs or documents. Bear in mind that these will be the images we base shortlisting on. Try not to upload screenshots of your social pages as we will also visit your website/social handles to get to know your brand/company as part of the shortlisting process.
INSIDER TIP: These are often the images that will be used in the winning articles on Junior Magazine – SO MAKE THEM COUNT!
Be clear and concise especially when it comes to your wording when entering - we don't spell check you, don't worry! But, you only have 100 words to describe your entry!
- LABEL EVERYTHING!
Please remember to label each of your images with your brand name or product name as when it comes to judging we use these images and we don’t want to get any of them mixed up. It will help us identify you more quickly and easily too.
- EXTRAS
You can also add in a link, video, PDF or catalogue to enhance your entry. This helps if you are a new brand, awaiting content, or have more you want to share with us. We do look at everything that is uploaded.
- SHORTLIST
You will be emailed directly if you are shortlisted and this is when we will ask for a physical product to be sent in. We do not require any physical product before this time.
- SENDING IN YOUR ENTRY
When sending in your products please ensure your entry form is attached to the outside of the package, placed inside or, marked clearly if one of several boxes/bags. If you are shortlisted we will give you more detailed information nearer the time on sending in your entry.
If you have entered a fashion, interior or lifestyle category and will be sending in multiple items please ensure each item is clearly labelled if the brand label/logo is not obvious. This can be a sticker, a luggage label, or tag. This is especially helpful for lifestyle stores that may be sending in other branded products.
- MULTIPLE ENTRIES
If you have entered more than one award then the same sample can be used across the awards judging (i.e if you entered the same cot/pushchair in 2 categories we can use this one sample for both entries).
INSIDER TIP: Do always check this with us via email, phone call or DM beforehand though, so we can make a note of this.
We want these awards to be successful for both of us so if you need to speak to us, then please DO! We are humans at the end of a phone, email, tweet or DM. And, we love to talk...
- WHAT TO SEND
Remember if you are entering as a brand, then what you send in should represent the brand in the best light. e.g if you are a baby skincare brand – sending in the full collection will look much more impressive on the judging day than just one product on show, or if you’re a fashion brand, submitting the required number of pieces from a collection that show the style of the brand will always be more appealing than unrelated items that do not look like they are from the same range. Tell the judges a story.
- PRESENTATION IS KEY
Over the years there have been brands that have sent in items packaged up as though they were being sent to the customer – with a real luxury touch. For example: some items came in a beautiful box, with tissue and ribbon wrapping, some on wooden hangers, on branded hangers, or all ready-to-go on their own rail (this is impressive), some pieces came with handwritten swing labels, many come with little booklets or catalogues, POS display signs, postcard packs, stickers… This isn’t a requirement to entry but does give the editorial and judging team a sense of who the brand is and, more often than not, these details are showcased on the judging day to ensure you really stand out.
INSIDER TIP: If you have any other items/props/posters you want to place with your entry please do contact us beforehand to check if space allows.
- JUDGEMENT TIME
For some of the external, expert and high profile judges, this may be the first time they have ever encountered your product, so your entry needs to be clear about what it is and who you are. This is your chance to get into the hands of influencers and new suppliers, buyers, customers, industry insiders, stylists and photographers.
- TALK TO US!
We have been running these awards for a long time (14 years to be exact) and we want them to be successful for both of us so if you need to speak to us, then please DO! We are humans at the end of a phone, email, tweet or DM. We aim to get back to you asap and please know we will help you in any way we can to make these awards beneficial to us BOTH! No question is ever a stupid question.
- SHOUT ABOUT YOUR BRAND
Big or small, new or heritage, classic or innovative – we really want to know why you are so GREAT! Be your own PR and your own very best cheerleader! We cannot wait to hear more!
