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Despite economy, 'green' still draws interest

By Michelle Graff
September 23, 2009
Green products creating a buzz at Tuesday's eco-luxe event included "Let it Bee" jewelry, with pieces like this "Golden Nectar" necklace. Five percent of the proceeds from the sale of each Bee piece go to fund research into the disappearing honeybee population.

New York--All that glitters and is "green" was on full display last night in Manhattan at eco-luxe, a one-night showcase of luxury products that are eco-friendly and sustainable.

Fittingly held at environmentally conscious restaurant Rouge Tomate, the event showcased everything from reusable water bottles designed to cut down on plastic waste to a $3,000 wedding dress made entirely of 100-percent-natural Portuguese cork.

Jewelry on hand included Alberto Parada's line of recycled and reclaimed gold jewelry with Kimberley Process-certified diamonds, pearls from Jewels of Ocean, watches from carbon-neutral IWC Schaffhausen and pieces from Conscious Jewelry and Let it Bee, a new line of jewelry where part of the proceeds go toward researching why the world's honey bee population is dwindling.

While being green was all the rage in jewelry through much of 2008, it seemingly took a backseat to survival following the economic collapse in September.

Parada, who had traffic at his booth all night, said it's a difficult market right now for a green designer who works exclusively in gold, even when that gold is all recycled or reclaimed.

He said the high price of gold--the metal hovered around $1,013 an ounce on Wednesday morning, according to Kitco.com--has consumers looking toward alternative metals.

"It's price point right now for everything," he said. "It's a little tougher these days."

Parada said his line is currently doing better on the West Coast, especially in eco-conscious cities such as Portland, Ore., and Seattle, and that he's seen an increase in orders for custom engagement rings.

A few booths down from Parada was watch company IWC Schaffhausen, which prides itself on the fact that it produces its watches in a carbon-neutral Swiss factory.

IWC Schaffhausen North America spokeswoman Lisa Pilkington said price point will always be an issue with consumers--especially now--but green can still be a selling point.

"It helps justify the purchase and encourages someone to think in a smart way," she said.

Designer Danna Weiss had her Conscious Jewelry line of gold-dipped brass, crystal and gemstone jewelry on display.

Her line, currently sold at Neiman Marcus and a number of other outlets, is designed to engage consumers, which is especially important in times when people are hesitant to part with their money.

Weiss encouraged each person to approach the table and select the stone to which they were most drawn, with the idea being that people will naturally choose the stone that contains the healing properties they currently need most.

Weiss, whose pieces are priced between $30 and $1,000, said consumers have taken a step back from green given the state of the economy, especially when the green product costs more than its non-green counterpart.

"But I do think that's a temporary situation," she said.

Also, making its debut last night at eco-luxe, was Let it Bee, a line of jewelry dedicated to drawing attention to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). CCD is the mysterious disappearance of worker bees from their hives. This causes the colony to collapse and ultimately threatens the pollination of agriculture and the food-supply chain.

Though the jewelry is not fine--prices start at $15.99, and the highest-priced item is about $160--creator Meg Bryson, formerly of Elle jewelry, said she would be willing to create fine pieces if requested.

Go Green Expo produced eco-luxe. For a complete list of exhibitors and links to their Web sites, click here.
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