bambu » Travels

New York Gift Fair: post wrap – a winning show by all accounts

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:13:16 +0000

Thanks for making the The New York Gift Show this year one of our best shows ever. It was really nice seeing our customers and familiar faces over the several days we ’set up shop’ in Javits. It is nearly a 24 hour journey traveling from Shanghai, but well worth it.

Always great seeing many of our customers who have stood by us for many years, or recently joined with us, and a joy to meet people who are only now discovering bambu. People who appreciate the breadth of our range, the originality of our designs, quality of our craftsmanship, and the ‘bambu way’ of doing business.

People are increasingly interested in integrating sustainability into their businesses. Wanting to offer beautiful, eco-friendly alternatives to their customers. We had some great conversations with a lot of people, retailers, designers, small business owners – and that’s really encouraging.

One of the major highlights was winning this year’s The Eco Award.

Our product was selected from among 250 entries as ‘Most Salable’ by retailers.

That’s a vote we are pleased to received. Full details from the official news release are here.

Other Highlights and Friends

Meeting again Robert from EcoShoppe and reviewing new store plans. Chatting with Mark from 3R Living about the challenges of retailing. Our new friends from South Carolina.

Meeting with Josh Carin. Josh operates Geppetto Catering the only Certified Green caterer in the region. Their green credentials are impressive and they proudly use our products because we are using Certified Organic materials, elegant range of products, and because we prescribe to sustainable practices in our business every day.

Saying hello to our friends at Joanne Hudson – Duncan, Jonathan, Sam – thanks for stopping by. We appreciate your business.

Meeting Lori Hill, of Lori Hill Events. Lori is sharp-minded and one of the original pioneers of the Green Movement in the DC area. Savvy Sustainable Events. Keep an eye out for them.

We appreciate all our customers. Thank you for your business. Thank you for taking the time to stop by our booth.

If you didn’t make it to the show, but want a curated look at the top 100 exhibitors (ours included). Here you go. From ShelterPop the ‘what’s now and what’s happening’ report. NY Gift Top 100

A few media highlights too…

bambu is featured among the pages here. Global trend spotters Trend Hunter were thrilled to discover our Coconut Bowls and highlight our ‘Coco’ Bowls here

Donna Schwartz came by to introduce herself. Donna is featuring bambu in an upcoming Gourmet Retailer article on Sustainability and Green Products. That’s a natural fit!

Spilt Milk for Moms covered our bambu KIDS utensils with a glowing review here.

New York. It’s a happening. The hard work continues….

from Angus Peacock, Gobi Desert March, China

admin — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:44:49 +0000

I went on an expedition of a lifetime. And the Spork was with me every excruciating step of the way. A perfect travel companion. Lightweight, handy, no backtalk, no complaining. Gets along well with others.

bambu Spork in Switzerland…or is it?

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 04:00:18 +0000

Great friend and animal care taker, James Holder takes his Spork to Geneve. It would only be a Brit to find a good F&C in Switzerland. And a different Brit altogether to bring out his Spork. Bravo!

Green Housewares – a Case Study of Success

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:56:05 +0000

Last month, bambu attended the International Housewares Show in Chicago, among the thousands of exhibitors, and over 60,000 attendees from more than 40 countries, there were a couple of events that signaled greater attention and more discussion about sustainability in the industry. And we’re thrilled to see this take…..well, not center stage…..but a stage, nonetheless.

A prime example of this, is a presentation given by Deb Singer, the founder of Singer Sustainability. Ms. Singer shared a insightful presentation that brought forth several key principles that lead to success in the marketplace. And used three example companies to illustrate her points.

We were delighted (and, admittedly a little humbled), to be cited as one of the companies that gets it right. The other is a company we have long admired, Preserve. Nothing wasted. Everything gained. The fine folks at Preserve are creating solutions and solving problems in fresh and colorful ways.

Link to the presentation here – http://slidesha.re/ciWfuR

Deb Singer is no stranger to the world of sustainability. bambu first connected with Deb Singer during her tenure at Whole Foods where she guided the organization towards Whole Living, a whole new store concept. In her talk, she shares her experience and knowledge to offer a relevant perspective on sustainability in housewares.

While sustainability was the focus, design considerations are essential. Being ‘green’ is not enough. And it echos an idea that we frequently remind ourselves of,

‘it is not just about your beliefs, or your words, but about your actions.’

Green Products Exhibition
Another example of the ‘green movement’ building momentum in the industry is the focus the industry is putting on innovative and new products. Green Products Exhibition featured products that use alternative materials, are designed for disassembly, or that add value through social and environmental benefits. bambu had four products selected for this exhibition. Hybrid Cutting Board Series, for the first time introducing bamboo and cork together – two highly renewable materials. Our wonderfully organic and charming ‘Coco Bowls’ made from reclaimed coconut shells, and our Spork & Cork.

Green Products Exhibition

Entourage on HBO – a (brief) bambu moment

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:08:56 +0000

We catch up with Entourage on HBO whenever we can. While watching Season 6 we were surprised (and delighted) to see our products show up on the show. We have a bit of history with with the cast – (more on that below.)

In Episode 3 the boys are sitting down to a meal prepared by Johnny Drama (the only one who appears to actually cook anything). It’s Turtle 30th birthday and he joins the group to congrats and well wishes (moments later he receives a Ferrari from Vince and a Porsche from his girlfriend- only in tvland!)

They sit down to a midday meal on the deck. Vince is telling Turtle why he should not feel depressed, but feel on top of the world. (Don’t we all wish, sometimes, we had a friend like Vince, sometimes?) Then, Johnny Drama serves himself up a salad, it looks like. With bambu Curvy Servers. Yup, there they are. Nice.

Which leads us to another Entourage story. You see, we have a bit of history with the gang from Entourage.

Not too long ago, our Customer Care team in New York received a call from Adrian Grenier’s people. In Hollywood circles, Adrian is a genuine environmentalist and passionate advocate for the green movement. As fans, we were thrilled to receive his call.

He had been working on a home in Brooklyn. Built to environmental spec. Spectacular. It was finally finished, and he was ready to open his doors and share it with friends. We didn’t get the invite, but he did want to have some of our product for his housewarming. We said, ’sure.’ In fact, we did one better, and jumped into a car and hand delivered a whole assortment of stuff. It was great.

Adrian ‘thanked’ us. And gave us the below photo. Written on it is,

Hey Bambu Peeps – Thanks for the Grubware — Adrian ‘Vince’

Thanks Adrian. We’re fans. Don’t know what all this means, except that it is a bit of thrill. Especially when you’re sitting in Shanghai, head down everyday, doing the stuff that matters to keep a company moving and growing. And then you look up, and there, on the tv, on a random day at a random time, a world away and a thousand miles more, is the result of something you’ve been a part of making. It stops you. It isn’t huge, but it is kind of cool.

Sustainability: Design for a Better World

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:00:15 +0000

The Sustainability: Design for a Better World project is a curated exhibit showcasing home and lifestyle products that are environmentally-conscious and socially-responsible. Companies from 39 countries and five continents will participate at this year’s event held in New York August 16-20th at Javits Center in conjunction with the New York International Gift Fair.

For the third consecutive year, bambu products have been chosen to be featured in this exhibition.

The exhibition spotlights producers whose products or production processes are eco-friendly, as well as companies whose business practices are socially responsible or fair-trade oriented. We’re Delighted!! There couldn’t be a set of standards that better defined bambu and our core values.

“Green” Products:
• products that are manufactured or constructed with only recycled, recyclable and/or sustainable materials.

Environmentally-Friendly Production Processes:
• manufacturers using alternative sources of energy in production, including wind, sun, and alternative fuels.

Socially-Responsible Business Practices:
• products produced by indigenous peoples, creating viable, sustainable trades and markets in poverty-stricken and needy communities worldwide
• manufacturers who donate percentages of their sales to not-for-profit organizations

We’re proud to be the only company selected for three consecutive years.

This Year, bambu will be showcasing two new products at the exhibition.

The wonderfully organic and decorative Bamboo Pebbles made from waste of some of our other products, and our newest soon-to-be-released product concept, Hybrid Series. The Hybrid is certain to create some buzz in the industry. If you are interested in learning more about our exciting, first-of-it’s-kind ‘Hybrid Series’, drop an email to us at hybrid@bambuhome.com.

recent visit to Vietnam

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 10:23:09 +0000

Our visits to Vietnam are always full, wonderful and memorable. We have a longstanding infatuation with Vietnam that began with our first visit to the country over twelve years ago. With each visit we are met with the kindness and warmth that is characteristic of the Vietnamese.

Hanoi remains one of our favorite cities in Asia. While growth and development is progressing at a rapid pace in Vietnam. Many of the traits of Vietnam that we have come to enjoy have not changed.

The whitewash of faded mango-colored buildings, the bicyclists, the growing tribes of scooters, the school girls with waist long hair, the conical bamboo hats, the returning numbers of cyclos, the scent of flowers, the bread sellers, and food stalls on the street corners with an array of half-sized plastic chairs. It is a totally sensory experience.

We met with the team who handles our coiled Lacquerware. We also met with Mr. Trieu who manages our basket production among the hundreds of weavers in the various villages in Central Vietnam. It is his father that actually invented the Double Weave Baskets that we produce today.

Thu Vu, bambu Production Manager, Hanoi Vietnam

And we had the opportunity to welcome a bright young individual on board at bambu. Thu Vu will be our Production Manager for Vietnam. She will work closely with our producer groups, and take on some of our community support initiatives as well. Thu is a university graduate with several years experience working with local design groups, teaches English and studies French. We’re thrilled to have her on our team.

We also had the wonderful pleasure of spending a day and night on Halong Bay.

We are fortunate to be able to do business in Vietnam and although we are in touch daily, we always look forward to our next visit.

On ‘Green Business’ Panel Discussion – What It Means to be Green

admin — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 14:42:09 +0000

I was invited to sit in on an open forum panel discussion at the International Housewares Association show while in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. Leading a Green Business was the topic.

Joining me were Bruce Kaminstein, CEO of Casabella, and VP of Bissell, Scott Boles.

What was I doing sitting aside two of the largest cleaning equipment companies? Talking about leading a green company?

Casabella is a huge maker of mops, buckets, brushes, squeegees and stuff for cleaning. They use a lot of plastic. Everything is made in the US. What’s interesting is their recently developed product, Eclipse. Bruce shared some interesting details about the Eclipse. Unfortunately, you won’t find much on their website that talks about the use of recycled soda bottles that go into the making of the Eclipse line of products. With this new product, Casabella has obtained cradle to cradle certification.

Bissell makes vacuum cleaners. Among their dozens of products they offer an ‘Earth Friendly’ assortment of products with recognition from the EPA, and an impressive closed loop approach to creating, shipping and disassembling some select products.

These two companies are making genuine progress towards rethinking some of their products and processes, and using more sustainable practices. I personally commend both for leading by example.

But I also ask the question. Is a enough to market a green product?

Is it enough to jump on the green bandwagon only when it is a hot trend?
Is it enough to change one product while the rest of your range creates potentially harmful effects on the environment?
Is it enough unless change is fully embraced by top management and integrated into the core values of the company and into everything they stand for?

We all did agree on a couple of things. While the importance of a ‘green story’ was relevant to consumers, not at the expense of design, quality and value. These are paramount in purchase making decisions. Yet, the important of a ‘being green’ is more meaningful today than ever. But it has to be more than words. I talk about ‘Deed’ brands in my remarks.

An audio broadcast of the discussion is available here.

As the wave builds and messages collide, there is a real need for affirmation and verification. Whether it is Cradle to Cradle or material certification, or Fair Trade, or other, consumers are going to increasingly believe companies less, and impartial third parties more. People will look for the assurance of third party verifiers to help them navigate through the green tides. I begun this post last week. And sure enough, The Wall Street Journal publishes this article on certification and greenwashing.

We presented a few slides.

The New Rules in the Green Economy

Be Brutally Honest
Transparency Is The New Black
It’s the Journey that Matters
Authenticity is Key

What do I mean by this?

Be true. Get real. Look within. Be honest with yourself and your organization. What do you really stand for? What are your shortcomings?
Transparency is the buzz. Be prepared to show yourself, warts and all. It takes a bit of courage and humility to share it all.
You never quite arrive. There is no perfection. And that’s not the point, is it? Continuous improvement along the entire chain is what is important.
Authenticity relates back to the first point. Look into your soul. Whatever matters there, has to be your guiding force.

We’re encouraged that the Housewares industry is joining in these conversations. I hope there are more. There is much to be gained.

~

a visit with Greenfeet.com

admin — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:34:21 +0000

We had an opportunity to take a road trip a couple of weeks ago up to Chico, CA to stop in on our friends at Greenfeet.com. Drove up from the Bay Area in my rented Toyota Prius (naturally) to check in with Val and Rob, owners of the green online store.

Had a chance to do a Podcast interview with Val and Dori who host the fun and informative, More Hip Than Hippie radio show. We talk a bit about what we do, how we got started, and also shared in some fine local hops and barley. I was thrilled to learn that my favorite Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada calls Chico home. Tip: Sierra Torpedo trumps Pale Ale. Check out the show. They throw a few wobbler questions in at the end. Thanks guys, it was fun.

Greenfeet World Headquarters - Val Reddemann, Founder & Jeff Delkin, bambu co-founder

Val and partner Rob run a really tight shop. They offer a wide range of eco-friendly products – stuff you don’t see everywhere. And they pay attention to the little stuff. The stuff that matters. Even the boxes they ship in are made of recycled content. No plastic tape either. Paper tape. Naturally. We love it!!!

Naturally they carry our products. Check out our bambu Boutique here where customers can find everything bambu online at one place!

Greenfeet sets the standard for online retail and their customer service is excels. Give them a try if you’re looking for cool eco products. Thanks guys, for hosting me. It was fun. Keep up the great work!

New York, New York – the highlight reel

admin — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:23:13 +0000

Well, we’re back from New York and getting resettled in Shanghai. It was a trip with numerous highlights. The New York International Gift Fair was the main purpose for visiting New York. And we had a tremendous show. Monday was one of those all-time days. It was good seeing a number of our current friends and customers, and forming many more new partnerships.

As any visitor to New York knows, a few days in the city can fill a highlight reel. Among my particular highlights on this trip….shopping at the Soho store of bambu customer, Dean & Deluca, an amazing array of culinary finery, browsing another store that carries a wide selection of our products, plus a whole lot more at the Whole Foods Union Square – shopping at 11pm in the full NY bustle is an event we don’t get in Shanghai.

I finally had the opportunity to go to Yankee Stadium for the first and last time. The venerable home of more Hall of Famers than any other place. We sat through a 90min rain delay to watch a great game despite the Yankee loss.

Had one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time at Mary’s Fish Camp. A great neighborhood find that rekindled my love for lobster roll, steamers and oysters on the half. Thanks Rachel! (I know I shouldn’t post this – the line is already too long, but it’s that good – there’s another in Brooklyn)

I have visited this Renzo Piano building several times. I love the materials and the interior natural landscape that draws you in from busy noisy 8th Avenue. I am infatuated with the hundreds of digital screens relaying every word from every blog in rapid-fire succession.

And of course, the Muji flagship store is a must. Dean & Deluca is soon to open.

Fishs Eddy is another one of those quintessential New York kind of stores. . They are unique in how they carry and present our products, and always do a great job at merchandising our tableware and always do up their windows with customer-stopping appeal.

One of my favorite NY moments was visiting the inventive installation by David Byrne. The project is entitled, Playing the Building

There are images and videos of the project at the link above.

I caught it on a beautiful late afternoon when the light was just right. It’s a wonderful structure that comes alive with its own sounds. Reminded me of the wonderful BBC program, Can Buildings Learn?. Can buildings make music? Yes they can.

David has a gift for pushing and merging art, urban life, music and architecture.

His latest project which was launched while I was in NY, is his art, slash, installation, slash, bike rack project which is peppered around the city. You can see his drawings and the installations here.

The city keeps on offering up great experiences. Thanks New York.