Quality importers bring NFT artwork to cigar accessories
Quality Importers Trading Co. is entering the world of non-fungible tokens (NFT), but the company does not create them. Rather, it’s bringing NFT artwork out of the digital world and into the physical world with some new designs for several of its cigar accessories, which it’s launching under the headline Global NFT Gallery Collection.
“The NFT community is something I care deeply about,” said Michael Giordano, CEO and founder of Quality Importers, via a press release. “I am able to connect with artists digitally that I would never have discovered otherwise and offer them the unique opportunities here at QI to bring their art to the masses. Art is one of my passions, the walls of our office are covered in artwork I’ve acquired over the years, and through Swag Bunker we can bring them to life beyond the screen and canvas.”
The collection debuts with two lines, “Calavera” and “Havana Beauties,” which the company released on Friday and will begin shipping to retailers next week.
The Calavera line is released ahead of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday where the living remember and pay tribute to those who have passed away. It features a classic sugar skull design that features hidden quality importers designs, artwork that was created by Jahnvi Arora, an India-based artist who designed the artwork specifically for quality importers.
Three pieces will use Arora’s design:
- XIKAR Xi2 Cutter – $72.99
- Humidor Supreme 20-Count Cigar Humidor – $63.99
- Four Finger Ashtray – $60.99
The Havana Beauties line is designed by Maryam Sadeghi, an architect and self-taught artist based in Iran. It has five designs, which are portraits in the Cuban style. “In this turbulent world, perhaps we can polish our souls a little through art,” Sadeghi said via a press release.
The artwork in the Havana Beauties series uses the same four elements:
- Humidor Supreme 20 Ct Cigar Humidor — $63.99
- Palio Ballista Triple Torch Lighter – $38.99
- Four Finger Ashtray – $60.99
- 62 RG Closed Back Cutter — $4.99
The five pieces in the Havana Beauties series are called Delight, Fiction, Fascination, Insight and Daydream.
“The power of this collection is not only that it allows QI to be at the forefront of technology and art, but that it gives our retailers and consumers
the power to directly impact the lives of these artists,” Michael Giannini, head of customer engagement for Quality Importers, said in a press release. “You can make a difference with every purchase.”
A portion of the proceeds from each sale of the collection will go to the artist to further support their work.
Photos courtesy of Quality Importers Trading Co.
Patrick Lagreid
I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the artisans’ work and the way a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I am the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Soccer League. I also work in a variety of roles for MLB.com, plus I’m a voice over artist. I previously covered Phoenix and the national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar snob magazine.
