Two Galway companies are among nine shortlisted finalists for the inaugural Business of Craft Awards as part of Showcase 2024 which were announced last night (Wednesday ) ahead of the event from January 21-23.
The Local Enterprise Office (LEO ) awards are open to all the LEO clients who are exhibiting at the event as part of the Local Enterprise Showcase. This is the first year of the awards that celebrate the business behind the amazing craft and design products that are behind created across the country.
The awards have three categories; Best Newcomer for the best craft and design business who is exhibiting for the first time, One to Watch for the best craft and design business who has excellent export and international potential and finally Sustainability Champion for the best craft and design business who is excelling in sustainability.
In the One to Watch category the finalists are Bex Shelford Prints supported by LEO Dun-Laoghaire Rathdown, Hanna’s Bees supported by LEO South Cork and Sketchico supported by LEO Galway.
And in the Sustainability Champion category the finalists are Irish Socksciety supported by LEO Galway, Palm Free Irish Soap supported by LEO Clare and Conscious Convert supported by LEO Dun-Laoghaire Rathdown.
The awards will take place Monday, 22nd January at Showcase in the RDS as part of the overall event. The shortlisted companies were selected from the 105 Local Enterprise clients who will be exhibiting to national and international buyers across the three days.
Tom Rooney, Head of Craft & Design, Local Enterprise Offices, said; “The addition of the Business of Craft Awards to this year’s Local Enterprise Showcase at Showcase 2024 is a significant boost for the companies. It helps to highlight some of the best-in-class businesses from the design and craft sector across the country and we are doing that in front of key buyers both nationally and internationally. So, it gives businesses that extra competitive advantage as we look forward to the event.
On the whole Showcase 2024 is going to be a huge event for our 105 Local Enterprise Office supported companies taking part. They get the chance to meet with buyers from all over the world and it’s three days that could change their business forever. We’ve been working closely with them all to ensure they can maximise their participation so there is a lot of excitement ahead of the event this year.”
