Exhibitions: time to reduce harmful plastic signages. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/Heorshe
Attendees are increasingly demanding more sustainable events as the
awareness of plastic waste’s impact on the environment grows.
The UK events industry is known to generate a significant amount of
waste each year. According to a 2018 report by Powerful Thinking, the UK
festival industry produced around 23,500 tons of waste annually. The
report also found that only about a third (32%) of this waste was
recycled, while the rest was sent to landfill or incinerated.
Although there are many eco-friendly alternatives to plastic
materials and companies are looking to reduce their carbon footprint and
grow towards being more environmentally friendly, many are hesitant to
commit to these means.
Among those that have ventured into sustainable alternatives is
Hollywood Monster’s CEO of sustainable signage solutions, Simon
McKenzie. His company organised fully recyclable signages at the 2022
Commonwealth Games.
In March, Vue Cinema in Westfield, London used graphics to advertise
and promote the Super Mario Bros film, a commonplace practice in
cinemas. These fabric graphics were printed on UFabrik Soft Display
Textile, a high performing material that is made from recycled PET
plastic waste. Three walls and a section of the ceiling in the corridor
leading to screening rooms were dressed in the impactful Super
Mario-themed graphics.
Aaron Scott, regional bespoke asset manager at Universal Pictures,
said: “This was no small feat. It took a team of four from Hollywood
Monster two consecutive nights to fit, working through the night while
we were closed for minimal disruption. The result is impactful and
offers the film goers an immersive Super Mario experience, something the
enthusiastic audiences have been visibly excited about.
“Vue are conscious of the impact on the environment and have made big
advances in our energy-saving technologies. We want to reflect this
level of responsibility in all our practices, and so we wanted whatever
material we chose for this project to be sustainable, as well as high
performing.
“It’s an ideal time for the industry to introduce new signage methods
and materials, because it's already happening, all around us, in our
everyday lives.”
Source: M&IT