The nine shortlisted finalists for the inaugural Business of Craft Awards - part of Showcase 2024 - have been announced 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 craft and design products that are behind created across the country.
The shortlisted companies were selected from the 105 Local Enterprise clients who will be exhibiting to national and international buyers across the three days of the showcase.
Showcase 2024, at Dublin's RDS, will open its doors to thousands of buyers from across the world, including Ireland, the UK, US, mainland Europe, Asia and Africa, generating millions of euros of sales orders during the show.
Showcase is presented on behalf of Design & Crafts Council Ireland, with support from Enterprise Ireland in promoting the trade show internationally through their network of offices overseas, and the Local Enterprise Offices nationwide.
There are three categories in the new awards - 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 Sustainability Champion for the best craft and design business who is excelling in sustainability.
The shortlisted finalists for the Newcomer Category are Sully & Juno (supported by LEO Wexford), Pawpear (supported by LEO Waterford) and Kyna Maree (supported by LEO Meath).
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).
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).
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," Mr Rooney said.
