Innovation is key at any trade show. To provide visitors and exhibitors with innovative experiences, opti offered 2024 the opti BOX AWARD for creative start-ups and the opti SUSTAINABILITY AWARD for outstanding sustainability concepts from opticians and hearing care professionals.
opti SUSTAINABILITY AWARD
The interest was great, when the first opti SUSTAINABILITY AWARD was presented at the opti SUSTAINABILIY HUB. The prize went to Augenblick Brillen Kontaktlinsen in Wirges, Rhineland-Palatinate. Managing Director Andreas Schmidt and his team wanted to keep the company's ecological footprint as small as possible. Equally important to them was to take social aspects into account - in their environment and in the Augenblick team itself. They achieved this by switching to LEDs and motion detectors and by changing from a direct water connection to a closed system, amongst other things.
1st place: Andreas Schmidt from Augenblick Brillen Kontaktlinsen GmbH
2nd place: Johanna Förster, Förster Optik GmbH
3rd place: Thomas Doeha, A. Dornseifer e.K.
opti BOX AWARD
Another highlight of the opti supporting programme was the presentation of the third opti BOX AWARD, which recognises young designers for innovation, design, functionality and sustainability. In 2024, the jury honoured the Danish label SKANS - EYEWEAR WITH IMPACT from Copenhagen. The founder, Johanna Skans, comes from Sweden. She is a second-generation optician and gained international practical experience in Australia. Sustainability is her lifeblood and also the basis of her business model: she studied Business Sustainability Management at Cambridge University. The proud winner beamed: „At Skans, every decision we make is via the sustainable lens. We always ask ourselves, can this be done even more sustainably? So, being at opti as an exhibitor is a fantastic experience. It has been of great value to show my frames to the German market, the Central European Market in general as a Nordic brand. I got new clients, my presence here spreads my sustainability message – which is good. I am overwhelmed still about winning the opti BOX AWARD, I am super honoured and flattered and still running on adrenaline. It means a lot to me, because it shows that people and the industry itself are believing in my sustainability concept. I hope it will inspire more people into joining the sustainability journey.“
