Jun 29, 2012

NYGF Showcases “Green” Resources Via “Sustainability” Project

New “green” products in several lifestyle categories – from personal accessories to tabletop and juvenile products – will be prominently displayed at the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®) with the return of the SustainAbility: design for a better world® initiative. This program, now in its fifth year, features a juried exhibit of sustainable gift, home and lifestyle products, the Eco Choice Awards recognizing product innovation, and a seminar series addressing sustainability and socially-responsible business practices.

The summer 2012 SustainAbility display, curated by Ilene Shaw of Shaw + Co! Productions, will feature 165 products from 70 companies. Products and companies were screened to meet the criteria of utilizing eco-friendly products and production processes, and following socially responsible, philanthropic or fair-trade oriented business practices. A full SustainAbility participant list, including detailed product descriptions, is available online at http://nyigf.com/TheShow/Sustainability.aspx. The exhibit will be presented August 18-21, in the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center’s North Connector.

“For creative product designers, using eco-friendly materials is no barrier to innovation or quality,” said Shaw. “In many cases, their commitment to sustainability also promotes social responsibility through Fair Trade.” According to Shaw, the summer 2012 display also will showcase sustainable materials and production processes from a selection of exhibitors in Artisan Resource™, a new GLM-managed tradeshow matching artisanal craft producers and production resources with U.S.-based volume importers, direct import retailers and wholesalers, which runs concurrently with NYIGF, August 19-21, at Pier 92.

Among the wide variety of products selected for SustainAbility are: the Box Play for Kids LLC sets which transform used boxes, milk cartons, etc. into playthings, with stickers made with 100% recycled uncoated paper; the Moss Terrarium Bottle™ by Potting Shed Creations, Ltd., which utilizes recycled restaurant wine bottles; the Drink Chillers stay-cool coasters by Sea Stones LLC made of natural stone, recycled glass, and recycled rubber; the Vapur Element “anti-bottles” from Vapur, Inc. made of FDA-approved polyethylene and nylon; and the stylish line of table runners from CAKE Vintage Table & Home made of recycled kraft paper.

For the first time, retailers will be invited to cast Eco Choice Awards ballots online in advance of market week. From July 3 through August 8, at www.giftshopmag.com/votegreen, retailers can review an online gallery of 10 finalists in three categories – “Most Innovative,” “Most Sensitive Use of Materials,” and “Most Sellable.” Winners of the awards, which are sponsored by NYIGF and GREENRetailer, will be announced onsite at the summer NYIGF and profiled in the Fall 2012 issue of GIFT SHOP magazine.

The SustainAbility display is complemented by a two-part seminar track focusing on “green” topics. On Monday, August 20, from 12:00 – 1:30PM, Dirk Olin, editor of Corporate Responsibility Magazine, will moderate “Social Responsibility: The New Metrics for Sustainability.” This program presents an overview of social responsibility and its seven core components, measurement techniques and principles of philanthropy. Panelists include Nathan Gilbert of B Lab; Madeline Kreider Carlson of the Fair Trade Federation; and Susan Inglis of the Sustainable Furniture Council.

On Tuesday, August 21, from 12:00 – 1:00PM, the Fair Trade Federation presents “Mythbusting: Fair Trade & Your Customer.” The discussion will address what fair trade is, and more specifically what fair traders do to make a difference in the lives of craftspeople. The panel will be moderated by Fair Trade Federation program director, Madeline Kreider Carlson, and will include representatives of Fair Trade Federation member companies.

Tickets for each sessions are $20 in advance and $25 onsite. Advance registration is available online at www.nyigf.com/programs.

NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,800+ exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. The summer market takes place Saturday, August 18, through Wednesday, August 22, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 and 94. Some 35,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nyigf.com.