Whom You Know: NYIGF’s Highest "Sustainability" Status Awarded to Seven Products & Producers

Monday, January 9, 2012

NYIGF’s Highest "Sustainability" Status Awarded to Seven Products & Producers

Seven of the 250 products chosen to be featured in the SustainAbility: design for a better world® display at the winter 2012 New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®), have been designated as “SustainAbility3,” the Fair’s highest level of sustainability for products, production processes and business practices.

NYIGF’s “Degrees of SustainAbility” initiative outlines industry-specific criteria for identification of green products and producers. A three-tiered ranking – SustainAbility1 through SustainAbility3 – indicates the extent to which a product/producer complies with these standards. Ilene Shaw of Shaw+Co! curates the exhibit and determines each participants’ ranking.

“These seven products not only are made with eco-friendly materials, but also are manufactured by hand or with low-impact energy sources,” said Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF director and GLM senior vice president. “Their producers also share a prevailing ethic to support charitable organizations, or to work with ‘fair trade’ artisan groups in developing countries.”

The seven highest-ranking products and companies are:

Bungalow360 Canvas Tote by Bungalow360
Water-based inks are used to embellish natural canvas bags, available in a range of sizes and complemented by a line of accessories. This company engages in several “green” business practices, including using solar energy in its warehouse, composting and recycling, using hybrid vehicles, and maintaining a work garden. This company donates a set of solar panels each year to a non-profit group. http://bungalow360.com

Shea Butter Body Cream by Elizabeth W
Hand-crafted in San Francisco, this vegetable-based product is paraben- and phytalate-free. The attractive container can be reused or recycled. The packaging material is sourced from sustainably-managed forests and can be recycled. All packaging is letter pressed in-house with vintage Heidelberg letterpresses. This company participates regularly in charitable events and supports charities across the country. http://www.elizabethw.com/

Soft Bin by Fluf
This handmade storage container features prints which are silk-screened with water-based pigments. The base is a non-toxic and eco-friendly blend of 55% hemp and 45% organic cotton. The packaging includes FSC-certified paper and 100% recycled materials. This Toronto-based company is GOTS-certified, and a member of 1% for the Planet. It supports World Wildlife Fund, Ecojustice and the Wildlands League. http://www.fluf.ca/

Sueno Recycled Aluminum by Mariposa
This handmade tableware collection is crafted by 100 % recycled aluminum. Established 20 years ago, this company was one of the first “green” manufacturing facilities in Mexico. The factory was certified by the Mexican government in December 2010, and is part of the first “green” industrial park in the country, Ciudad Industrial Xicohtencatl I. To qualify for this distinction, the entire management team had to be certified in environmental quality.http://www.mariposa-gift.com

Modern-Twist Studio Line by Modern-Twist
This line of coasters and trivets is crafted from non-porous, germ-free FDA grade silicone. It is free of BPA, lead, latex, phthalates and other harsh chemicals. It is 100% recyclable through designated silicone recycling plants in the United States, and the packaging also is recycled and recyclable. This company supports the WAGES (Women’s Action to Gain Economic Security) cooperative by creating healthy, dignified jobs for low-income women.https://www.modern-twist.com

Hand Carved Wooden Bowls and Stools by PATS
These products are made from wood sourced from small communal forests in the Amazon in Peru. The forests are harvested using Sustainable Forest Management Plans of 20-30 years rotation. On average, only one tree per acre is harvested to allow for natural regeneration. PATS (Partnerships and Technology for Sustainability) is a non-profit organization which employs 30 full time artisans from the Yanesha Inidgenous Community.http://patsperu.com/

Eco Collections by the Sugoi Group
This company represents a high quality collection of “green” products which are produced ethically, including the reusable bamboo “spork” utensil made from sustainably-harvested bamboo by U Konserve, the organic hemp Kombucha bag designed by EarthLust and a line of men’s ties made of reclaimed redwood by Wood Thumb. The company ensures that the companies it works with are diligent about personally overseeing their manufacturing processes and safety testing. http://www.sugoigroup.com/

NYIGF’s SustainAbility: design for a better world was launched in 2007 to showcase global gift, home and lifestyle suppliers whose products or production processes are eco-friendly, as well as companies whose business practices are socially responsible, philanthropic or fair-trade oriented. A zero-tolerance policy was enacted in 2010 for any products with VOC; lead (for baby, children and food-related products); aniline dyes, formaldehyde and chlorine (for textiles); and PVC, without recommendation for use and disposal.

NYIGF convened a “SustainAbility Task Force” in 2009, comprised of experts in “green” retail, design, manufacturing and fair trade: Display curator Ilene Shaw of Shaw + Co! Productions chairs the group, and advisors are: Enrico Bressan of Artecnica; Scot Case of TerraChoice; Mark Caserta of 3R Living; Amy Chender of ABC Carpet & Home; Paul Donald of Branch Home; designer Matthew Morris; Colleen Pendelton of AID TO ARTISANS; Jessica Pope, Working Class Studio; SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design); and Jaime Salm of MIO.

SustainAbility: design for a better world will be on display in the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center’s North Connector from Saturday, January 28, through Wednesday, February 1. A complete list of winter 2012 display participants and product descriptions is available online athttp://nyigf.com/TheShow/Sustainability.aspx.

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 winter market takes place Saturday, January 28, through Thursday, February 2, 2012, 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.

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