Staples names winner in search for next green office product

Released 21/04/2010

The BIND takes top honor in EcoEasy Challenge

Staples has announced the winner of the inaugural Staples Global EcoEasy Challenge, a search among universities around the world to find the next environmentally preferable office product. The team from University of New South Wales in Australia was awarded the $25,000 grand prize for their concept: The BIND.

Staples, in conjunction with the Rochester Institute of Technology's Golisano Institute for Sustainability, created the programme to challenge students from leading technology institutions worldwide to develop either a new design of an existing product that represents greater environmental responsibility or sustainability; one that uses an eco-innovative material; or a completely new product that promotes sustainability.

The programme received over 60 submissions, and seven teams from five countries travelled to New York City to compete for the grand prize. The winner was announced yesterday during an event at the New York Academy of Sciences.

"The Staples Global EcoEasy Challenge represents innovation at its best," said David D'Angelo, senior VP of Staples Brands Group.

"By listening to the bright minds of some of the world's top engineering students, we saw exciting and unique ideas that support our commitment to sustainability and to delivering quality products that make office life easier."

Team Aunswera (A University of New South Wales Environment Realization Alliance) members David Chau, Christopher Chare, Farhan Qureshi and Kai Cen won the grand prize for their concept The BIND, which stands for Binder Interlock Neat Device and represents a tie-and-ring-system for organising documents. The BIND's locking mechanism provides users with a reusable alternative to products like binders, paper clips and cable ties.

"The judging panel was extremely impressed with all of the finalist team presentations and the innovative thinking behind each concept," said Dr. Nabil Nasr, assistant provost, director of Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies and Golisano Institute for Sustainability, RIT.

"Our grand prize winner The BIND has the market potential to solve many day-to-day home and office needs, and more importantly, its durability and use of sustainable materials reduces the product's long-term impact on the environment."

In addition, two runners-up each received $5,000 prizes for their teams: University of California at Berkeley for the Eco-Stapler, a mini-stapler made from environmentally preferable materials and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras for the Step Shredder, which uses a manual mechanism to power shredder blades, eliminating the need for electricity.

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