Walk through the 2,900 vendors at the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF) held at the Javits Center and you are sure to find something you like. Staying undistracted while searching through the modern furniture, dishware and artwork, is another story. Be sure to find the Sustainability Display at this year’s event before you explore the rest of the jungle that is the NYIGF.
This year’s event runs from August 15-20. The best part of this show is its uniqueness, showcasing retail items brand new to the market. The participant list totals 130, with products range everywhere from glassware to organic gift bags to robots. The list has been growing progressively over the last few years.
Since the summer of 2007, George Little Management, co-coordinators of the event, have included the Sustainability Display at each one of their fairs. Certain criteria must be met before a product can be considered “sustainable.” First, the items must obviously be “green” or manufactured and constructed with only recycled, recyclable and/or sustainable materials. Second, products must be produced by manufacturers using alternative sources of energy in production, including wind, sun and alternative fuels. Third, owners of these businesses must be socially responsible; that is, their products are produced by indigenous people, creating viable, sustainable trades and markets in poverty-stricken and needy communities worldwide.
With the country’s attention now firmly rooted in green, this year’s show will surely be one of the most successful and innovative events.
