How Green is Your Trade Show Booth?

In 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated that the Trade Show Industry was the second largest producer of waste by volume after construction. In the US, this waste was estimated at 600,000 tons of waste a year (1). It’s easy to see why, single-use banner stands and exhibit materials, lots of glossy brochures, and promotional gifts often made of plastic all quickly add up and a lot of it ended up in landfill.

The Events Industry Council, a membership organization with around nineteen and a half thousand firms and properties involved in the events industry, promotes and disseminates information aimed at improving the sustainability of the events industry as a whole (2). In 2018 the council held a ‘Sustainable Event Standards Forum’ in Frankfurt, which brought together leaders in the sustainability community to discuss event sustainability standards.

With the development of equipment and materials that are more eco-friendly, the trade show industry is in position to begin reducing its ecological footprint and improve over time in helping to preserve the environment.

The Exhibit Company has a range of products which while representing the cutting edge of design, also represent ‘greener’ alternatives. These include stands, fixtures, signs, lighting and display materials which have less impact on the environment while remaining on the cutting edge of design.

What Makes a Trade Show Booth Green?

Good quality materials and products mean that equipment will last longer and in turn, will reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing. At The Exhibit Company, we’re proud of the quality of our products and you can be sure that with correct use, our products will serve you well whether you buy or hire.

Use electronic displays. As well as cutting down on paper waste, utilizing modern technology presents an up to date look and allows your customers to drill down into the information most relevant to them, rather than leafing through a brochure. Our range of Ipad stands (3) allows you to integrate an interactive element into your booth.

Choose recycled and recyclable materials. Most metals and wood-based materials are kinder to the environment than say, plastics. That said, more and more quality plastics such as shipping cases are either made from recycled materials or are easily recycled themselves. For example, The Exhibit Company’s range of shipping cases are mainly made from durable Thermoformed Polyethylene, perfect for the job and a very recyclable material.

Utilize LED lights which can save up to 95% of the energy of old-style trade-show lights. LEDs are also much more customizable allowing for different effects and colors.

Avoid solvent-based inks. These days, the indoor performance of water-based inks is comparable to more damaging solvent-based ones in any case.

Advantages to You of Going Green

At a trade show, your booth represents your business and your values. Making the right impression and sending the right message is critical. Greener, more sustainable materials send a certain message to your customers and make a statement about your values. Increasingly, more natural materials are on trend and the impression visitors to your booth will have is going to be better.

New greener products are getting better and better and as a result, exhibitors no longer have to sacrifice quality or appearance to go green. Eye-catching environmentally friendly displays can market products just as successfully as traditional exhibit set-ups did.

Better quality displays made of higher quality materials are a worthwhile investment. It will make your booth look better, give a better impression and higher quality equipment will be useable again and again.

Do single-use plastic promotional items really promote you? Consider perhaps fewer gifts of a higher quality, made of recycled or more green materials and gifted in a more targeted manner. It may leave a better impression on the booth visitors you really want to target.

LED lighting and electronic displays are re-usable again and again and give a more modern and up-to-date appearance than older style brochures and white pages. Our range of iPad stands can help you secure equipment stylishly and practically.

How The Exhibit Company Can Help

Here at The Exhibit Company, we stock a range of more sustainable options for you. Above all The Exhibit Company specializes in the design and creation of engaging modular booths and structures. We can build the booth you want, and to advise and include the elements of design and aesthetic which send the right message for your sales booth. From banner stands, portable signs, popups displays, fabrics and literature racks, The Exhibit Company can provide you with the right solution.

We use high-quality equipment manufacturers in our displays. For example, Nomadic Display equipment is one of the worldwide leaders in top-of-the-line custom modular portable displays.  The majority of these lines are recyclable and made of more sustainable materials, for example, their aluminum structures are made of 80% post-consumer recycled content, and their molded shipping cases are 100% recyclable. Nomadic also offer replacement parts and repair services, further extending the useful life span and so sustainability of exhibition equipment.

If you do not yet want to purchase outright, that’s fine. You can use our design service and rental library (4), coupled with our logistics offering, to create higher-quality, engaging booths. These booths help create those moments between customers and your team which drive business. We have the resources to get your trade show exhibit to where it needs to be or can co-ordinate with your shipper. We’ve got it covered, including labor, electrical, freight, and issues that arise on the show floor.

We can call you! Our dedicated and talented team of advisors is looking forward to learning more about your needs. Click and fill out our short web form to discuss your next project with one of The Exhibit Company’s expert advisors.