A world first zero waste, reusable
exhibition stand made from event waste carpet will make its global debut at The Meetings Show this month.
Thanks to a
collaboration between creator Paradigm and partners isla, The Bulb, Informa and
The Meetings Show, a prototype of the innovative reusable zero waste stand will
be revealed to the world’s meetings and events community when the show takes
place 19-20 June at ExCeL London.
The walls and
floor of the circular and sustainable stand are built out of Reform, a
‘game-changing’ recycled plastic tile made from old exhibition carpet, with the
flooring made using post-consumer ocean plastic fabricated using renewable
electricity in the UK. The substructure of the stand is built out of repurposed
metal from disused shell scheme, meaning the structure of the stand is made
from 100 per cent post-consumer materials.
Further
consideration has been taken to ensure no toxic impacts from paints and glues,
and there is no miscellaneous waste from screws and nails, as Reform tiles
click together by hand and can be rolled up like carpet at the end of a
show, ready to be reused. Additionally, thanks to their durability, no protective single-use plastic pallet wrap is required to protect
the stand during transit.
Circular economy
As part of the
end of life-management, the tiles are reformed in-house by Paradigm’s
granulator, ensuring a closed-loop recycling system.
Lee Cooper of
Paradigm designed the curved stand to represent the circular economy. He said: “Traditionally there’s been a
stigma that sustainable stands are compromised by their design and quality,
particularly for smaller stands and shell-scheme. Until recently, the options
have been largely limited to recycled cardboard and using unfinished ply and
pallets for furniture, which is a very specific aesthetic. However, with
Paradigm’s approach, this is no longer the case. We’re using end-of-life event
materials to offer an alternative solution with circularity at the core – and
it looks amazing.”
The new stand is also designed so all
exhibitors have lockable storage, while effective cable-management is designed
to provide flexibility and accessible power arrangements for exhibitors. The
structure can be rigged and de-rigged in just two hours.
Similarly, because the stands are lightweight and pack down to a small size,
transport, installation and storage costs are cheaper.
Anna Abdelnoor, isla’s founder
and CEO, said: “This is an exciting innovation for the events industry,
showcasing the power of experimentation and creativity when developing
approaches to reducing waste, carbon and impact on the planet. We love that the
stand was designed with a circularity first mindset and centres around
diverting materials from waste and finding new ways to keep them alive and
within events. We’re proud to be able to support innovation and creativity
within the event sector and we hope this stand inspires others to keep creating
and experimenting, to ensure industry dialogue remains forward-looking and to
help bring solutions into our fantastic industry”.
The Bulb’s CEO and founder
Selina Donald agrees. She said: “Developing and using sustainable alternatives
should become the norm for anyone involved in the exhibition and events world.
Exhibitions need to evolve, and Paradigm’s innovative solution is proof that
sustainability and creativity can go hand in hand and, most importantly, can be
People and Planet focused.”
Potential
As one of a dozen
organisers developing and piloting the Better Stands framework, an initiative
that celebrates exhibitors who choose reusable, sustainable stands, Ben
Wielgus, Informa’s head of sustainability, highlights the potential for new
solutions in the industry.
He said: “This
fully circular booth, in both form and manufacturing, is a really exciting
addition to the choices that exhibitors have. It’s a great example of
innovation in the reusable stands space and testament to the idea that there’s
tonnes of commercial opportunity for stand builders when it comes to reusable
solutions whilst giving a great platform for exhibitors to promote their brand
on a turnkey solution.”
Jack Marczewski,
portfolio event director, Northstar Meetings Group, said: “We’re delighted to
be working with the partners to provide a platform as well as complimentary
stand space to showcase Paradigm’s innovative stand. As part of our ongoing
commitment to reach Net Zero by 2050 we’re keen to facilitate and champion
positive change among our supply chain and exhibitors, while we also continue
benchmarking and measuring to implement short and long-term targets to improve
our sustainability performance.”
There are
various ways to register to attend The Meetings Show 2024, which will be
co-located with Business Travel Show Europe and TravelTech Show. To find out
more about the buyer, hosted buyer and visitor registrations options, visit: https://www.themeetingsshow.com/register
