WHITE PLAINS, NY, November 21, 2014… Recognizing that eco-friendly production practices play a crucial role in the manufacture of sustainable products, NY NOW’s SustainAbility: design for a better world® display will place special emphasis on the entire production lifecycle. Nearly 100 products are expected to pass these stringent new provenance standards for participation in the display to be presented at the winter 2015 edition of NY NOW®, the Market for Home + Lifestyle, January 31- February 4, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Center.
Display curator, Ilene Shaw of Shaw + Co! Productions, said, “These companies and products have been chosen for their very holistic views, representation of sustainable materials, manufacturing processes, fair trade practices, employee conditions, limited use of energy and generous philanthropic practices.” Starting December 1, an entire list of qualified participants will be available online at http://nynow.studio98test.com/TheShow/Sustainability.aspx.
In the past, criteria for display acceptance were weighted more heavily towards the product’s eco-friendly materials and its innovative aesthetics. The juried exhibit, now in its sixth year, will feature an exacting set of criteria, which includes these basic elements as well as an increased attention on production process, fair trade practices and socially-responsible business practices. Within the exhibit, each accepted product will be displayed along with details about provenance and production process. These “back-stories” will detail the green elements of the production process, along with other sustainable practices.
Notable products accepted for participation in the winter 2015 edition of the SutsainAbility display include Alex Marshall’s porcelain tabletop made with non-toxic glazes, which is handmade in northern California with an 8 KW solar array that offsets 45% of the company’s electrical usage; Circa Asia’s mango wood ribbed “C” vase, which is completely handcrafted from controlled, sustainable materials; and Kata Golda’s hand-embroidered linen down patch pillow, which is made of sustainable and biodegradable materials by hydro-electric dams in Washington State.
The display also will showcase products and artisan producers from Artisan Resource®, a tradeshow matching artisanal craft producers and production resources with U.S.-based volume importers, direct import retailers and wholesalers, which runs concurrently with NY NOW. One of the accepted products from Artisan Resource is Tilonia’s Xaquixe Glass Carboy and Glasses hand blown from re-cycled glass collected from the local communities surrounding Oaxaca, México utilizing waste vegetable oil to produce more than 80% of the energy needed to heat their furnaces.
As in past editions, products chosen to be part of the SustainAbility: design for a better world display will qualify to compete for the bi-annual Eco Choice Awards recognizing innovative, sustainable product design. Co-sponsored by NY NOW and GREENRetailer magazine, awards are bestowed in three categories – Most Sellable, Most Sensitive Use of Materials, and Most Innovative. Online balloting – live at www.giftshopmag.com/votegreen from early December through January 9 – will decide on winners from a list of ten finalists in each category.
Two related seminars are set to reinforce the concept of social responsibility, a central theme of NY NOW’s SustainAbility: design for a better world project. As part of NY NOW’s “Maker Project,” Susan Szenasy of METROPOLIS will moderate “Modern-Day Matchmaking Redux: Tech Tools For 21st Century Makers,” a look at how technology is fueling a growth in design and how ideas become products. Panelists include Matthew Burnett of Makers Row, Evan Cohen from IndieGoGo, Joanne Domeniconi of The Grommet and Ashley Etling of Red Clay. In a second “Maker Project” session, Erin Andrew of the Small Business Administration, will present “Fostering Small Business Entrepreneurship In Today’s DIY Economy,” focusing on tools and programs available to small businesses creating and selling self-made products.
The winter 2015 edition of NY NOW®, the Market for Home + Lifestyle, will run Saturday, January 31, through Wednesday, February 4, 2015, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. NY NOW has staggered show opening dates and locations, with HANDMADE running Saturday to Tuesday, and HOME and LIFESTYLE running Sunday to Wednesday. Market hours are 9am – 6pm, daily, except Tuesday, February 3, when HANDMADE closes at 5pm; and Wednesday, February 4, when HOME and LIFESTYLE close at 2pm.
NY NOW’s comprehensive collections – HOME, LIFESTYLE and HANDMADE, as well as NEW! exhibitors – will encompass 100,000 products in 400+ product categories. Attendees from all 50 U.S. states and more than 80 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration are available online at www.nynow.com.