Las Vegas to Debut Green Pavilion at Summer Market

May 30, 2007  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Las Vegas on May 2007 The Las Vegas Market officially announced Wednesday the debut at this summer’s market of the Living Green Pavilion, a team effort among World Market Center, the Sustainable Furniture Council and Channel Logic, a sustainable products representation firm. The show runs July 30-August 3. The new pavilion, which highlights the growth of stylish, eco-friendly home furnishings, will be located in the Sands Expo temporary spaces, which open July 31.

Other environmentally-conscious manufacturers also will show new products and evolving sustainable product lines in permanent showrooms in World Market Center’s Buildings A and B.

“One of the most important issues in the world today is protecting the environment, and so it’s no surprise that the home furnishings industry is becoming more in tune with consumer demand and the usage of sustainable resources in their products,” said Tim Branscome, World Market Center’s director of international business development. “World Market Center is pleased to launch Living Green, which creates a platform for these cutting-edge companies and products, while also informing and educating the entire furniture industry on the latest trends and developments in the sustainable furnishings marketplace.”

Branscome said it is important to raise the profile of companies who are leading the movement in sustainability, and SFC has established meaningful criteria in terms of identifying suppliers as truly sustainable.

“We are happy that World Market Center has asked us to be part of this market that is becoming increasingly important,” said Gerry Cooklin, president of the Sustainable Furniture Council. “Our member companies will have a fairly large showing area, which will allow us to reinforce our message. Sustainability is a topic of fast growing concern, and even though our industry has been lagging other industries in this awareness, it’s never too late to catch up. We look forward to meeting many more new companies that will be ready to join us.”

Branscome added that manufacturers promoting sustainability also are product innovators.

“The introduction and availability of various new sustainable materials appears to have stimulated a whole new community of designers who are now finding their way into the market,” he said. “This July is a starting point for introducing this segment at Las Vegas Market. Naturally, we want to see sustainable content grow, and we intend to continue to bring new suppliers, new products and new eco-friendly developments to the marketplace.”

Also slated for July is a panel discussion, “Retail Sustainability,” presented by Home Furnishings Business. The dynamic discussion will explore how key retailers have incorporated sustainable practices into their business plans for the future. Members of the Sustainable Furniture Council, the designated beneficiary for this event, will be present and answer questions and support retailers in their outreach efforts.