SUSTAINABLE LOOK AND OVERLAY Market Review Issue review and industry scan Report Author: Meegan Jones Research: Paul Dews & Matilda Ross Contributors: Workshop participants May 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW 3 PLASTICS 42 INNOVATION WORKSHOP #3 4 Polyvinyl chloride – PVC 42 KEY OPPORTUNITIES 7 Polyester/Polyethylene terephthalate – PET 42 KEY SUSTAINABILITY PAIN POINTS 8 Polypropylene – PP 43 SUMMARY OF KEY ACTIONS 11 Team 1a – INDUSTRY & LEADERSHIP 12 PRODUCTS 44 Team 1b – INDUSTRY COLLABORATION 13 Hardboard print 44 Team 2 – MATERIALS RECOVERY AND CIRCULARITY 14 Pull-up Banners 45 Team 3 – REDUCTION AND EFFICIENCY 15 Indoor Posters 45 Team 4 – THE DESIGN IMPERATIVE 16 Hardwearing Signage 45 Team 5 – SOLVING SILO-ISM 17 Flags 45 Team 6 – IGNITING INNOVATION 18 General Decals 46 Team 7 – MOVING GOALPOSTS 19 General Banners 46 Team 8 – THE SCIENCE OF ACTION 20 Fence and barrier scrim 47 Exhibition Stands 48 THE VALUE CHAIN 21 Flooring 48 Look, overlay and signage 23 Cable Ties 48 Production Phases 25 Digital Signage 49 Manufacturers 26 Event Owners/Rights Holders 28 ACTION PLAN 51 Event Organisers 30 Designers 32 SUPPLIERS 67 Sponsors & Partners 34 Venues 36 CASE STUDY / Sample Event 71 Delivery Companies 38 Materials Recovery & Circularity 40 OVERVIEW The events and sports sector globally uses an Whether it be predominantly and recycled. Landfill or immeasurable volume of single-use, mostly plastic, outdoor events such as music incineration is the end-of-life. materials to dress their live event sites, and there is festivals and sports events, or indoor events such as exhibitions We must together find solutions very little in the way of stewardship of those materials and conferences, there is a to dress and message our sites on their journey from manufacturing to ‘disposal’. requirement to build immersive and venues, in a way that but temporary settings that are reduces volume of single-use, physically dressed to bring an ensures full stewardship of event site to life and to carry the materials to circular systems, event and sponsor’s messages. and ignites innovation in sustainable materials, The inherent creativity in the production methods, global events industry constantly alternatives to business as usual. demands everything from new designs for assets at existing This report shows the current events, to innovative physical state of affairs in the value chain solutions for ‘hero-piece’ ideas of the event look, overlay and for new events. signage industries, highlighting the principal materials used and This could be covering all of the for what purpose, and the fence lines and exterior walls of sustainable solutions that are the venue, elaborative sets inside already available on the market. the venue, the way-finding, and It also details the challenges that scenic installations. the industry faces, along with the opportunities it has to find Much of the material used for circularity. The outcomes of the the branding, dressing, overlay Innovation Workshop held with and signage is not made from 80 industry leaders is included in recycled content, not recyclable, throughout this report. or simply not handled correctly Sustainable Look and Overlay at Events – Issues Review and Industry Scan The Ocean Race, May 2020 INNOVATION WORKSHOP #3 On 26th May, The Ocean Race hosted an Innovation Workshop with 80 event leaders from the sports and events industries who are committed to a sustainable future. While our events are on a time representatives attended the In- out, we are taking this moment novation Workshop. to focus on the most obvious of single-use plastics in our industry – the way we dress and brand our Joining these industry represen- event sites. tatives were critical members of the value chain: materials This gathering and workshop manu-facturers, designers, gave us the opportunity to ignite production companies, design industry-wide materials steward- agencies, recyclers, and ship, and to look at how to spark innovators innovation. Together we are working to Together we can make a huge map a pathway for global in- positive impact, and together we dustry and collaboration and will find solutions to reduce re- solutions. source use, ensure stewardship of materials to circular systems, and inspire innovation in our supply chain. This workshop was an extension of the workshop group convened by the IOC to bring industry stakeholders together to work on this critical topic. A who’s who of sports and events The Ocean Race, May 2020 INNOVATION WORKSHOP #3 WORKSHOP ATTENDEES International Olympic Committee The Rubbish Project UEFA The Textile Review Formula E PROmotor Special Events FIFA AD’HOC MEDIA CSM Live T T Design Freeman Drees and Sommer George P Johnson GAC IMG Sail Newport World Economic Forum Faber Audiovisual Herry Conseil Worldperfect London Marathon Events 11th Hour Racing Festival Republic 11th Hour Racing Team World Sailing TIG Sport World Surf League ITAJAI STOPOVER Global Destination Sustainability Index Stena Recycling International Sponsor Council World Sailing Sustainable Green Printing Partnership CSM Live Sustainable Event Alliance Eco Booth A Greener Festival Dow British Association for Sustainable Sport Les Connexions Positive Impact Events The Look Company Sport Positive Summit Network Visuals Green Events International The Sustainable Signage Co Green Sports Alliance BlockTexx Revolution Foundation Focus Banners Greener Events Foundation Edge Environment Global Inheritance Legacy Events Sports and Sustainability International Suber Consulting EPEA The Rubbish Project The Textile Review Sustainable Look and Overlay at Events – Issues Review and Industry Scan The Ocean Race, May 2020 THE WORKSHOP The workshop was held on 26th May 2020, and ran via Zoom Webinar. Attendees broke into nine separate teams for a deeper dive into the topic assigned that team. The workshop commenced pages of this report also. with a review of the preliminary working document and key In the months leading up to the identified pain points and workshop, we undertook a mar- opportunities. The motivation ket review, issues scan and stake- behind pulling together the IOC holder interviews to reveal the working group was explained. common issues or ‘pain points’ Watch the introduction, Team 1b Industry Leadership, the GEM Tower live cross and summary along with the overarching op- of all the teams. Watch the workshop. The teams used MURAL. Firstly portunities identified - reduction, they chose their top three from circularity and innovation. the twelve identified pain points. Prior to the workshop, we also Then they worked through a invited participants to join our large volume of issues, narrowing Slack group, where they could re- to solutions, action and final view the various identified issues stairway to sustainability. See and meet team members. each team’s final stairway in the appendix. During the break there was a live cross to GEM Tower (1 hr 27 mins in on the video!) The teams regrouped and Prior to the workshop, a panel discussion was held on materials stewardship through the value chain. Joining Meegan Jones - The Ocean Race, were Graham Ross - Blocktexx (textile presented their top takeaways. recycling), Andrew Mc Arthur - Clean Vibes (event waste contractor), Marcus Bawden - Focus These can be viewed in upcoming Banners (created a polyester stewardship programme) and Blake Lindley - Australasian Circular Textile Association and exhibition industry sector representative. Watch the panel discussion. The Ocean Race, May 2020 KEY OPPORTUNITIES Prior to the workshop Reduction we conducted a market • Reduce the impact of manufacturing (energy, material inputs, transport, chemical use, waste, water, review, industry scan and emissions). • Become more efficient in production processes. interviews with members • Reduce the volume of materials used, and design this in from the outset. of the value chain to • Dampen expectation for an excessively branded site understand the key pain • Reduce wastages through poor planning or last-minute changes. points in preventing • ncrease knowledge throughout the value chain of the waste impacts of decisions and the sustainable look and consequences for waste generation along the value chain. overlay for events and the preeminent solutions or Circularity • Build circularity into manufacturing by sourcing material inputs from the circular economy. opportunity themes. • Design-in sustainable end of life solutions. • All members of the value chain take a Materials Stewardship model for the product life cycle. Create a model all can feed into (materials flow and traceability). REDUCTION • Ensure time, resources and processes are made available to optimise materials stewardship. • Look for gaps and opportunities to ensure circularity - logistics, existence of facilities, technical solutions, competency or resources. • Set ambitious zero waste intentions. CIRCULARITY • Increase knowledge throughout the value chain about the opportunities for circularity. Innovation INNOVATION • Reinvent how to get our messages and brand experience across without relying on single-use materials, especially plastic. • Make a commitment to be experimental. Offer events and venues as a testing ground. • Build demand in the industry for innovation, to enable investment in R&D by manufacturers and producers. • Actively seek out innovators and their solutions through the supply chain. Support them. Be willing to pay in these early stages to help them become viable and competitive. • Challenge those along the value chain to innovate