The One Good World series, a partnership with Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) and Las Vegas Market, features in-depth discussions and high-profile speakers focused on eco-friendly issues during Las Vegas Market August 2-6, 2010.

"Once considered a fad, buzzword or marketing tag, sustainability is now a force that’s here to stay," says Margaret Casey, director of programming for World Market Center. “Sustainability is a requirement that both retailers and consumers demand."

“The One Good World series explores sustainability in the furnishings industry, a topic that should be top of mind for retailers and manufacturers alike,” says Robert Maricich, president and CEO of World Market Center Las Vegas.

One of the week’s highlights is the One Good Chair International Design Competition: minimum/Maximum, which is in its third year. The challenge invited designers to create a smart design fitting of the theme “minimum/maximum.” The goal: to preserve natural resources and amplify human delight.

“There were great designs from the semi-finalists, who will be announced at Market," said Susan Inglis, executive director of the SFC. "Also, the panel we have planned will be great—a stellar group of cutting-edge thinkers in the design world served as judges in the competition, and several of them will be with us at Market for the discussion, including Antonio Larosa, chair of furniture design, Savannah College of Design; Jose Atienza, senior designer William McDonough & Partners; Andrea Mangini, lead experience designer, Adobe Systems; and Toby Israel, Ph.D., founder, Design Psychology.”

Lance Hosey, author of The Shape of Green Design, will moderate a slideshow and peer review of the highlights of the “One Good Chair” competition. The finalists will go on to have prototypes of their chairs created by Weyerhaeuser Hardwoods and Handy Living. The prototypes will then be exhibited during Winter Las Vegas Market, Jan. 24-28, 2011, and a winner will be selected to share a cash prize of up to $5,000 from World Market Center Las Vegas.

Design psychologist and “One Good Chair” judge Toby Israel, Ph.D. is looking forward to the August announcement of the competition’s finalists. “There were many submissions that concentrated on the different aspects of creating a great chair,” says Israel. “It was very exciting when I found chair finalists that seemed to have gotten it ‘just right’— especially in terms of considering the design psychology—the important human factors to be considered when designing a piece of furniture,” she says.

Antonio Larosa, who is chairman of the furniture design department at Savannah College Art & Design (SCAD) and also a judge for “One Good Chair” added that he was most impressed by the contestants who didn’t just consider the chair design, but the whole package. “I was positively impressed by most of the entries. In particular, I was very happy to see that some of the designers went behind sustainable materials, giving packaging and shipping a very important role in the entire design process,” says Larosa. “This kind of thinking is more than sustainable design, this is common-sense design!”

The week kicks off with Eco Friendly from the Foundation to the Furniture. Designer Robin Wilson will highlight several residential products with eco-friendly design, including the Kennedy Green House (the private residence of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.), the Good Housekeeping Show House and more. Wilson will also share tips and information to create an eco-healthy lifestyle.

According to the experts, mattress safety is one of the top female environmental concerns. The Special Sleep Association (SSA) will address that concern during four briefings, SSA Helps Retailers Sell Mattresses by Addressing Consumer Safety & Environmental Concerns over the course of Market. SSA consultant Vicki Warden will also share tips on how to sell more mattress products by addressing consumer concerns.

The Sustainable Furnishings Council’s DESIGNINGreen Leadership Team campaign to raise awareness among consumers about sustainability in the home furnishings market. During DESIGNINGreen, a panel of designers, including HGTV’s Monica Pedersen, designers Robin Wilson and Barry Dixon and Luxe magazine’s Jennifer Matthews will address issues that face the industry.

GREENleaders, in partnership with American Society of Interior Designers Central California/Nevada, is the industry's first certified sustainability training and the most comprehensive training program available in eco-friendly home furnishings. Jeff Hiller, president of the SFC, leads this session, providing designers, manufacturers, reps and retailers with the knowledge and credentials to become experts in sustainability.