Make sustainability a key part of your next trade show

Trade shows aren’t particularly known for being environmentally friendly. They tend to be full of single use marketing materials and boxes of printed leaflets or brochures, not to mention the freebies that barely get out of the venue before being put in a bin. 

As sustainability becomes a bigger priority companies are now looking for ways to make their events greener. 

The good news is that as an exhibitor you can make a real difference without needing to compromise on your professionalism or brand style. In fact, a well thought out eco friendly stand display help you stand out, simply for how you’ve chosen to market your business. 

Being eco friendly doesn’t mean you have to turn up without any printed materials or signage, just think about being smarter with your choices.

Rethink your exhibition stand materials and build

Exhibition graphics, banners and signage are easily the biggest contributors to waste at trade shows. Many companies opt for quick to build displays that look great on the day but are difficult to reuse, or even created to simply be thrown away after a single use. If you are serious about sustainability you need to think long term. 

Modular stand hardware and reusable graphics can be used across multiple events, and it’s usually straightforward to create updated graphics when you need. This cuts down on waste and is far more cost effective long term. Your modular stand kit could be used in various configurations to tailor your display to each event.

You also need to think about the materials used. You’ll be able to find a wide selection of stand hardware made from recycled aluminium or FSC certified timber. Fabric graphics are also a great choice as they’re lightweight and more compact. 

An eco friendly trade show stand doesn’t need to look “green” and negatively impact on the overall look. With the right choices you can create a stylish stand that’s quietly doing its bit for the planet. 

Consider sustainable print and signage

You can’t avoid the fact print plays a huge role at any trade show. Banners, posters, flyers and signage help guide visitors, display marketing messages and adds personality to any stand. So if you’re aiming for a sustainable approach it’s important to consider the materials used.

For example, you can easily swap out vinyl banners for an eco friendly alternative like PVC-free polyester or fabrics. Both these materials will look great and they can be easily stored away and reused. 

For posters, flyers and brochures you can research printers using FSC-certified paper stock and water based inks, both of which have a far lower impact on the environment. 

It could also help to find a local print supplier to reduce emissions and unnecessary packaging.

Ec0 friendly promotional giveaways

People love freebies and businesses love the brand exposure they bring. But traditional promotional products can be notoriously wasteful. However, you can still bring giveaways by consider eco friendly branded merchandise. 

The first consideration of eco friendly giveaways is usefulness. You want to give somebody something they are actually going to use and not simply throw away. Classic choices are branded water bottles, recycled notebooks and cotton bags. They will not be used many times over but also provide repeated brand exposure.

Make sure your giveaways align with your brand and strengthen your messages. A poor choice of product, even if its eco friendly, will still be a wasted opportunity.

Leave no trace – Clean up, reuse and recycle

Once the event has ended and the crowds have gone it can be tempting to pack up as quickly as possible and leave the tidying up to someone else. However, if you’re aiming to be more sustainable the way you pack up is almost as important as how you turn up. Leaving behind you unused materials or equipment not only reflects poorly on your brand, it also contributes to wider eco footprint of the event. 

Take away everything you brought with you and ensure any waste is correctly disposed of. If you’ve used banners or signage that can be reused make sure you pack them away carefully ready for safe storage. Any left over flyers or brochures can either be recycled (if made from the right paper stocks) or repurposed, perhaps to be displayed in your business or used in mail outs. 

Larger events will often have dedicated recycling stations where you can drop unwanted materials, but it’s still your responsibility they are used correctly. Double check what materials the venue will take – unfortunately not all recycling facilities are the same.

Creating a reusable stand and eco friendly marketing materials for upcoming events should be seen as adding to strength of your brand.

PromoTrade offers a wide range of sustainable promotional products to assist you to create an event marketing strategy that’s sustainable and effective.