By Andrea Lillo
NEW YORK-- Glass manufacturer Luigi Bormioli went green at the recent tabletop market here, introducing its line of 100 percent recycled glassware in six SKUs.
Available in the company's basic shapes and sizes 'double old-fashioned, beverage, goblet, pitcher, chip 'n' dip and three-section divided dish' the collection will be available in March, with a key price point of $19.99.
"We felt that you can't go a day without hearing something 'green' in the media, and it seems that retailers are taking strives to make themselves more green; therefore creating a line of glassware that is both green and functional made a lot of sense to us," said Chris Tubertini, vice president of marketing. "We are also glad to be leaders in this category since we try hard to remain ahead of the curve."
In addition, the company also introduced a line of personalization at market, where consumers can choose from a select line of items to have engraved, and it is looking into offering this program on retailers' Web sites.
The company also bowed gift sets in several of its collections, which "adds value" and "a level of sophistication" Tubertini said. Retailers "look to Luigi Bormioli for good quality product, and this gives us a place to expand. There's a need for nice glass gifts." Offered in a black-box concept that is compatible with the company's black-box collections, several five-piece sets debuted. With a retail price of $30, they come in cognac, whiskey and dessert versions, with wine and martini sets possible in the future. There were also new gift sets in its Duos handmade, double-wall group; in a three-piece cocktail set; a three-piece iced coffee/iced tea set; and a six-piece shooter set. The company also experimented with its first mixed-material gift sets with glassware and wrought-iron sets in martini, shooter and appetizer versions, each for $25.