Sustainable design going on display in New York

(Courtesy New York International Gift Fair)

The New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) runs twice a year: January 29-February 3 and August 13-18. Since 2008 the event has produced a special exhibit entitled SustainAbility: design for a better world, which showcases green gifts and home products.

The NYIGF is one of the leading showcases for products across the spectrum of household design, furnishings, accessories and gifts, attracting over 35,000 attendees from around the world.  

The exhibition SustainAbility: design for a better world ® provides an international showcase for the latest in green products and eco-design. 

All of the products included in this exhibition are either eco-friendly themselves, produced in an environmentally friendly manner, or manufactured by companies who act in a socially responsible, philanthropic or fair-trade orientated manner. 

In order to be considered green or eco-friendly, products and companies on display at SustainAbility: design for a better world must first apply to join the exhibit and ensure that they conform to the following definitions provided by the NYIGF:

Green products - "manufactured [...] with only recycled , recyclable and/or sustainable materials."

Environmentally friendly production - "manufacturers [use] renewable or alternative sources of energy in production."

Socially responsible businesses - "products produced by indigenous peoples, creating viable and sustainable trades [...] manufacturers donate a percentage of their sales to not-for-profit organizations."

More information about the NYIGF can be found at: http://www.nyigf.com, a full list of exhibitors partaking in the SustainAbility: design for a better world exhibition is available at http://bit.ly/pYQaaI. Members of the public can follow the news for NYIGF on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr.  

In addition to showcasing the latest green designs, the NYIGF also hosts the Eco Choice awards, which honor the best products on display in Sustainability: design for a better world ® - this summer's winners will be announced at the end of the NYIGF. 

Green, or environmentally friendly design is also currently on display at Sydney Design 2011 which runs from July 30 to August 14. This year's event asked the question 'is old new again?' and saw several designers repurposing old or discarded materials and objects for use in a modern context.

More information about Sydney Design 2011 is available at http://www.sydneydesign.com.au

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