Encouraging sustainability as a business paradigm is the focus of SustainAbility: design for a better worldtm, a special curated exhibit and two-track seminar program to be presented at the 154th semi-annual New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®), February 1-6, 2008.

Two "Guide to Going Green" seminars - one for manufacturers and designers and the other for retailers, will be presented on Monday, February 4, 2008, at the Javits Center. The manufacturer/designer session will be moderated by Metropolis Magazine and the retailer-focused session will be led by GOOD Magazine. Both seminars require payment, with discounts for advance registration. Complete details and registration is available online at www.nyigf.com/programs.

From 12:00 noon - 1:00pm, "SustainAbility: design for a better worldtm - A Manufacturer's Guide to Going Green" will address production techniques that are not just efficient, but also essentially waste-free; and how to create products that are made from healthy and safe materials. Susan S. Szenasy, editor of Metropolis Magazine, will lead a panel of "green" designers and producers for a discussion about utilizing diverse and efficient energy sources and encouraging commitment to new paradigms and continuous innovation.

The second session, "SustainAbility: design for a better worldtm - A Retailer's Guide to Going Green," from 2:00pm - 3:00pm, will feature Max Schorr, Founding Publisher of GOOD Magazine, and panelists Mark Caserta of 3r Living (Brooklyn, NY) and Paul Donald of Branch (San Francisco, CA). Retailers will be invited to explore the connection between sustainability and profit, how to sell "green" merchandise, and how to adopt sustainability as a business philosophy.