Epic Vancouver is a very large show to take in (this is my second Epic), however I tried to visit as many areas and vendors as I could on my visit this past Sunday afternoon. Everything from coffee to jewellery, toys to organic food is on offer for the public to sample and/or purchase.
There’s also a Main Stage area with ongoing talks during the three day expo.
Along the way, I discovered a few companies that drew my attention.
U.S.E.D. makes fashionable and durable bags from recycled seat belts. Each year in North America, 12 million vehicles are taken to a facility where they’re dismantled and their metal shredded. Seat belts fall within the 25% of the remainders, along with rubber and glass components.
Owner Trevor Kehler showed me a few of the bags from the line that he creates back home in Winkler, Manitoba. Both he and co-owner Betty Funk established U.S.E.D. in 2002. Some of their bags are even designed to fit an iPad.
An avid coffee drinker, I had to check out some of the sustainable coffee companies at the show. Doi Chaang Coffee partners between a Thailand village (of the same name) with a small group of Canadian coffee enthusiasts. The result is a 50% Thai registered ownership back into the Canadian company along with sustainably farmed and produced coffee. It’s shade grown, 100% single origin, certified fair trade coffee that’s roasted here in town. Proceeds go back to the Doi Chaang community for future development of schools and hospitals, and road maintenance.
Estelle Matheson is the woman behind Marie Antoinette Wedding Cakes. She’s based south of Vancouver, but regularly works with clients all over Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Her cakes use organic and sustainably produced ingredients whenever possible.
The Green General Store is located at 4770 Main Street (at East 32nd Avenue) and sells a variety of locally-produced organic clothing and accessories. Christina Mearns & Cara Adams have become well known for their ethical product lines and have been in business for nearly a year. They own the city’s first and only green general store. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 12-6 pm. I was attracted to their Banana Paper Co. line of journals.
They also sell those groovy U.S.E.D. seat belt bags that I described earlier in this post.
Shoppers are strongly encouraged to bring their own shopping bags. Bring your own laundry liquid containers and you’ll be able to purchase eco-friendly suds to bring home.
