We intend to address a broad cross-section of topics and have relevant conversations that will keep retailers ahead of the pack and on target with today’s consumer.
Margaret Casey, director of programming for World Market Center

(Las Vegas) World Market Center will introduce a special presentation at the January Las Vegas Furniture Market that highlights education, trends and international influences in the sustainable home furnishings movement. The week-long series, called “Brave New World: Environmental Leadership Series,” will allow Market attendees to develop awareness of best practices covering all aspects of the industry. All seminars are free to Las Vegas Market attendees and will take place January 29th, 30th and 31st at World Market Center and the MGM Grand.

“The Brave New World Series is designed to provide key information and proven strategies for effective change focusing on long-term consumer and supplier education,” said Margaret Casey, director of programming for World Market Center and a founding member of the Sustainable Furniture Council who co-chairs their education committee. “If you are a retailer who is looking to transform your business to a more environmentally friendly model then you know that credible large scale education is the cornerstone for effective change. We intend to address a broad cross-section of topics and have relevant conversations that will keep retailers ahead of the pack and on target with today’s consumer.”

Further reinforcing its commitment to present eco-friendly solutions and resources, Las Vegas Market has teamed up with Sustainable Furniture Council and Channel Logic to co-produce the Living Green Pavilion, which has doubled in size since its debut last July. This specialty pavilion will feature nearly 30 companies covering over 10,000 square feet at MGM Grand and centers on sustainable furnishings or furniture using wood, cushioning, fabrics and finishing materials that are made from renewable resources.

Kicking off the “Brave New World” seminar line up, Jeff Hiller, will present Going Green: The 10-Step Program, sponsored by the Sustainable Furniture Council and World Market Center on Tuesday, January 29 at 11:00 a.m. This seminar is a beginner’s guide — providing practical advice for furniture retailers and manufacturers to make their businesses more sustainable. Hiller will summarize global warming and issues as presented in recent IPCC reports, highlight issues specific to furniture industry, provide 10 how-to’s each for retailers and manufacturers and discuss the current and future direction of the Sustainable Furniture Council (SFC).

Furniture Today Editor-in-Chief Ray Allegrezza will present The Greening of America: What It Means to You on Wednesday, January 30 at 2:30 p.m. which highlights the green market from a non-technical point of view. Sponsored by World Market Center, the Sustainable Furniture Council and Furniture Today, buyer currently selling green home furnishings or plan to in the near future, will want to attend this presentation. Topics discussed will include the size of the market, the different segments of green consumers, what they want, what they don’t want and more. Allegrezza will also offer suggestions for retailers to better target this burgeoning but fragmented segment of the market.

Also on Wednesday, January 30, attendees will have the opportunity to meet the creative forces that make up the unique Design & Living, ConText and Living Green pavilions at MGM Grand during the Global Convergence Cocktail event beginning at 5:00 p.m. The rich mix of cultural influences found in these juried exhibits makes them popular with buyers looking for emerging trends and international influences that can be found only at Las Vegas Market. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be offered in each pavilion along with an opportunity to appraise products and meet the players. As part of the reception, The Sustainable Furniture Council will hold a general meeting at the Living Green Pavilion at MGM and all interested persons are invited to attend.

World Market Center and the Sustainable Furniture Council are presenting How to Effectively Purchase FSC Wood on Thursday, January 31st, at 9.30 a.m. which features a panel discussion followed by Q&A on best practices for procuring FSC wood as well as practical information on where to get the best help and how the Mixed Source Rule makes it easier.

Responsible wood purchasing has become a hot topic in the home furnishings industry. Downstream demand for FSC wood is forcing manufacturers and retailers alike to participate in the market transformation of the forest products industry. This informed conversation debunks the current myth that there is not enough FSC wood to go around and replaces it with a more balanced and realistic approach to achieving incremental progress.

Expert participants include Lee Jimerson, The Collins Companies and Rick Hilton, Green Building Specialist, Rainforest Alliance. Collins Wood has been a certified manufacturer of FSC certified hardwood and softwood lumber for over five years, and is the only U.S. manufacturer of FSC certified, no added-UF particleboard. The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices.

The New York-based Buddhist monk-turned-world-traveler turned-designer, Tucker Robbins presents the design community with an update on his current “Green Project” to turn a decommissioned high school in Virginia into a “green factory” for his designs, complete with a green restaurant. This presentation will take place on Thursday, January 31 at 11:00 a.m. Robbins works exclusively with traditional peoples who’ve been caretakers of their forests, finding “alternative perspectives on how to get what we need without cutting the branch we’re sitting on....Dialogue with ancient peoples brings insight we’ve forgotten,” Robbins says. “My designs are rooted in the iconography of historical peoples.” Tucker’s client roster includes Barneys, Donna Karen, the Gensler Group, Ian Schrager Hotels, Le Parker Meridian and Mandalay Bay.

In addition to the new “Brave New World” series, attendees of January’s Las Vegas Market will have more options than ever before with stimulating educational seminars that enhance their Market experience. Included in nearly 40 informative seminars is the newly unveiled “Design Icon Series” featuring design legend Vladimir Kagan; “The Forecast Series,” featuring renowned style experts who will unveil the latest in color, the influence of fashion and fabric, as well as the hottest industry trends for the year ahead; and the educational series offered by Western Home Furnishings Association (WHFA) in the Retailer Resource Center; WHFA is the largest affiliate of the National Home Furnishings Association.