Dispose of exhibition banners or upcycle them? What happens to the material after the trade fair

Anyone planning a trade fair invests in the stand. Banners, flags, backdrops and roll-ups are produced to a high standard, usually from PVC or Mesh, because they have to survive several days of setting up and taking down, the heat of the spotlights and transport.

After the last day of the fair, everything has to happen quickly. Take down, pack up, clear out. At that moment material built for several years of outdoor use ends up in the skip.

Why processing the material pays off

The disposal cost disappears. Instead of an invoice from the waste contractor you have a number of products that you would otherwise have bought in as give-aways.

On top of that, the colours, typeface and logo are already on the material. No new printing is needed for a product to be recognisably part of your brand. And because every cut shows a different section of the design, no two pieces look alike.

Two examples

For osapiens we made tote bags from the banner material of last year's Summit; this year they went to guests at reception, filled with goodies. We are currently processing the material from the Trailblazer Summit as well, so upcycling is becoming part of the event routine from one year to the next.

For BMW we processed material from the IAA. What was left over after the fair became products with a direct link to the event and the brand.

What can be made from trade fair material

The material decides which products are possible. Heavy PVC, thinner roll-up material and Mesh lead to different results.

What quantity is realistic depends on the area. 100 square metres of banner fabric make around 200 tote bags or several thousand keyrings.