Circularity will be in the spotlight this awards season as Honest Bottle – the only reusable bottle to be produced from recycled single-use plastic here in the UK – joins The Silicone Straw Company and Trashy Bags Africa Limited in the list of Gift of the Year 2023 finalists.
Yes, it’s the news the home and gift industry had been waiting for, with all live voting and judges remarks counted and verified, the Gift Association has revealed its list of Gift of the Year 2023 finalists – groups of six companies across each of the awards’ categories, to have made the final judging round before winners are finally revealed later this year.
The Sustainable and Ethical Gift of the Year category has been whittled down from a shortlist of ten companies to six finalists. And this year, more so than ever before, circularity has found itself front and centre.
This year, the UK’s own Honest Bottle and The Silicone Straw Company – a reusable silicone straw that can be stored away in its handy, compact tin – is joined by Trashy Bags Africa Limited’s Trashy School Bag, a repurposed school bag made from over 60 water sachets collected from Ghana, helping to combat plastic waste in the local area.
The three are also joined by Love Coco Coconut Bowls – a collection of upcycled, hand-crafted coconut bowls, Elite’s collection of Emma Bridgewater licensed Rice Husk Picnicware, and Filthy Gorgeous’ Go La La bath and beauty collection.
The winners of the Highly Commended products will be announced at The Gift Awards, to be held at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel on 11 May, 2023.
The finalists have been selected following a Live Judging Event held over the course of Spring Fair last week.
“It was great to be back at Spring Fair to live judge again and for longer, allowing more judges to complete their in-person judging which we know is so important,” said Chris Workman, PR and marketing manager of the Gift Association.
“Being able to hold the judging during Spring Fair – the most important exhibition on the gift industry’ calendar – makes perfect sense for the future and speaking to judges on the day, we found this was a great time for them to buy from the competition and go meet the companies behind the products.”
The London award ceremony will once again bring together The GA’s Gift of the Year Awards and The Greats gift retailer awards organised and owned by Max Publishing. The event will celebrate both gift product excellence and retail prowess.
Gift of the Year finalists are also in with a chance of winning the coveted Judges Choice Award, presented in previous years to Gingko, Go La La, and Willsow.
Of the Sustainable and Ethical Gift of the Year finalists, Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder of Products of Change and one of this year’s Gift of the Year judges, said: “It’s wonderful to see companies advancing their sustainability requirements by embracing circular economy thinking and looking at ways to reduce waste. The level of ambition has definitely exceeded previous years.
“To me, all nominees are already winners as they are pushing boundaries of what is possible in business to create the new normal. Huge congratulations to you all.”
Tickets and tables for the awards event on May 11 can be booked via the Max Publishing digital box office event at Max-Tickets.net or by contacting event organiser Createvents: clare@createvents.co.uk or 0118 334 0085
To find out more about The Gift Awards and book tickets click here – https://www.thegiftawards.com/
