SOLON, Ohio — Michael Roger Inc. won the ECRM-MMR Buyers Choice Award for its Jalapeno Paper Co. Rocket Ship book during ECRM’s recent School & Office Program. ablue Co., Ltd. was a finalist for its Curble Chair.

The products were selected from dozens of entries submitted by participating suppliers. Buyers were able to evaluate each entry and cast their votes based on product packaging and innovation via the MMR-branded Buyers Choice Awards section of the ECRM Connect platform.

“Products created sustainably, and products designed to make work from home more comfortable are two huge trends we’ve seen buyers seeking out over the past year,” said Tony Giovanini, SVP of General Merchandise for ECRM. “Both winners have developed unique product innovations to address these trends. Congratulations to both winners.”

Michael Roger Inc. is a family business founded in 1949 and currently run by its third generation of owners. The company produces eco-friendly stationery products, including the Decomposition Book series and, more recently, the Jalapeno Paper Co. series.

The Jalapeno Paper Co. Rocket Ship book features an outer space scene aimed at young learners. The pages are 50% post-consumer-waste recycled paper, and it is printed with wide-ruled lines making it useful for elementary school students. Jalapeno Paper Co. is Michael Roger’s everyday brand, a value-focused line of stationery products that aim to infuse utility with creativity at an affordable price.

ablue Co, Ltd., based in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, researches and manufactures products developed to help consumers achieve proper posture. It’s top-selling Curble Chair was introduced to the Korean market in early 2019 and since has sold 8 million units, and exports to more than 30 overseas countries.

Curble chair was designed to correct and assist in creating the habit of proper posture by using the lever principle. The user sits on the bottom of the chair and at the same time the user’s weight naturally pushes the user’s back and forms a correct posture on the lumbar lordosis. Curble chair is made up of a polyurethane cushion coated with polyester textile by a 3D mold heating process and provides a comfortable seating experience. Various models are available to suit the user’s body type, size, and age.

Karissa Burdon is a marketing manager at ECRM.