Why it’s important to consider a sustainable exhibition stand?
With pollution, plastic waste and all sorts of unwelcome materials around, why should the exhibition industry be any different when it comes to keeping the venue, your surroundings and the planet free from single use plastic, waste materials and other mess when the event is over?
Once the exhibition industry had a reputation for being very messy and wasteful. Arguably some elements still are to a degree and need to improve, but we have come a long long way since the heady ‘build and burn’ days of 20-30 years ago.
For instance, now suppliers like flooring contractors/producers are providing recyclable carpets, with organisers helping with their removal so they can bulk bale, transport it all to the correct approved facility and save the individual exhibitor/contractor the trouble of an expensive disposal, as it is now a shared cost for the whole hall/venue – it’s common sense and it works.
Everyone needs to do their bit when procuring, designing, building and removing a stand. It may sound obvious but when your focus is on only one aspect i.e. buying something, how much time do you spend actually thinking about:
- Materials
- Re-use
- Landfill
- End of life
Are you considering exhibiting at an upcoming event? Have you ever wondered where the product comes from/ends up, what it’s made from or whether or not you might re-use or repurpose it?
At Boxy, we have a commitment to:
- Educate our prospect and clients about how they can be sustainable, without compromising impact or quality
- Use no single use plastics or PVC foam panel in any of our work
- Work with suppliers who have a high regard for sustainability and are actively responsible with any post-event disposal (no ‘greenwash’ here!)
- Use card based substrates where suitable
- Invest in a proprietary modular system that can be re-used, re-configured, re-purposed and can be easily recycled back to its raw elemental state to make a new product (aluminium is one of the easiest recycled elements we have)
The positives from this can also mean a huge saving because of the hired or re-use nature of the modular approach. This is due to the lightweight, faster installation and compact pack down for logistics, meaning less transport space/weight over traditional projects.
When we design from a concept, some of the groundwork is already determined because of the product itself but the skill is in the way we use it or put it together and apply features to it to make it uniquely yours.
Sustainability doesn’t mean compromise or boring shapes either, there are all sorts of options available to help present your brand in an impactful and magnetic way.
One example of a sustainable exhibition stand build is the one pictured, the graphic messages changed over time but the walls, doors, framework and fixing elements were all reused and have been out many times to different shows. The LED video wall element is a hired feature and that can be easily integrated, as too can shelving, wall features, signage, lighting and more. The stand can grow and shrink, change shape, depending on the space that it occupies too.
We can also help with other versatile and flexible modular systems for those wanting to ‘own’ something sustainable. These are fairy simple structures that can pack down and go in a car for frequent use.
Whatever your thoughts about this topic, it’s worth just pondering the 4 points above when working with your designer or contractor.