Cosmic Bobbins recognized for Green Plus Sustainable Enterprise Sole-Proprietor of the Year 2012

 May 2, 2012

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cosmic Bobbins was recognized as a leader in sustainable business practices by the Institute for Sustainable Development at its 2012 Green Plus Sustainable Enterprise Awards at the Research Triangle Park Foundation. The awards recognize small- and medium-sized U.S. employers that are sustainability innovators, demonstrating exceptional business, environmental, employee and community practices.

“It is an honor to be recognized by your peers and to be selected among such a fine group of visionaries and leaders of the sustainability movement,” says Sharie Renee, founder of Cosmic Bobbins, a business that combines fashion and social good.

Cosmic Bobbins engages Mexican artisans through fair trade practices, giving them opportunities to help craft fashion accessories like handbags using upcycled paper. The human interest of Cosmic Bobbins is what differentiates Renee’s sustainability efforts. “We focus on giving people an experience that will help better their lives in some way,” Renee says.

The Green Plus Awards spanned industries including food, consumer products, education and agriculture. “The Green Plus Award winners set an example for companies throughout the nation,” says Chris Carmody, executive director of the Institute for Sustainable Development. “A sustainable business is competitive business, and every business can become much more sustainable.”

Winners participated in roundtables discussing the future of sustainable businesses. Those discussions featured representatives from the Global Impact Investing Rating System (GIIRS), the Hitachi Foundation, the SJF Institute and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Business Civic Leadership Center. “It was incredible to be recognized and engaged in roundtable discussion with people who are really my heroes,” Renee says.

Renee’s sustainability efforts have ramped up further with a licensing agreement with hair mogul Paul Mitchell. Already, Cosmic Bobbins was recycling paper products from several of its distributorships to create handbags. Now, Cosmic Bobbins will product Paul Mitchel branded handbags and stylist scissor cases using their recycled catalogues and marketing collateral.

“We are helping Paul Mitchell reach a zero waste goal with their publications and materials by starting this green initiative within the infrastructure of their company,” Renee says.

Cosmic Bobbins is a lifestyles brand founded by Sharie Renee, Brecksville graduate and a third-generation entrepreneur. Cosmic Bobbins is a business that combines fashion and social good. Through a ground-floor recycling/upcycling initiative, the company fabricates one-of-a-kind accessories from materials bound for the landfill (magazines and more). Cosmic Bobbins’ business model creates meaningful, fair-trade employment in underserved populations and is committed to sustainability. Visit Cosmic Bobbins’ online store and get more information at www.cosmicbobbins.com