Mentorship in Design: Why It Matters More Than Ever

In Australia’s design landscape, new voices are emerging under immense pressure: to innovate, to be sustainable, and to connect both locally and globally. For them, raw talent is not enough. They need guidance, networks, and shared knowledge to navigate the complexities of materials, production, ethics, and heritage.

Mentorship offers that foundation. It bridges generations of makers and thinkers, connecting lived experience with fresh purpose. Through mentorship, networking, and knowledge-sharing, Australia’s emerging furniture designers gain not only technical skill but also a sense of direction, agency, and community.

Now more than ever, mentorship is essential for building a future where Australian furniture design is responsible, original, and culturally grounded.

Designing in a Time of Change

Design has always been about solving problems, but the problems we face today are more complex than ever. Sustainability, ethical production, and digital transformation are reshaping the way we think about materials, processes, and purpose.

For young designers entering this landscape, the path forward can feel overwhelming. How do you balance creativity with responsibility? How do you stay innovative without losing sight of craft and community?

This is where mentorship steps in, not as a hierarchy, but as a dialogue between experience and experimentation.

The Value of Mentorship

A good mentor does more than teach. They listen, challenge, and guide. Mentorship in design goes beyond technical advice; it is about understanding the “why” behind the work.

Through mentorship, designers gain:

• Knowledge transfer: learning techniques, materials, and methods that are rarely taught in textbooks.

• Perspective: seeing how sustainability, collaboration, and culture shape creative practice.

• Confidence: having someone who believes in your potential and helps you navigate uncertainty.

Mentorship accelerates growth. It reminds us that great design does not happen in isolation but through shared experience and collective wisdom.

Why Australian Furniture Design Needs Mentorship Now

Australia’s furniture design sector is under transformation. The Australian Furnishing Industry Stewardship Council (AFISC) is leading efforts to reshape the furnishing and furniture sector toward circularity, repairability, traceability, and lower environmental impact. 

One of their flagship projects is the Furniture Passport Australia System, a digital product passport initiative that tracks design, materials, lifecycle data, and encourages transparency in supply chains. AFA

With new policies like the Environmentally Sustainable Procurement (ESP) mandate coming into effect, Australian government and institutional buyers will soon require that furniture meets strict environmental and social criteria. This raises the bar for designers.

In that climate, designers can’t just rely on creativity. They must understand sustainable materials, certify their processes, build relationships with responsible manufacturers, and learn to tell a credible story. Mentorship becomes not a luxury but a necessity.

Networking as a Design Tool

Networking in design is not about business cards or handshakes. It is about building meaningful connections that inspire new ideas and open unexpected doors.

Whether through exhibitions, collaborative projects, or design communities, networking helps designers see the bigger picture by connecting people, materials, and ideas across disciplines.

Spaces like Project Project exist to make those connections possible. By bringing together designers, brands, and architects,

Project Project acts as a meeting point for dialogue and discovery. It is where ideas evolve through interaction.

Mentorship in Practice: Community Over Competition

Across design communities, we are seeing a shift from individualism toward collaboration. The best mentorships today are not about hierarchy. They are partnerships based on mutual respect and curiosity.

Established designers often learn as much from their mentees as the other way around. New perspectives challenge tradition, while experience provides structure and depth. Together, they create a more holistic and forward-thinking design culture.

How Project Project Champions Collaboration

At Project Project, we believe design thrives through collaboration and shared purpose. Our platform supports designers and makers who prioritise sustainability, craftsmanship, and innovation.

Through exhibitions and partnerships, we create opportunities for designers to connect, learn, and grow, bridging generations of creative thinkers.

By showcasing brands such as Zeoform, Collect.Studio, Grythyttan, and Fable, we highlight how mentorship, innovation, and tradition intersect to shape a more sustainable design future.

Designing a Future Built on Shared Knowledge

The future of design depends on how we share what we know. Mentorship and networking are more than career tools; they are acts of stewardship that ensure creativity, sustainability, and craftsmanship continue to evolve.

When designers lift each other up, they build more than successful careers. They build a stronger and more connected design community.

At Project Project, we are proud to support spaces where ideas are exchanged, relationships are built, and the next generation of design leaders are formed. Because design, at its best, is not only about creating objects but also about shaping culture together.