Las Vegas Market makes a big sustainable effort in 2010 with “One Good World”

Long known as a city of wretched excess, the city of Las Vegas has recently been making strides toward sustainability with the opening of the new CityCenter. Now, another effort to forward green initiatives is underway, titled “One Good World”, beginning with the 2010 Winter Las Vegas Market in February.

Last September, 80% of Las Vegas Market designers and retailers said they believe sustainable home furnishings are very to moderately important to their business.

One Good World aims to highlight the many eco-friendly practices at World Market Center’s trade complex while equipping retailers with the insights, information and strategies needed to respond to the rising consumer demand for sustainable furnishings—and reduce one’s own carbon footprint in the process.

“The green economy is not coming fast—it is already here,” said Robert Maricich, World Market Center Las Vegas president and CEO. “Being ‘green’ is more than a principle and more than a trend; it is a sound business practice. Taking proactive actions to respect our environment is now a business reality and increasingly critical to our industry. There’s a lot of good product out there, but it can be confusing and hard to find. We are taking big steps to help resolve any confusion—connecting suppliers, retailers and even consumers in this new era of sustainability and accountability.”

One Good World includes an all-new sustainable products locator program, showcased manufacturers throughout the market, an expanded educational offering including prominent celebrity designers speaking on sustainability, consumer research, and a digital newsletter.

World Market Center also has plans to announce a sustainability leadership congress slated for early 2010 featuring preeminent organizations from government, environmental groups, manufacturers, retailers, interior designers and consumer media focused on wood sourcing.

Helping suppliers buy sustainably

A major component of the initiative includes “One Good Guide”- a guide designed to facilitate buyers to purchase legitimately sustainable products anywhere on the campus of World Market Center. This will include all participating permanent showrooms as well as the long-running, eco-friendly temporaries on the second floor of Building B.

Interested participants will have to demonstrate how their materials usage, transportation, wood sourcing, VOC emissions and other factors are sustainably sound.

“World Market Center’s approach to advancing meaningful green initiatives is an example for our industry, relying on facts rather than opinions,” said Jeff Hiller, president of the Sustainable Furnishings Council. “This commitment was evident in their sponsorship of national consumer research earlier this year, and in their new One Good Guide sustainable exhibitor directory program. Unlike other markets which rely on self-reporting, World Market Center is employing an industry first vetting process on critical issues such as indoor air quality and wood sourcing to ensure the legitimacy of claims. This is the only defense against the greenwashing that exists.”

Participants will be listed in a special section of the World Directory distributed to thousands of buyers at Las Vegas Market, and will receive window decals and showroom signage to call attention to their status, along with additional online marketing and public relations support.

“With so much confusion around eco labels, there is growing concern about all issues of sustainability,” continued Hiller. “Producing the Guide will help all who shop the market as they shop but also as they go home and market and sell the merchandise. This is the information retailers need to differentiate their stores and products and to close the sale.”

In addition to  “One Good Guide”, World Market Center focuses on educating buyers and sellers on ecological issues with “DESIGNINGreen” – a green interior design symposium featuring several prominent figures such as HGTV’s Angelo Surmelis and brand icon Kathy Ireland.

The Market is also hosting the SFC in staging their GREENleaders Certified Sustainability Training, an industry first six-hour exam course for accreditation as a local market expert in green furnishings (six ceu). The course was offered for the very first time at Las Vegas Market in February 2009 with great success and now has certified more than 150 graduates.

For more information, visit www.LasVegasMarket.com.