Grafico Group Pty Ltd - Damian Corney - Winner
In 2004, design student Damian Corney took a university project and grew it into a nationally recognised brand: Grafico.
The fast growth of his business saw Damian quickly relocate from his home office in Carlton to a large warehouse in North Melbourne. From here, Damian and his team have served customers for more than a decade, while their popular online shop caters to those around the world.
Grafico became a household name after the appearance of their custom print wallpapers and mosaic tiles on The Block, however, the brand's offering also includes Grafico-Auto (vehicle wraps, vehicle signage) and Grafico-Signage (commercial signage).
MAKE Designed Objects - Patrick Coppel - Finalist
In Carlton sits MAKE Designed Objects, a thriving design store carrying over 4500 different products sourced from more than 300 designers around the world.
MAKE’s constant quest to replace up to a third of those 4500 products annually keeps customers returning time and again to shop in the sprawling physical store or online.
In 2021 MAKE won the GIA Australian Homewares Retailer of the Year and in 2022 won the GIA Global Digital Commerce Award for Excellence in online retailing.
KNOVUS - Patricia Chircop - Finalist
Patricia Chircop is the founder and director of KNOVUS, a knitwear design and consultancy studio based in Carlton.
KNOVUS specialises in 3D knitting technology, exploring innovative solutions for various industries, including fashion, technical textiles, interior and medical. Promoting sustainability and circularity through zero-waste practices, KNOVUS is also an Ethical Clothing Australia manufacturer.
Patricia’s background in science and textiles has seen her hold a range of positions within the knitwear industry, including product developer, designer, technician and programmer, as well as a lecturer in higher education.