It's Javits time...

The New York International Gift Fair starts tomorrow!

We had a chance to walk some of Accent on Design today while booths were getting set up and spotted a few great new designs, such as Ross Menuez's felt Icosa Lamp and silk-screened Kuma Pillows at Areaware.

Our booth is #3985A in A+: The Young Designers Platform. The show is up Sunday January 31st - Thursday February 4th.

Hope to see you there!

25% of sales to American Red Cross!

In an effort to help with the relief efforts in Haiti, we will be donating 25% of sales from our Grain Shop and Supermarket shop until January 25th, 2010 to the American Red Cross.

Don't need anything from Grain? Donate $10 to the American Red Cross directly by texting "HAITI" to 9-0-9-9-9.

Thanks!

UPDATE 1/25/10: We were able to send $100 to the American Red Cross' Haiti Relief and Development fund today! Thanks Kenneth, Roger, Megan, Heather, Frank, Jessica, Aimee and Mary!

Upgrade Party for Haiti

Our East Coast Grain'ers just hosted their first "Upgrade Party" to raise money for Haiti. Women brought in their unwanted clothes and bought clothes from each other to "upgrade" their wardrobe the triple bottom line way - good for people, cheap, and re-used.

In just a few short hours, we raised over $200! All the proceeds went to Partners in Health to help provide medical supplies on the ground directly to those in Haiti.

Sami is now working with DC's Art Commission to host a larger event at their next salon to raise more funds! So stay tuned!

We're going to New York!

We are thrilled to be one of the six designers invited to participate in the "A+: The Young Designers' Platform" section of Accent on Design at the New York International Gift Fair later this month. We will be sharing a booth (curated by the American Design Club) from January 31st to February 4th with the following participants:

Sangwoo Nam, Appree Co. Sangwoo Nam is a young designer from Seoul, South Korea whose functional home accessories include the “Leaf-it” self-stick memo notes in the color and shapes of tree leaves, and Waterdrop Magnetic, round translucent magnets of various sizes which function as magnets while providing an indirect link to nature.

Jung Woo Lee, ekdesign Jung Woo Lee, principal product and graphic designer at ekdesign in Seoul, South Korea, strives to incorporate expressive design into a variety of functional office products, including cardboard file folders and USB media players.

James Minola and Chelsea Green, Grain James Minola and Chelsea Green, designers from Bainbridge Island, WA, embrace a mission to unite sustainability and business through design. Grain is a design collaborative which creates and produces home and personal accessories, including the “Ty” recyclable shower curtain, made of ethically-produced, high density polyethylene (HDPE). The new “D.I.Y.” edition comes with an attached permanent marker to draw custom designs on the curtain. Minola and Green, both recipients of several design awards, met while pursuing industrial design degrees at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Marie-Pier Guilmain and Maud Beauchamp, Loyal Luxe Marie-Pier Guilmain and Maud Beauchamp are pet accessory designers based in Mont-St-Hilaire, Canada, whose products are designed and manufactured entirely in Quebec. Their showcase work is the “chalet for cats,” a cardboard house for cats or other small domestic pets. Its innovative yet humorous design is inspired by Canadian-style chalets. Both Guilmain and Beauchamp received industrial design degrees from Montreal University.

Jiyeon Ahn and Jieun Kim, Luca 12:00 This female design duo from Seoul, South Korea, creates playful lighting and other home accessories, in which everyday objects become meaningful in a new context. One of their newest designs is “Soap, a portable light,” through which a unique light lamp – in the shape and color of a bar of soap – is controlled through touch. By rubbing the lamp in the same manner as a bar of soap, users can adjust the luminous intensity, and the soap’s holder acts as a charger.

Munire Kirmaci, munire kirmaci Munire Kirmaci is an industrial, product and spatial designer based in Brooklyn, NY, who designs home accessories as well as interior spaces. Her signature piece is “Salt and Pepper in One,” a stainless steel container which stores and dispenses both salt and pepper in one piece. Kirmaci received a Bachelor of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design from Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, and a Masters of Industrial Design from the Pratt Institute.

We are especially excited to be showing with Munire Kirmaci - an old friend who will definitely help keep us entertained over the five days of Javits action. Big thanks to Jamie and Brian of Iacoli & McAllister (who participated last summer) for inspiring us to apply!

UPDATE 2010-01-19: Here is a link to the official New York International Gift Fair press release.

Electric Love is here!!

Electric Love, our new hand-knotted rings (above and below) are made of reclaimed electrical wire and come in pink or white with more colors on the way. Each ring is handmade with love in our studio on Bainbridge Island. Visit the Grain Shop for more info!

Sololá is here!!

In 2006, while still students at RISD, James, Brit and I were part of an amazing wintersession course taught by Mimi Robinson called Bridging Cultures Through Design. Working with artisan communities in Guatemala, we developed a series of textiles goods celebrating Guatemalan textile traditions. The products went to market and continue to support sustainable incomes for those artisan groups that we collaborated with.

We are excited to now be offering one of the designs from that collaboration, called Sololá, in the Grain Shop! Here is the official description:

Sololá celebrates the artistry of Guatemalan women weavers. Each purse upcycles a vintage huipil (traditional women's blouse woven on the backstrap loom) to create an individual statement. Turned inside-out, the huipils are an explosion of color and handwork. Each purse is assembled by Guatemalan artisans in Antigua from textiles sourced at the famous Chichicastenango Market.

Sololá will be available in two sizes at $38 and $60. Each purse is made in Antigua, Guatemala and is totally unique.

More places to find Ty in 2010...

Ty D.I.Y. Edition will soon be available at the following new retailers throughout the US and Canada:

Green Depot
Green Depot is the nation's largest green building supplier. Ty and Ty D.I.Y. Edition will be soon be available through their website and in their LIVE store in Manhattan on Bowery (between Spring and Prince).

Carbon Environmental Boutique

Our first Canadian retailer is located in the historic heart of downtown Edmonton, Alberta. Carbon’s mission is threefold – to showcase and support environmental manufacture, to encourage and fortify ethical business practices and to advocate and promote non-toxic living.

Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store
A modern general store for a well-lived life, combining the charm of a country general store with the sophistication of a modern city lifestyle in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn.

MCA Denver Shop

Founded in 1996, MCA Denver became the city's first contemporary art museum. Two years ago David Adjaye designed it's new LEED GOLD Certified home in lower downtown. As of last week, you can find Ty D.I.Y. Edition's in their great museum shop.

risd|works

Located in Providence, every item featured is designed and made by Rhode Island School of Design alumni and faculty. All profits from risd|works sales are returned to RISD for use in furthering its mission.