NY NOW announces summer 2015 Eco Choice Awards winners
Emerging from 30 finalists in three categories, three exhibitors — Trio of Yew Wood Hand-Turned Bowls by Phil Gautreau Wood Design, LLC; Vintage Heirloom Rugs and Pillows by Shupaca; and Bamboo Straws by Bambu — were named winners of the 12th semi-annual Eco Choice Awards in the Most Sellable, Most Sensitive Use of Materials and Most Innovative categories, respectively.
The award-winning products will be showcased at the “SustainAbility: design for a better world” display at the summer edition of NY NOW, the Market for Home, Lifestyle + Gift, to be held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York from Aug. 15-19, 2015.
“The popularity of the Eco Choice Awards and the increasingly stiff competition for top honors in particular, reflects the ongoing vitality of eco-friendly and socially responsible products and production processes,” said Scott Kramer, NY NOW show director and vice president. “NY NOW is delighted to be a leader in the industry’s commitment to green products and business practices through these awards.”
In the first phase, 10 finalists in each of the three categories were chosen from a pool of close to 120 contenders for the green product competition, which is co-sponsored by NY NOW and Gift Shop/GREEN Retailer. The winners were selected through online voting. Winners and finalists in each of the three categories will be featured in the fall issue of Gift Shop magazine.
The winners and finalists of the summer 2015 Eco Choice Awards are:
Most Innovative
WINNER: Bambu (Portland, Oregon) for its Bamboo Straws. USDA-certified organic and reusable straws, which are made by nature, hand selected to be the right diameter then cleaned, sanded and finished with food-safe, organic oil.
FINALISTS: ESCLUSSO Ltd (Chicago) for its Reclaimed Bamboo and Plywood Candle Holders; FunnyFish Inc. (Seoul, Republic of Korea) for its Craft Lights.
Most Sensitive Use of Materials
WINNER: Shupaca (San Diego) for its Vintage Heirloom Rugs and Pillows, passed down through generations in indigenous Quechua families, these Heirloom vintage rugs and blankets — now converted to pillows — are one-of-a-kind art pieces used as keepsakes in the Peruvian Highlands.
FINALISTS: Sprout Enterprise (Brooklyn, New York) for its Tonlé Takeo Scarf — Tribal Denim; and The Underground Chic (New York) for its Embossed Faux Suede Tote Bag.
Most Sellable
WINNER: Phil Gautreau Wood Design, LLC (New York) for its Trio of Hand-Turned Yew Wood Bowls, vessels sourced from Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Yew Wood and hand-turned in his studio in nearby Gowanus.
FINALISTS: Azizi Life (Audubon, Pennsylvania) for its Traditional Peace Basket; and Look At Me Designs (Plainville, Massachusetts) for its Texting Mittens.
Now in its sixth year, the Eco Choice Awards program drew 258 entries across NY NOW’s three collections — HOME, LIFESTYLE and HANDMADE. The program’s qualifying standards were revised in early 2015 to recognize the increasing importance of eco-friendly production practices, with additional qualifications including products that are manufactured or constructed with only recycled, recyclable and/or sustainable materials and an emphasis on socially responsible and fair trade business practices.
Within NY NOW’s “SustainAblity: design for a better world exhibit,” curated by Ilene Shaw of Shaw + Co! Productions, each product will be displayed along with details about provenance and production process. These backstories will detail the green elements of the production process, including the use of renewable or alternative sources of energy in production, including wind, sun, and alternative fuels.
The summer 2015 edition of NY NOW, the Market for Home, Lifestyle + Gift, will encompass 100,000 products in myriad product categories. Attendees from all 50 states and countries around the world are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nynow.com.