Blue Eyed Sun have won five categories at the Gift of the Year Awards 2021 - including the inaugural People's Choice Award voted for by the public.
Shortlisted six times at this year's Gift of the Year Awards, the eco-friendly giftware distributors of Bioloco products and BambooCup by chic.mic were thrilled to be selected as Finalists in four categories (Ethical, Contemporary, Own Label and Kitchen & Dining) with four separate new products. They went on to win the top prize in each.
Best Ethical Gift
This trophy goes to gifts that are fair trade, eco-friendly, or are produced to a high standard of worker welfare. Blue Eyed Sun won for their Bioloco Plant Kids Cup, a unique new children's beaker made from plant material that makes a beautiful gift that takes care of the planet.
These carbon neutral reusable cups are made from plant sugar (that is free from genetically modified organisms and can no longer be used as food). They are completely melamine and BPA free. Fully recyclable and compostable they are also dishwasher safe and the cup (minus the lid) can even be used in a microwave. They include an easy to open lockable lid and have a capacity of 400ml (13.5oz). What makes this product even more appealing is that it is Carbon Neutral. The producer invests in climate protection projects to reduce CO2 emissions that more than compensate for any CO2 used in their production. Importantly, the PLA used to produce them has a substantially lower carbon footprint than other plastic products. View finalists
Best Contemporary Gift
The award for design led gifts with a modern quirky feel. Blue Eyed Sun won with Bioloco Loop - beautiful design-led double-walled flasks that make the perfect contemporary gift for those that value style and sustainability. Available in twenty trendy colours, these uniquely shaped bottles keep drinks warm for 18 hours and cool for 12 hours. They are suitable for carbonated drinks and come with a handy loop for carrying. BPA and phthalate free they have a capacity of 500ml. A beautiful reusable alternative to single-use plastic drinks bottles. View finalists
Best Kitchen & Dining Gift
The best kitchenware gifts for budding chefs and those who love to entertain. Blue Eyed Sun won with their Bioloco Plant Lunch Pot - a range of handy lunch or breakfast pots made from plant sugar.
These climate positive reusable lunch pots are made from plant sugar and are completely melamine and BPA free. Fully recyclable and compostable they are also dishwasher safe and the pot can even be used in a microwave. The main container holds 500ml and the separate container in the lid holds 200ml. There are twelve eye-catching designs to choose from. The producer invests in climate protection projects to reduce CO2 emissions that more than compensate for any CO2 used in their production, making the product Climate Positive. Importantly, the PLA used to produce them has a substantially lower carbon footprint than other plastic products.
Blue Eyed Sun were also shortlisted in this category for their collection of Bamboo Napkins as well as their new range of Organic Cotton Tea Towels. View finalists
The People's Choice Award
This award is brand new to the competition. It allowed the public to vote for their favourite finalists from this years awards. This is the first time this has happened and the winner received the most votes of more than 6,000 cast online. Blue Eyed Sun won this Award for Bioloco Loop which help users to cut back on single-use waste. View finalists
Best Own Label Gift
A category for the best own-label goods suppled to other brands. Blue Eyed Sun won for the specially branded BambooCups they produced for the Queen's Shop at Balmoral. Made from fast growing, pesticide free bamboo these reusable cups are a fantastic alternative to single-use cups made from slow growing paper. Over 2.5 billion plastic lined paper cups go to landfill in the UK each year after being used once for only ten minutes. BambooCup holds 13.5oz (400ml) of liquid, is taste free and odour neutral. They are also safe to go in the dish washer and have been tested by TUV Rheinland to ensure compliance with stringent EU safety standards. In fact, Stiftung Warentest found the BambooCup by chic.mic to be the reusable cup of choice in an assessment of 12 leading bamboo cup brands. The cups are also available in 50 off-the-shelf designs. View finalists
About the Awards
Competition for the Gift of the Year 2021 was fierce, with were over 700 entries across 23 categories vying for these prestigious awards. Judged by more than 70 leading industry retailers, buyers and key industry experts, shortlisted products are selected based on a host of factors including design, wow factor and commercial potential for retailers.
A shortlist of 300 entries was then whittled down to 92 finalists from which the winners were chosen. Whilst the Gift of the Year awards are usually held live on Sunday evening at the Spring Fair trade show at the NEC in Birmingham, this year they were announced in special online Zoom ceremonies hosted by Alex Ryan from popular industry Prod-cast.
Jeremy Corner, Managing Director of Blue Eyed Sun, was in attendance at the online ceremonies to discover they had won. "We were completely overwhelmed to win these awards, after not having won at the Gift of the Year awards since 2003." said Jeremy. "We are exceptionally proud of our new eco-friendly range of giftware for 2021 and would like to thank everyone who voted for us." Watch the ceremonies here.
These awards are the most highly respected industry accolades for new products launched in the giftware industry each year. Winners benefit from industry wide recognition and exposure, which lead to increased sales for winners and their retailers. Now in its 43rd year, the Gift of the Year Awards is organised and run by the Giftware Association.
Blue Eyed Sun is also a previous Queens Award winner and Henries Award Winner. They are primarily trade only, selling to direct to retailers. If you want to stock their products in your store please contact them to request further details.
If you'd like to buy one of their products you can visit their consumer website: www.greenmagpie.net