Pixel Weave Monalisa Rug by Hana Mitsui Is Granted the Bronze A' Design Award in Textile, Fabric, Textures, Patterns and Cloth Design

Hana Mitsui honored for textile, fabric, textures, patterns and cloth design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Pixel Weave Monalisa Rug by Hana Mitsui, designed for Hana Material Design Laboratory inc., has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Textile, Fabric, Textures, Patterns and Cloth Design category. The award was conferred within the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed 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.

About Pixel Weave Monalisa Rug

Hana Mitsui reinterprets traditional Japanese tatami weaving through a pixelated Mona Lisa made with Igusa grass. Working with tatami craftspeople, she explores how this time-honored material can engage with present-day visual language. By noticing the visual similarity between tatami’s weave and digital pixel grids, Mitsui developed a method to express subtle tones through tactile, pixel-like forms. The result highlights a quiet dialogue between tradition and modern perspective.Her practice reflects an ongoing interest in translating cultural heritage into new visual expressions.

About Hana Mitsui

Hana Mitsui is a Tokyo based textile designer and the founder of Hana Material Design Laboratory Inc. With a background in both traditional Japanese weaving techniques and contemporary textile innovation, she brings a unique cross-cultural perspective to her work. Mitsui studied textile design at Tama Art University in Tokyo and earned her Master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in London. After gaining experience at international fashion houses and design studios, she established her own studio to explore material research, fabric design, and collaborative projects with various industries.

Award Record

This recognition makes Hana Mitsui a winner of 1 A' Design Award.

About the A' Textile, Fabric, Textures, Patterns and Cloth Design Award

The A' Textile Design Award is an international textile design competition recognizing good textile designs by best textile designers and brands worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to textile designers, fabric engineers, texture and pattern creators and clothing companies from all countries. Typical entries include structural fabric, engineered cloth, smart textiles, technical textiles, woven fabric and jacquard fabric. The awarded textile designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/textile

About A' Design Award & Competition

Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is 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. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously 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. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which 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, uploading a work and receiving a 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. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Winner Page: https://designers.org/170574
A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/170574
Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!170574
Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/347165
Further Information from the Laureate: https://hanatextiledesign.com/pixel-weave-igusa/

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: Pixel Weave Monalisa Rug
Function: Rug
Category: Textile, Fabric, Textures, Patterns and Cloth Design
Discipline: Fashion Design
Industry: Fashion and Furniture & Home
Colors: Dim Gray, Tan, Black, Gainsboro and Light Gray
Images: 5
Client: Hana Material Design Laboratory inc.

The Recognition

Laureate: Hana Mitsui
Country: Japan
Recognition: Bronze A' Design Award
Edition: 2024 - 2025
Design ID: #170574

Credits

Image Credits: [ Image#1,2,3,4 and 5 : Photographer:Naoaki Yokota]

Design Details

Unique Properties: Transforming traditional Japanese tatami weaving, I set out to explore new possibilities for Igusa grass. I noticed a compelling visual similarity between the geometric patterns of tatami and the pixel grid of digital imagery. Inspired by this connection, I developed a weaving technique using Igusa grass that captures painterly impressions through pixel-like expressions. By carefully blending the natural hues of Igusa, the image of the world-renowned Mona Lisa emerges—subtle, tactile, and reimagined through a uniquely Japanese material language.
Inspiration: This work was born out of a deep sense of urgency around the rapid decline of Japan’s Igusa culture. Traditionally used in tatami mats suited to Japan’s humid climate, Igusa grass has seen a dramatic decrease in demand due to modern lifestyle changes, with farms now reduced to just one-twentieth of their peak. To keep this heritage material alive for future generations, I sought to reframe Igusa in a contemporary context bridging traditional craftsmanship with digital aesthetics to explore new, sustainable possibilities for this time-honored material.
Research: Colorfully dyed Igusa mats woven with the Kakegawa-ori technique represent a rare and refined tradition, even within Japan. In recent years, however, many younger generations are unaware of the existence of such vibrant tatami, and the craft itself is at risk of fading into obscurity. Having grown up in a home without tatami, I had little familiarity with it. It wasn’t until a work trip to Fukuoka that I encountered Kakegawa-ori in daily use. I was deeply moved by the beauty of this weaving method seamlessly integrated into everyday life, and at the same time, I felt a strong sense of loss and urgency in realizing how this cultural heritage is gradually disappearing.
Challenge: This project marked my first experience working with Igusa weaving. Since Igusa is typically used for everyday household items, creating a large-scale jacquard weave for an artwork like this is quite rare. Collaborating closely with skilled artisans, I carefully considered the weave structure and color combinations, aiming to achieve maximum expression within the technical limitations of the material. At the same time, I also focused on ensuring the functionality of the piece as a rug, designing the weave with strength and durability in mind.
Realization and Technology: This piece was produced using the same specialized machines used to weave traditional Japanese Tatami and Goza mats. Japan has unique looms specifically designed for Igusa, and these were essential in bringing this design to life. As the Igusa industry is a small, closed circle, collaborations with designers are rare, making this a new creative challenge for the artisans involved. After choosing the Mona Lisa as the motif, I created a pixelated version and worked closely with the craftspeople to translate it into a weave structure. We exchanged data many times to adjust the pattern, then programmed the loom for production.
Operation and Interaction: This piece is an art rug made using traditional Japanese tatami techniques. Though it may look like a digital image, it is handwoven entirely from natural Igusa grass. The portrait of the Mona Lisa appears through pixel-like colored squares—abstract up close, but clear from a distance. It requires no special operation and can be used freely as a floor mat or wall piece. The natural texture and scent blend tradition with contemporary design.
Project Duration and Location: The project began in Fukuoka, Japan in September 2024 and was completed in December 2024. It was also showcased at a major design event, DESIGNTIDE TOKYO, held in Tokyo in December 2024.
Specifications: Dimensions: 1,760 mm (W) × 880 mm (H) × 5 mm (D)
Keywords: Weave, Textile, Pixel, Craft, Rug, Art, Mona Lisa, Igusa grass, Tatami