Meet GLOPLAY

IHA spoke with Lily Tsubouchi, sales manager of Mira Design Corp., to learn about the four brands—Pearl Life, Takanaka, SHOLAYERED and GLOPLAY—they will introduce at The Inspired Home Show 2021.  With a showroom in New York and a warehouse in New Jersey, Mira helps small Japanese companies expand and bring their business to the U. S. While Mira Design has exhibited at our Show in recent years, 2021 will be the first appearance for the GLOPLAY line.

As Lily explained, “Our initial business in Japan produced construction signs with our glow-in-the-dark technology. We have been in that business for decades in Japan. When we considered expanding into the U.S. market, we did a great deal of marketing research and saw the great possibility of wall décor stickers for kids.”

Night Light or Party Décor

“Our bright glow-in-the-dark scenes create extraordinary spaces. Much brighter than other products in the market, the patterns still shine long after dark,” Lily said.

Providing a dreamy gentle glow to help children drift off to sleep, GLOPLAY also provides peace of mind for parents if a child wakes up at midnight since the stickers keep shining for five hours. Available in many patterns for occasions and holidays, GLOPLAY stickers can create a magical space as wall décor for a party and keep shining for five hours.

Stick and peel off anywhere anytime. The removable, re-attachable designs stick to any surface without leaving a mess. GLOPLAY challenges a child’s creativity—move the stickers around for a change of scenery. Guaranteed to stay shining for a life without batteries, the stickers are durable, water-resistant and can be used outdoors or in the bathroom.

Learning from Families

Lily described how GLOPLAY develops new product ideas. “We work closely with designers who have children at home. Mostly moms. They know what kids get excited about and the imaginary stories they enjoy. We also work with child influencers who love GLOPLAY and we use social media services to share these products globally.”

Go ahead and play—with GLOPLAY!

To learn more about GLOPLAY stickers, see  https://www.letsgloplay.com/

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Only an in-person trade show can deliver exciting and efficient opportunities that assist buyers in their hunt for new products. Exhibitors are also eager to meet buyers from around the world and present their wares in person after more than a year of remote access to their customers. The Inspired Home Show will bring the latest trendsetting designs to Chicago, August 7-10, 2021.

Visit www.theinspiredhomeshow.com to learn how the Show will enhance your business. Register today!

The post Discovering Design: Mira Design Corp. GLOPLAY appeared first on The Inspired Home Show.

Vicki Matranga, Design Programs Coordinator at International Housewares Association, speaks with Kat Nouri, CEO and founder of Stasher, to learn about how a mom’s frustration with packing kids’ lunchboxes inspired an award-winning new product and social activism.

A California mother of three, Kat Nouri tired of using wasteful, disposable plastic snack bags in her children’s lunches. Searching in kitchen cabinets for lids to mismatched containers and the single-use nature of most plastics also irritated her. So Kat set out to develop a reusable bag that would offer the market a better solution.

“As a consumer, a mother, a designer and a responsible manufacturer, I believed the food storage category begged for innovation – in design, functionality, as well as sustainability,” Kat explains. “I set out to disrupt the market by designing the first radically functional and plastic-free bag made from silicone that could be used for cooking, storing and freezing food,” she continues. “Stasher was that product – not only versatile but intended to be repurposed and endlessly reused.”

The market responded immediately. In 2016 Stasher premiered at the International Home + Housewares Show and won the Global Innovation Award (gia) for product design. It was also featured in Inc. magazine as one of the Seven Most Brilliant Product Designs of the year.

Kat, give us some background on how you developed Stasher.

Kat Nouri

At the time I conceptualized Stasher, social consciousness around plastic was just starting to gain some global traction. I had prior experience with owning a business that championed better alternatives to plastic by utilizing silicone as a superior and more innovative base material. I was fascinated by the functional qualities of silicone – it could take the heat and temperature variance better than other plastic alternatives and was made to be more durable and long-lasting than the thin film plastics that are so prevalent in the marketplace. At the time, broader market adoption had not reached mass awareness and the single-use plastic epidemic was not at the level that it is today.   

I also aimed to create a business that not only provided a healthier and more sustainable product but bettered the world for future generations. We are a B Corp, Women-Owned, and a 1% for the Planet member, which are organizations and certifications committed to better business practices, supporting others to become future women leaders, as well as actively engaging and providing support of nonprofits and organizations tackling our largest environmental challenges. 

How has your experience at our Show contributed to your success?

The Show has been instrumental to our success since our debut in 2016. We were awarded the Global Innovation Award, not once but twice in the past three years. It was such an honor to be among the best from around the world and to be recognized for disrupting a category that traditionally belonged to multinational organizations.  

Is there an approach or look that joins the functionality, form or emotional appeal of your product line?

At first glance, Stasher is super unique in its design aesthetics. It is a beautifully-designed bag that’s more functional, durable and a more modern take on a familiar household essential product, single-use plastic bags. All of our products function much like their single-use plastic counterpart does, which has helped consumers make that transition to plastic-free. Their small change of switching to an endlessly reusable and plastic-free option has an important impact. 

How do you use social media?

We launched the product line for everyone. But it was millennials and young moms who championed Stasher, mostly through social media. As more awareness swelled up around the plastic-free movement our customer base exploded.

We’ve used Instagram to help educate, celebrate, guide and provide broader awareness with an inclusive approach where we can all play a role in the universal challenge of tackling plastic pollution. Our 228,000 Instagram followers are vocal advocates. We love celebrating our customers’ passion and love for the brand through social media.

How do you see design’s importance in our industry as it moves forward?

We believe that smart, beautiful design is essential in a modern world where consumers are inspired by design and have an eye for detail. Design and function are two critically important factors to our success. For the industry as a whole, design will continue to play a vitally important role.

Stasher’s multi-purpose bags continue to merit industry acclaim. In 2018, Fast Company named Stasher as a World Changing Ideas Finalist.

For more information on Stasher, click here.

The post Discovering Design – Stasher appeared first on The Inspired Home Show.

It’s no longer a novelty to say a product is green. And consumers seeking a more sustainable way of life are no longer in the minority. What started as a small, upstart movement is now going mainstream. In many markets around the world, aspirations toward a more sustainable lifestyle are now (or soon to become) the new normal.   

“Global attention on sustainability has skyrocketed over the last five years, in line with growing pressures on natural resources and climate change, combined with an increase in conscious consumption and ethical living,” said Maria Coronado Robles, senior consultant, sustainability, at Euromonitor International, in the company’s market research blog earlier this year.

According to Euromonitor’s 2019 Lifestyles survey, 64 percent of consumers now feel they can make a difference in the world with their purchases. That’s one reason ethical living (being mindful when making life decisions) is one of Euromonitor’s eight megatrends for the year.

But consumers put even more responsibility on the shoulders of the corporate community. In a recent online survey, Nielsen found that a “massive” 81 percent of global respondents feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment. “A new era of sustainability is rising, and it’s touching every corner of the world,” according to Nielsen’s report, The Evolution of the Sustainability Mindset. “Looking for a better lifestyle, consumers are searching for options that are healthier for them and for their homes.”

Global Movement, Regional Variations

Of course, attitudes and attention to sustainability vary in different parts of the world. But don’t assume consumers in established markets are the only ones demanding sustainable practices.

“Facing rapid urbanization and a growing disparity between classes, many people in emerging markets are experiencing the harsh reality of pollution in this post-modern industrial age,” said Regan Leggett, executive director, Thought Leadership and Foresight, Global Markets for Nielsen, in its report. “As a result, sustainability has become an urgent opportunity for companies to connect with consumers who are excited about change.”

That’s a message department store chain Liverpool is seeing in Mexico. Thanks to school education programs and a nonprofit campaign started about 15 years ago to recycle PET, “People in Mexico are realizing the impact non-sustainable resources have on their environment, and they are starting to take actions to prevent this,” explains Liverpool Home Display Consultant Alejandro Reyes Martínez. “People are getting more concerned about the planet.”

In Denmark, sustainability issues are also top of mind. “Sustainability is a keyword in everything we do,” says Jacob Bahne Sørensen, owner of Bahne home stores. “Within the last 12-18 months, we have experienced a very strong growth in demand (for sustainable products) from our customers.”

In the U.K., “We get a lot of customers from every age group with sustainability concerns,” shares Sarah Wood, managing director of kitchen supply store Trevor Mottram. She adds that “anything that gets rid of single-use plastic” is especially popular.

In China, the country’s “central push on protecting the environment mainly targets the companies, but it is also trickling down to the general public being aware of the importance of sustainable living and making greener purchases,” says Jackson Liang, managing director of the Chinese distributor Genesis Household Products.

Opportunities in Home and Housewares

As a result of the growing movement, many retailers are looking for home and housewares goods that are sustainable or which help support an eco-friendly lifestyle.

According to Maria del Pilar Marín Flores, kitchen buyer for Mexico’s Liverpool, their shoppers are looking for any products they can use over and over so they won’t produce waste. Those products include water bottles, tumblers, reusable bags, reusable straws, reusable storage containers, sustainable textiles and portable flatware.

Wood of the U.K.’s Trevor Mottram says more conscientious customers are now asking where products are made. She believes more will start choosing local goods to help cut down on carbon emissions needed for transporting them.

Of course, sustainably made products often come with a higher price tag…at least right now. Yet Nielsen said half of global respondents (49 percent) say they’re inclined to pay higher than average prices for products with high quality/safety standards; 41 percent said the same for products that are organic, 38 percent for products made with sustainable materials and 30 percent for products that deliver on socially responsible claims.

“There are many Mexicans who are willing to pay more because of their commitment to the environment,” says Miguel Angel Herrera Montes, display manager for Liverpool Perisur. “But there are some who prefer cheaper products because of their income. It depends on their income and education.”

“We have had success with products with price increases ranging in 10-20 percent due to sustainability,” says Bahne’s Sorensen.

Other Sustainable Strategies

Simply offering a product made with sustainable materials or that helps support a sustainable lifestyle is just one way to be environmentally friendly.

Strategies any company can employ range from re-examining suppliers to reducing energy consumption to reducing packaging. In addition, retailers can help educate shoppers (and in some cases, manufacturers) on the topic and diversify their product offerings. And don’t forget to share your efforts with current and potential customers.

“We regularly speak to suppliers about cutting down on the amount of single use plastic and cardboard sent to us (as part of product packaging shipments),” said Wood.

“Everything we do backstage is sustainable, if possible,” says Sorensen. “We’re also working on reducing our energy consumption by changing to LED lighting.”

Other retailers have moved to sustainable shopping bags and gift packaging, efforts that will likely pay off in this new era of the sustainability movement.

“Businesses that embrace ethical living, the circular economy and sustainable packaging will make headways in enhancing their brand image and reputation, and winning over more ethical and demanding consumers,” said Euromonitor’s Coronado Robles.

Crystal Barnes, senior vice president, global responsibility & sustainability at Nielsen, agrees: “By identifying an opportunity to be more sustainable, and implementing a reasonable play of action to accomplish it, companies achieve an authenticity that paid advertising can’t buy.”

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Trending Today Preview

Saturday, 14 March

8:00-10:00 am

Room S100, South Building, McCormick Place

• Featuring up to 60 exhibitors with sustainable products, or those that support an eco-friendly lifestyle
• Open exclusively to buyers and news media
• Runs concurrently with the New Exhibitor Preview

The post Eco-friendly Aspirations Becoming ‘New Normal’ Around the World appeared first on The Inspired Home Show.

Emma Rose, 33, has a master’s degree in environmental management and sustainability from Harvard University. She worked in waste minimization at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the pollution prevention department before becoming a straw-trepreneur. While attending the University of California – Santa Barbara, Emma and her friends started a non-profit called Save the Mermaids, an environmental education program to educate children on the harmful effects of single-use plastics.

Emma Rose

In 2015, Emma presented a TEDx Talk on the harmful effects of plastic straws on our oceans and environment. Then in 2017, Emma started working on FinalStraw in hopes of creating a convenient, durable alternative to single-use plastic straws. She introduced to the world an easy-to-clean stainless steel straw that folds into its handsome on-the-go container.

Emma Rose, tell us about how your company was founded.

FinalStraw launched on Kickstarter in April 2018 with the earnest goal of raising $12,500. The product struck a chord. In a matter of weeks, the campaign raised $1.89 million! The momentum hasn’t stopped. Since launching, we’ve prevented approximately 70 million single-use plastic straws from entering the environment.

We started Final with FinalStraw, but we’re not stopping there. We’re developing an entire line of Foreverables, products designed to replace single-use plastic and last forever. It’s our mission to create reusable, responsibly made products that reduce the need for single-use plastics, empower individuals to change their buying habits and raise awareness about the impacts of their everyday decisions.

Where is your company based? How is your creativity influenced by your local landscape?

The Final squad works entirely remotely and is spread across the country. I spend time in Santa Barbara, Calif., Santa Fe, N.M., and Whistler, Canada. Like most mermaids, I’m drawn to the ocean so it’s no surprise that I spend most of my time in sunny Santa Barbara. But my love for fresh powder and the adrenaline rush I get skiing down mountains bring me back to both Santa Fe and Whistler every year. The thing about plastic pollution is that it’s everywhere—in the mountains, the desert and the ocean.

I found my passion in sustainability while studying at the University of California – Santa Barbara. While walking around campus, I felt as if I was drowning in a sea of single-use plastics— straws, cups and water bottles. After college, I traveled to Thailand where I saw beautiful remote beaches covered in plastic straws. This experience opened my eyes to the impacts of plastic pollution and gave me a burning desire to find a solution to this global problem.

While working at Los Alamos National Laboratory, I watched various materials being wasted day in and day out and couldn’t help but wonder if there was a better way. So, I quit my job to work on my dream: to create fun alternatives to single-use plastics.

Was there a pivotal event or product that propelled the early success of your business?
Timing is everything. If we had launched our Kickstarter even six months earlier, we would have heard crickets. The zeitgeist to eliminate single-use plastic from our culture has never been so powerful. It was a single straw that captured the attention of local governments, but we’ve seen the movement grow in some communities as plastic bags, cutlery, to-go containers and cotton swabs containing plastic are being banned. People are looking for tools to help reduce the amount of single-use plastic they use — we provide them with solutions.

Where do you find inspiration when designing new products?
I find my inspiration in my daily life. When I walk my dog, we’re always scanning the ground for plastic trash. Every time I pick up a piece of trash, I also see it as an opportunity to create a more sustainable product that doesn’t litter the environment. I do everything I can in my daily life to avoid single-use plastic, but the fact that we live on a plastic planet is what made me realize that the opportunity to create more sustainable products was out there. I am constantly asking my friends where they have trouble eliminating single-use plastic in their lives so I can take their needs into account when creating products that will really serve people.

Are there any specific designers, places or eras that influence you?
Apple is a big inspiration when it comes to design. They create beautiful products that convey function while maintaining aesthetic. But our inspiration comes from more than just design. We also look to brands using a sense of humor to convey their messages. As for an era that influences me, I’d have to say the 1980s—I love the radical designs, abstract lines and bright colors.

How do you choose which idea to take to the next step?
I am my own target customer and I live as plastic-free as possible. When I’m choosing an idea to develop, I like to reflect on what kind of plastic products are hardest for me to avoid.

How do you identify the key user audience for your products?

We’re not trying to target environmentalists, that’s not what this movement is about. We have one planet to live on and we’ve been treating it like trash for a long time. We need to change. Our products are created for anyone who realizes this is our only home and we need to treat it with respect.

Is there an approach or look that joins the functionality, form or emotional appeal of your product line?

For a long time, I thought the best approach to eliminating single-use plastic from the waste stream was to stop using single-use plastic. It took me years to realize that in order to make change you can’t restrict something—you you must provide an alternative. While some people are just fine skipping a straw, others aren’t. But in order to revolutionize the way people use single-use plastic, we must create reusable alternatives that are convenient, well-designed and beautiful. The products need to provide users with an elevated experience. That’s where we come in. We offer people a product that will allow them to make a difference and live a more sustainable life. They don’t have to plan ahead to remember to take their straw with them, because it’s at their fingertips—attached to their keys.

How do you use social media?

We use social media as a force to create a community of individuals who can interact with each other and discuss tips and tricks to living a more sustainable lifestyle. It’s about more than just memes. We’re trying to bring people together so we can broaden the discussion about single-use waste and create a larger ripple effect.

Where are your products manufactured?

Our products are designed with love in California and manufactured responsibly in Shenzhen, China at a facility recognized for its efforts in minimizing the carbon footprint. They’re experts in the eco-friendly drinkware space and are audited by a third party for health and safety. The facility is also certified by the International Organization for Standardization and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism.

How do you see design’s importance in our industry as it moves forward?

Waste is a design flaw that I want to fix. Plastic isn’t the problem—it’s an amazing material that was designed to last forever and has advanced science and medicine in incredible ways. The problem is that we use it for single-use items. As people become more aware of the plastic problem, a greater variety of innovative designs are being introduced. Reusable, sustainable products that are both stylish and convenient are capturing people’s attention.

Can you give us a preview of what you will be showing in your booth in Discover Design?

FinalStraw will introduce its new companion: FinalFork!

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Thank you, Emma Rose, for telling us about how your “last straw” moment led to the creation of the FinalStraw. Looking forward to seeing your mermaids demonstrate how to “Suck Responsibly” in your booth N8141 in Discover Design. See you in March!

See the mermaids explain Final’s products by visiting www.finalstraw.com

Discover Design is the premier destination at The Inspired Home Show for trend spotters who make design their priority. Retailers looking for the unique will find nearly 150 design leaders in the Discover Design Expo located at the front of the North Hall. The Discover Design Gallery in the Grand Concourse Lobby will premier an exciting new format to display select exhibitor products.

Anchored by popular brands such as JosephJoseph, Kikkerland and Charles Viancin, Discover Design welcomes new exhibitors, including Klean Kanteen and ashortwalk ltd., and introduces 12 emerging companies in the Design Debut incubator. Additional fresh offerings from veteran design-focused exhibitors such as French Bull and Dreamfarm will also inspire your choices for the coming year. Find more information on Discover Design exhibitors online.

The post Discovering Design:  FinalStraw appeared first on The Inspired Home Show.

IHA gets acquainted with Carter Malcolm, co-founder of Constructive Eating, creators of fun and functional children’s tableware. A returning exhibitor, Constructive Eating offers products that are favorites with families and the retail buyers who will visit their booth N8735 in Discover Design at The Inspired Home Show 2020 in Discover Design.

Carter, tell us about how your company started.

My wife, Jackie Malcolm, and I cofounded Constructive Eating in 2009. Jackie now serves as president. While raising our three children, we found that one of our sons was a very picky eater and we struggled with getting him to eat anything healthy. Our son also loved construction equipment, which gave us the idea for the Construction Line. We saw that making mealtime more fun for our kids engaged them and encouraged them to eat different foods. Many of our friends also contended with picky eaters and there didn’t seem to be any good quality products that helped solve this problem. I saw not only an opportunity for our products, but a need for them. Thanks to my engineering degree from the University of Michigan, I designed the Construction Line and began production in the basement of our home. The products were an instant success! I continued to grow the company out of our basement until I finally bought an office space in 2014. We now have four full-time employees and about 20 part-time production staff. We appeared at our first trade show in 2008, and we came to Chicago for our first Housewares Show in 2012.

Carter Malcolm

Where is your company based? Is your creativity influenced by your local landscape?

Constructive Eating is based in Ann Arbor, Mich. We have a small office space about 15 minutes outside of downtown Ann Arbor with six offices for upper management and large rooms for production workers. Michigan is a beautiful state. Living surrounded by nature helps fuel our creativity and balance our work with our home lives. We love the community and especially love how supportive small/local businesses are of each other.

Was there a pivotal event or product that propelled the early success of your business?

In the beginning, we tried to figure out how to display our products in stores. First we designed a cardboard display unit similar to a lollipop stand to hold individual utensils. However, this design was poorly received by our retailers. Instead of trying to push this display, we took the time and extra expense to design an entirely new store display that used a foam ball and a two-quart bucket. The foam ball sits on top of the bucket and the utensils stand out of the foam, making it easy for customers to grab a utensil as they check out. The point-of-purchase display was a huge hit with our retailers—it encouraged retailers to carry our products and continues to be a popular presentation years later.

Where do you find inspiration when designing new products?

We embrace the iconic, long-term passions of young children for our designs. We also aim to make the lives of parents easier by incorporating helpful features. And we shifted to more gender-inclusive designs in order to minimize gender stereotyping among young children. Since our products are used by young children and come in contact with their food, we always keep durability and safety in mind. A brand that seems to have the same approach is Tonka Trucks.

 

How do you choose which idea to take forward to develop?

We start by looking at industry and parenting trends. For example, promoting healthy eating has been a big push in the parenting world, so we try to make sure our products help this cause instead of hindering it. We then build prototypes using a 3D printer so we can see what the products will look like and can physically hold them in our hands. Then we make any necessary changes. Lastly, we always make sure to get feedback on our products before we launch them. We send samples to our representatives around the country as well as some of our long-term retailers and ask for comments—positive and negative. This ensures we are on track with the industry and gather opinions from trusted and well-informed resources.

What makes your products distinctive?

The combination of fun and functionality is truly what distinguishes our products from those of our competitors. While our competitors typically treat their design/fun elements as decorative features, we marry those features with the functionality of our designs. For example, we designed the prongs of our fork lift to be the tines of our fork. By doing this, when young children play with our utensils they end up with food on the functional element. In order to keep “playing,” they will eat the food, and in the distance, parents smile.

How do you identify the key user audience for your products?’

Since our products are all designed for young children who are learning to eat, it is very clear to us that our main audience comprises the parents and grandparents of young children.  We can verify this assumption and further identify which types of parents are interacting most with our products through Facebook advertisements and Instagram activity. We love to see people tagging us in their photos and videos on social media because it helps us understand what types of households and children are enjoying our products.

 

How do you use social media?

Since we are a small company with a small budget, we do most of our marketing on social media. Over the past few years we have built our Instagram and Facebook presence. We do most of our advertising on Facebook, and collaborate with influencers on Instagram. We love posting fun photos and videos of our products in action on Instagram, and we especially love featuring children who enjoy using our products on our page. We have enhanced our Instagram page a lot over the last year and are rapidly approaching 10,000 followers. However, we try not to focus solely on the number of followers we have or likes we get on our photos. Our main objective with Instagram is to build our brand awareness and to reach new customers who have never seen our products before. We have found that once people see or use our products they instantly fall in love! This is why working with collaborators on social media is such a great outlet for us.

Where are your products manufactured?

All of our products and packaging materials, except for the Construction plush, are manufactured in the United States—in the Midwest!

How do you see design’s importance in our industry?

Creating an appealing aesthetic is always important. As media drives our visual society, designs that focus on being aesthetically pleasing as well as functional will be industry leaders. Designing packaging and products that continuously move toward increased environmental sustainability will also grow more important in the coming years. We always make sure that whenever we use plastic or paper, the materials are recyclable.

Can you give us a preview of what you will be showing in your booth in Discover Design?

We just launched our new Dino product line in 2019. The name says it all – dinosaur-shaped utensils with matching dinosaur-themed plate and placemat. We hope this line will appeal to all genders and are excited to give dinosaur-crazed children a new and exciting way to express their love for dinosaurs.

 

Thank you, Carter, for sharing your inspirations and practices in how you built your successful business. We look forward to smiling with your charming mealtime tools at booth N8735 in Discover Design at The Inspired Home Show in March.  Maybe we’ll find Tyrannosaurus Rex or Pterodactyl friends there too! Learn more about Constructive Eating products by visiting Website: Constructive Eating

Discover Design is the premier destination at The Inspired Home Show for trend spotters who make design their priority. Retailers looking for the unique will find nearly 150 design leaders in Discover Design located at the front of the North Hall. The Discover Design Gallery in the Grand Concourse Lobby will premier an exciting new format to display select exhibitor products.

Anchored by popular brands such as JosephJoseph, Kikkerland and Charles Viancin, Discover Design welcomes new exhibitors, including Klean Kanteen and ashortwalk ltd., and introduces 12 emerging companies in the Design Debut incubator. Additional fresh offerings from veteran design-focused exhibitors such as French Bull and Dreamfarm will also inspire your choices for the coming year. Find more information on Discover Design exhibitors online.

The post Discovering Design: Constructive Eating appeared first on The Inspired Home Show.