Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Entries Are open for Global Goodness Awards
December 24,
2014 by in Las Vegas, Market 
Las Vegas Furniture Market is accepting entries for the fourth semi-annual Global Goodness Awards, recognizing furniture, gift and home decor companies for environmentally-friendly, sustainable and socially responsible business practices.
For the first time, the Global Goodness Awards, which will be presented at the Jan.18-22, will add a social media component in the form of a special award based on industry feedback.
“Las Vegas Market is pleased to recognize companies that are making a positive impact on people, communities and the world in which we live, with the semi-annual Global Goodness Awards,” said Dorothy Belshaw, president of Gift & Home Décor, International Market Centers. “This prestigious awards program, which debuted at the Summer 2013 Las Vegas Market, has been highly successful in calling attention to the dramatic growth in sustainable, eco-friendly and Fair Trade products in the home furnishings industry. As the leading furniture, home decor and gift destination in the western United States, Las Vegas Market is proud to demonstrate a strong commitment to supporting sustainable products and business practices throughout the industry and around the globe.”
The Global Goodness awards are open to all Las Vegas Market exhibitors, and the five honorees will be selected by an independent jury comprised of trade press editors and other industry experts. Essays from the five award recipients will be posted on the Las Vegas Market web site, and each honoree will receive special at-market recognition signage.
The new social media element of the awards will be conducted via a Facebook competition: The five winning Global Goodness submissions will be posted on the Las Vegas Market Facebook page from Jan. 2-12. The Global Goodness entry that receives the most “likes” over the 10-day period will receive a special award recognizing the industry’s selection.
Las Vegas Market tenants and exhibitors wishing to participate in the Global Goodness initiative are invited to submit essays that describe their personal journey, outline the socially-responsible products that they offer, and detail how these products and the sourcing process have had a positive impact on people and communities throughout the world. Essays, which must include both photos and text, are due by Friday, Jan. 2, to Crissy Hunt at chunt@imcenters.com.
All submissions should include the following:
* An essay of 100 words or less explaining the socially responsible products offered; countries visited; and people or organizations supported.
* A high-resolution photo to illustrate the essay. The photo should be a minimum of 5-by-7 inches at 300 dpi resolution. JPG/JPEG, TIFF/TIF or EPS files will be accepted.
Winners of the Summer 2014 Global Goodness Awards included: Banded, a supplier of comfortable no-slip headbands that provides meals for children in Uganda; Distinctly Himalayan, an accessories company that uses eco-friendly fibers, dying and printing techniques in its exclusive line of “kooloo” scarves and wraps; Naturepedic, a designer and manufacturer of mattresses, which employs Amish craftspeople and uses organic raw materials, recycled plastics and safe, greener alternatives for flame retardant and waterproofing uses; Phillips Collection, a contemporary furniture and accessories manufacturer, that uses artisanal techniques in Indonesia to manufacture its recycled Folded Glass tables; and Surya, a leading supplier of area rugs and home accessories, which employs 50,000 weavers and artisans in Northern India, sponsors high school scholarships for 200 Indian girls, provides 7,300 rural schoolchildren with nutritious lunches, and sponsors educational and vocational training for 160 students through Project Mala.
The Global Goodness awards program supplements an ongoing partnership Las Vegas Market has with the Sustainable Furnishings Council to create One Good World, a guide to sustainable furniture and home décor products to help connect legitimate suppliers and retailers in this new era of sustainability and accountability. The effort includes a sustainable products locator program, showcasing relevant at-Market resources, expanded educational offerings addressing issues and opportunities connected with sustainability.
Las Vegas Market also showcases Fair Trade, sustainable and socially-responsible products and producers within MADE, a collection of temporary exhibitors presenting unique handcrafted, artisanal products—including handmade ceramics, pottery, home décor, letterpress, apparel and jewelry—on floor C11.