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Surf Expo's Resort & Souvenir "Best In Show" Awards

Resort & souvenir brands honored with "Best New Design" and "Best New Product" awards at Surf Expo.

Posted 2/23/2012

By Jenna Hamel

From the better beer cooler to softer, more absorbent beach towel, retailers are on the constant lookout for new products that will set them apart from other beach and resort shops―the ones that “put special back into specialty retail” if you will. And Surf Expo’s Best New Product and Best New Design Awards―exclusive to the Resort and Gift & Souvenir categories―offer retailers just that.

The awards allow retailers to easily locate entrants via the show directory and in-booth signage.

At the last show, Surf Expo honored two exhibitors for their products debuting on the show floor: Sand Gone earned Best New Product award while Art Studio Company secured the Best New Design award.

"I am having so much fun," says Sand Gone Owner Tiffany Smith. "When I first started my business, one of my goals was to do the Surf Expo and now I am here and I won best new product and it's so exciting. On top of selling, everyone here is so friendly. To me, I am just so glad to get Sand Gone out there and build awareness for my product and sand removers in general."

Smith says the genesis of her company came with having two children who loved the beach: "After years of cleaning sandy children, I discovered a little trick to remove sand without using water. After a few more years of improving the ingredients, I perfected an all natural, non-toxic powder. When the powder is brushed on sand covered skin, the sand just falls off. Your skin feels silky and clean without feeling wet or scratchy."

Art Studio Company, out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, travels the world bringing you socially conscious hand crafted goods. "Our focus is on the highest of quality, earth friendly materials and workmanship," says Designer Marissa Mack. "All of our Tikka! line products are made in small villages and benefit the local people of these communities. Our U.S. design team focuses on the highest quality earth friendly materials and workmanship.

"We were thrilled to get the best new product award for our new adjustable bag," continues Mack. "This design is a labor of love for us. People loved our scarf and love our bag so we combined them into our new bag. We are so excited to have won this award for best new design and people have been coming in all day wondering what won best new design."

Each design was judged on artistic design, cut and style. Each product submission was judged on innovation and clever application.