Four Vegas Exhibitors Win Global Goodness Awards

January 19, 2018  by Larry Thomas in Designer Weekly, Industry, Special Events   

The 2018 awards will be presented during the Winter Las Vegas Market, which takes place Jan. 28-Feb. 1.

“Las Vegas Market buyers and exhibitors are extremely conscious of the ongoing impact that their purchasing and manufacturing decisions have on the overall health of the global environment, and they are seeking products and solutions that make a positive difference in the world around us,” said Esther Ossei-Anto, marketing manager for International Market Centers.

“As the leading furniture, home decor and gift destination in the western United States, Las Vegas Market is proud to demonstrate a continued commitment to recognizing social responsibility, sustainability and corporate good citizenship with the annual Global Goodness Awards,” she said.

From a record number of entries, a three-person panel of industry sustainability and social responsibility experts – Colvin English of ByHand Consulting, Susan Inglis of the Sustainable Furnishings Council and Maud Obe of Aid to Artisans –selected three winners: Arcadia Home, Home Trends & Design and Pebble from each of the Market’s core industries of home décor, furniture and gifts, respectively. 

A fourth “People’s Choice” winner – Yumajai – was determined by popular voting on the Las Vegas Market Facebook page.

Arcadia Home, based in Brooklyn, N.Y., employs artisans located in Peru and India to create carefully crafted, thoughtfully produced, eco-friendly, home and holiday décor. Founded by Dawn Kikel in 2001, Arcadia Home designs are made of natural fibers, sustainable resources and recycled materials. 

Home Trends & Design based in Austin, Texas, specializes in solid wood furniture, industrial accents, upholstery and lighting. The company constructs 70% of its furniture from mango wood, a sustainable hardwood that is harvested from mature trees that are no longer able to produce fruit. The company also offers a wide variety of reclaimed industrial furniture, crafted exclusively from recycled materials, creating a vintage look that blends art and function.

Pebble is a social enterprise that employs more than 12,000 rural Bangladeshi women to produce handmade and Fair Trade baby rattles, soft toys, hats, blankets and more. The Pebble brand is distributed by Kahiniwalla, a Canton, Ohio-based retailer and wholesaler established in 2010 by Austin Miller. Previously a product designer with the Mennonite Central Committee's job creation program in Bangladesh, Miller wanted to continue helping to provide employment for the poor of Bangladesh and decided to do so by distributing high-quality baby products handmade by these artisans throughout North America.

People’s Choice Award winner Yumajai is a fashion brand based in Colombia, known for creating vibrant, beautiful jewelry and personal accessories. Founded in 2016, Yumajai is a social venture that aims to create opportunities for artisan communities in Latin America by innovating and commercializing their products, supporting the culture of the indigenous tribes through the preservation of crafts, designs and ancestral wisdom. Yumajai co-creates vibrant, beautiful pieces with talented indigenous artisans fusing ancient crafts with modern design.