BROOKLYN, NY – Watermark Designs, the Brooklyn-based manufacturer of faucets and fixtures for commercial and residential projects for more than 35 years is proud to announce that their company has been awarded the highest honor from the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. The Chambers’ “Made in Brooklyn” award honors those companies whose products are designed and manufactured in the borough of Brooklyn. An independent advisory committee reviewed 47 applications for the certification and awarded the moniker at three different levels: gold, silver, and bronze. The criteria for those levels includes the percentage of the raw materials that are bought in Brooklyn or New York State as a whole, how much of the manufacturing is done in the borough and how many of the employees are Brooklyn residents. Watermark Designs received the highest level: gold, as most of their raw materials are sourced in Brooklyn and their closed-loop factory in Canarsie manufacturers each and every product.

“We have been touting the benefits and uniqueness of Brooklyn for 35 years,” said Avi Abel, president and 3rd generation owner of Watermark Designs. “Every product that comes out of our factory is sealed with tape that says ‘Made in Brooklyn’, because we always knew that our location and commitment to our Brooklyn roots as well our diverse community was a point of pride. Being awarded the gold certificate puts me in the company of other true Brooklyn-made companies and it’s a great feeling.”

Elan Vital

Carlo Scissura, the CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, which created and maintains the campaign, said the certifications help distinguish the businesses from other organizations that have capitalized on the borough’s popularity boom. “You might want to use the word Brooklyn, but if you’re not in Brooklyn, you’re not Brooklyn born and made,” he said at a news conference Tuesday with representatives from the 41 businesses that were certified.

Watermark Designs maintains a thriving factory in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn, where many of its employees have worked for decades. “We have always felt as though our designs are a mirror of who we are as a company,” said Avi Abel. “This past year we have seen Brooklyn-Made interest happening in Europe; so much so that we’ve opened a distributor there. And we’ve also won an award for our trade show booth at ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair), an international design trade show. Our booth was a living breathing representation of our Brooklyn roots and there again, we couldn’t have been more proud to be representing Brooklyn.”

About Watermark Designs

For more than three decades, Watermark Designs has been a leading manufacturer of decorative plumbing fixtures, bathroom accessories, lighting and elegant hardware for the luxury commercial and residential markets. Based in the independent design hub of Brooklyn and made in the USA, Watermark’s designs are a reflection of the creative melting-pot from which they hail. As a true-manufacturer, their distinctive product quality is achieved using a combination of hands-on design and development combined with state-of-the-industry equipment. Combining sustainable product design with an eye towards architectural detail, Watermark has worked with some of the world’s finest architects and designers, including the renowned Clodagh Design Studio. The ability to customize and create original product collections to meet client’s exact specifications has made the Watermark ID program one of the industry’s most successful. Watermark Designs’ elite collections have been incorporated into some of the world’s most exclusive residences, hotels and high-rises including the Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai; Trump Park Avenue, New York, NY; and The Eden Roc Hotel, Miami Beach, FL. The Brooklyn collection has even made its way to the South Street Seaport Museum, where it resides as a timeless piece of art. With their strong commitment to the environment, Watermark Designs aggressively invests in and develops new products with water-saving features while implementing environmentally-safe manufacturing practices. In 2012, the Luxury Shower System (LSS) was awarded a GREEN GOOD DESIGN™ Award by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design. Visit Watermark Designs at www.watermark-designs.com. For additional information, contact DRS and Associates at 818.981.8210 or www.drsandassociates.com.