Local luxury glassware company, Annieglass, was presented with a Green Award for Eco-sustainability at the 26th Annual ARTS Awards in Texas earlier this month in recognition of the environmentally-conscious practices that go into producing their range of functional and decorative glassware for the home.
The Watsonville-based firm, founded more than 32 years ago by artist and designer, Annie Morhauser, took home the award at a gala ceremony during the Dallas Total Home and Gift Market on January 16 before an international audience of top designers, manufacturers, retailers and sales representatives from around the world. Nominated and selected by peers in the home accents industry, the Green Award win touts the company’s novel compilation of thoughtful sustainability measures taken throughout the handcrafted, glass tableware making process.
To minimize travel-miles, Annieglass gets its architectural glass – the foundation of all its glassware, from sources within a 60 mile radius of its Watsonville factory. Creative kiln firing times – over night and early morning, promote energy efficiency during the trademark “slumping” of the glass. It is this “slumping” technique that Morhauser developed years ago which imparts texture and fluidity to her designs while ensuring durability for pieces that must also serve a practical purpose.
Once the glassware is made, all scrap glass is donated for reuse (not just recycled). Annieglass uses earth-friendly, biodegradable packing materials made of sorghum and potato starch to deliver the final luxury product to consumers.
Annieglass also supports the Clean Oceans Project, a Santa Cruz nonprofit that monitors, educates and employs direct action in dealing with plastic pollution in the marine environment. Remarkably, the organization has a machine which is able to convert plastic waste into fuel. Clean Oceans Project founder, Jim Captain “Homer” Holm, talks of how he sourced the Japanese-made contraption that can convert one kilogram of plastic waste into one liter of fuel in a TEDx talk at Gramercy. Annieglass donates 20 percent of all sales proceeds from its Suncatcher series to the organization.
Members of the public can learn more about Annieglass and how they produce their luxury tableware at studio tours each week in Watsonville. Annieglass Pours and Tours include a complimentary tour of the studio and wine tasting featuring regional Santa Cruz and Monterey wines (tasting fees apply or waived with purchase of a bottle).
Photo: Annieglass founder, Annie Morhauser in front of the kilns at their Watsonville studio.
