Housewares show update: Seeing green

CHICAGO It was hard to get away from the green theme in Chicago this St. Patrick's Day, what with the celebration outside and the sustainabilities initiatives inside the McCormick Center as the International Home and Housewares Show continued.

Bissel for example, spotlighted a retooled edition of its Little Green cleaner, which not only features non-PVC plastic but more environmentally friendly packaging as well.

For its part Closet Complete featured a new line of storage that replaced PVC with a new plastic that doesn't use chloride in processing and, so, doesn't disperse ozone depleting gas in manufacture.

New Thermos insulated bottles and jars also feature sustainable materials, while Homz featured hybrid 100% post-industrial plastics in its line with Kainos Products.

Anchor Hocking, in repositioning its brand, offered a logo that included the word and symbol anchor, the former in a new typeface and the latter in green to address tradition while appealing to concerns, including those environmental, of younger consumers.

Pandigital Photo Frames, to touch on another trend, is taking its mission of delivering electronics for women to a combination Kitchen Television/Digital Cookbook/Digital Photo Frame that can be mounted on a stand, on a wall and under cabinets with a $399 manufacturers suggested retail price and June 22 introduction on QVC.

Of course, color and design remain important, so Eureka/Electrolux revisited the Ergorapido stick broom/hand vac combination in lightweight materials and new hues. The Designer Series at Dirt Devil expanded with Kruz, a hardwood floor cleaner that provides a unique look at $99.99 MSRP, the Brun hand vac at $79.99 and Kwick, a $29.99 dust vac suitable for home offices and including tools that permit computer keyboard cleaning.

As for personal care, Con Air made for liner locks with the Infinity by Con Air Hair Straightener at $114.99 and the Infinity Design Pro at a $9.99 MSRP.