Sep 2026 · Foshan, China · Strategic Partnership
The Italian Design Alliance (IDA) officially launches its exclusive long-term strategic cooperation in Mainland China, becoming the official international authoritative supporting institution of the International Ceramics Trend Awards (ICTA) — China’s most influential and longest-running professional ceramic design competition.
Following thirteen years of continuous development of China’s iconic ceramic design event, the competition has officially upgraded and rebranded as the 2026 International Ceramics Trend Awards. Under the exclusive official endorsement and full strategic support of the Italian Design Alliance, the event enters a new phase of international standardization, cross-border design co-creation, and industrial global upgrading.
On September 12, a formal strategic MOU signing ceremony was held in Foshan, China.
Danilo Trevisan, President of the Italian Design Alliance (Managing Director at Aletek Group), together with top Italian design representatives including IDA’s Secretary General Freddy Curiel (CEO of Lapis Bureau) and Davide Castoro (Managing Director of Neo Deco), signed a long-term exclusive cooperation agreement with Ceramic Town Weekly (CTW), the official organizer of the International Ceramics Trend Awards, at the presence of the media company’s top management Li Xinliang, President of CTW and the honoured guest Fulvio Martino Carrieri (CEO at MaFla Interiors, Miami).
This official partnership establishes a stable, authoritative, and exclusive Sino-Italian design cooperation mechanism for the Chinese ceramic and sanitaryware industry, marking IDA’s formal institutional layout to empower China’s ceramic creative industry with European design standards, global aesthetic systems, and international expert resources.
IDA’s Three Core Strategic Empowerment Pillars
As an officially registered design promotion association, IDA is committed to developing partnerships among its members and valuable local counterparts, enhancing mutual cooperation in the Chinese ceramic industry and the international upgrading of the competition through three core dimensions:
1. Italy–China Industry Co-Creation & European Standard Implementation
IDA will connect elite Italian designers with leading Chinese ceramic manufacturers aiming to develop new ceramic and sanitaryware products fully aligned with European design standards, aesthetic logic, and international quality specifications. This cross-border creative collaboration bridges Italy’s century-long artistic craftsmanship with China’s advanced industrial manufacturing capacity, delivering new standardized, trend-leading product solutions for the global ceramic market.
2. Full Internationalization of Competition Standards & Global Influence
Leveraging IDA’s worldwide designer network, international expert committee, and European judging systems, the alliance will comprehensively upgrade the competition’s review criteria, jury professionalism, and global vision. The official IDA brand recognition will further endorse the transformation of ICTA into an internationally recognized award platform for China.
3. Industrial Upgrading: From Manufacturing Excellence to Design Excellence
A core mission of IDA’s China strategy is guiding the Chinese ceramic industry’s transformation from mass manufacturing to original design value. Through authoritative event endorsement, academic output, design trend publishing, and cross-border design exchange, IDA empowers local enterprises to strengthen original creativity, elevate aesthetic positioning, and narrow the international design gap — supporting Chinese ceramic brands in global competition and high-end market layout.
Professional Italian Designers Recognize China’s Industrial Upgrade
During the post-signing industry forum, IDA’s invited Italian design experts shared in-depth insights into China’s rapid industrial evolution.
Freddy Curiel, CEO of Lapis Bureau, highlighted China’s remarkable manufacturing iteration, efficient industrial supply chain, and fast product iteration capabilities, which surpass many European industrial ecosystems.
Davide Castoro, Managing Director of Neo Deco, pointed out that high-end Chinese ceramic products have reached European-level quality and pricing standards, breaking long-standing international stereotypes of “low-cost Chinese manufacturing.”
Danilo Trevisan, Managing Director at Aleatek Group, emphasized that the current technical gap between Chinese and European ceramic products has narrowed to merely two to three years. The core future gap lies in international marketing systems and global design thinking — exactly the fields where IDA’s long-term strategic support will deliver decisive value.
Long-Term Exclusive Partnership & Global Industry Benchmarking
The signed MOU confirms long-term exclusive strategic cooperation between IDA and the International Ceramics Trend Awards within Mainland China. Under this exclusive framework, IDA will provide continuous official brand endorsement, standardized design guidance, international judge resources, trend research output, and full-cycle professional support covering event promotion, registration, professional review, academic forums, award ceremonies, and post-event industry publishing.
This strategic cooperation establishes a new official benchmark for Sino-Italian ceramic design exchange, builds a standardized international competition system for the Asia-Pacific ceramic industry, and creates a professional incubation platform for young designers and innovative manufacturing enterprises.
ICTA – Open Global Call for Entries 2026
The 2026 International Ceramics Trend Awards is officially open for global registration. Supported by Italian Design Alliance’s international standards and authoritative resources, the competition welcomes outstanding ceramic and sanitaryware manufacturing enterprises and design studios worldwide to participate, showcase original design strength, and align with global design trends.
