Sustainable Design from Vietnam

New Product Ranges at Ambiente

Visit our special Sustainable Design exhibit during Ambiente February 13-17, 2015 in the foyer of hall 10.1 and see the results of this joint project by CBI, Vietcraft and CCS. Learn how 10 Vietnamese exporters have successfully matched 'green' market opportunities to sustainability practices in their own company.

Each home decoration or home textiles manufacturer has focused on a unique set of sustainability aspects. They have made their choice from 12 different social and ecological sustainability dimensions. Some exporters are now using recycled or renewable materials, others have improved on working conditions in their factory. Many are saving costs by reducing the amount of material of water in their production process, or are reducing the transport volume of their goods.

• Renewable bamboo lamps by Duc Phong. The bamboo is grown, harvested and hand woven in one location, providing work and income for the local community.
• Outdoor planters by Anchi in a new sustainable cement. Due to the material being light and strong, the products are much thinner than before, saving raw material consumption and transportation costs.
• Hand embroidered hemp tabletop textiles by VinaLinen, made using traditional techniques by women in rural areas in Northern Vietnam, providing an additional income for their farmer families.
• Crochet toys by Bobi Craft, handmade by disadvantaged people. Not only are the toys made under safe working conditions, they are also safe for children to play with.
• Gradient lacquerware vases by Lacquerworld, showing both the natural beauty of the renewable bamboo material as well as the lacquerware technique.
• Hand quilted home textiles by Hiep Hung, inspired on traditional textiles from the hill tribes, handmade by women in the North of Vietnam.
• Tabletop ceramics by LC Home, handmade in the village of Bat Trang. One of the ranges is decorated with a delicate hand painted pattern, the other has a marbled effect, created by mixing two colours of clay.
• Scented home accessories by Thien Tam, handmade of sustainable textiles, by vulnerable people, giving them meaningful work and an income.
• Carpets and stools made of natural fibers by Viet Trang, made by hand by skilled female weavers. The fibers, such as sea grass are grown locally.
• Hand embroidered tabletop textiles by Vinaem, made by women in rural area's, providing them with an income and a better position in society.

In Vietnam, CBI has started a Sustainable Design pilot project in 2013, running parallel to its Export Coaching Programme. In the first 2 years, over 50 home decoration and home textiles manufacturers have received training in applying more sustainable practices in their company. More than 25 exporters have worked on developing sustainable product ranges, assisted by a team of designers and experts. In 2014, 9 companies showed their new collections at Ambiente, with exciting results. Many of the products have now found their way to the European market. In 2015, CBI will present the results of a second round of the Sustainable Design project at Ambiente trade fair.

Craftscurator has coordinated this project and is hosting the booth 'Sustainable Design' at Ambiente Frankfurt February 13-17, 2015 in the foyer in front of hall 10.1. Sustainable Design is a joint project by CBI, Vietcraft and CCS.

Export companies from developing countries, such as Egypt, Indonesia, South Africa, Madagaskar, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, supported by CBI, can also be found in hall 10.1 stand C51 and C71. A special Vietnam Pavilion hosted bij Vietcraft is located in hall 10.1 D79.