SFC front and center at Las Vegas Market

For Immediate Release:
January 16, 2008
MEDIA CONTACTS: 
Susan Inglis        Margaret Casey  
SFC/Executive Director      WMC/Director of Programming
(919) 967 1137        (702) 292-3112   
  
 
Sustainable Furniture Council front and center
at Las Vegas Market
 
(NORTH CAROLINA) –Jan. 16, 2008– The Sustainable Furniture Council will be celebrating their highly
successful first year with a number of important events that will keep them in the spotlight at the January Las
Vegas Market to be held January 28 – February 1, 2008.
 
The SFC is a balanced coalition of furniture manufacturers, retailers, NGO’s and trade press formed at High
Point in October 2006 to promote sustainable practices throughout the industry. The organization currently
numbers more than 150 members, and applications are steadily increasing. In their first year, they developed
rigorous Standards in accordance and with the participation of creators of the universally accepted LEED
Standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council for the commercial building sector. Opinions from
seven leading environmental groups were incorporated, and the Standards were published for public review in
October 2007. It is expected that these will become the consensus standard for furniture.
 
To keep things rolling, the SFC and the World Market Center in Las Vegas are co-presenting The Brave New
World Environmental Leadership Education Series all week long at the Living Green Pavilion at the MGM. The
events are open to Buyers, Suppliers, Designers, Media and industry service providers and are designed to
provide key information and proven strategies for effective change with a focus on long term consumer and
supplier education.  A complete schedule is attached.
 
The SFC is also staging a Panel Discussion on sustainability in the furniture industry at 1 pm on Wed, 1/30 at
the MGM Conference Center, Room m-201. The panel will include SFC founder and president Gerry Cooklin of
South Cone, Bill Perdue, VP of Environment, Health, and Safety with the AHFA, and moderated by Powell
Slaughter, Senior Editor of Home Furnishings Business magazine. It is expected to be a lively discussion as
they cover hot topics such as Standards, greenwashing, product labeling, and the challenges faced by
manufacturers and retailers alike in their progress toward sustainability.
 
“We welcome everyone interested in the broader issue of sustainability to join us at these important events,
regardless of their current level of compliance,” says SFC founder Gerry Cooklin. “Education is the single most
crucial need at this stage of the movement, and these presentations are a great place to get started.”
 
More information can be obtained at www.sustainblefurniturecouncil.org.