At an exhibition, everyone wants to make an unforgettable impression on visitors with their exhibition stand. Often, insufficient thought is given to the consequences for the environment. With a few smart adjustments, it is possible to realize an exhibition participation in an eco-friendly(er) way. In this article, we give you some smart tips on how to do this best.
Material
The biggest gains can be made in material use. By being smart about this, you can make a significant improvement for the environment. For example, use lightweight materials. By using thin and lightweight materials, you use minimal amounts of material and the low volume and weight directly result in significant energy savings during transport. To take it a step further, consider having the stand made from recycled or natural and ethically produced materials such as bamboo or cork.
Reusable stand concepts
Many exhibitors nowadays choose to purchase a reusable stand. These stands last for several years and can be adapted to the target group and objectives per exhibition (think of interchangeable visuals, for example). Besides the fact that this can have cost advantages, it is also a sustainable solution. Instead of throwing away the stand after one exhibition, you can reuse a large part of the materials for several years.
Lighting
Good lighting is important for the look of your stand. The choice of type of lighting can make a big difference in energy consumption. Instead of using traditional incandescent or energy-saving lamps, you can also think about LED lighting. LED lighting uses only half the energy of energy-saving lamps and one tenth of the energy of traditional lighting. LED lighting is also mercury-free, making it much more environmentally friendly. Not so long ago, people didn’t think the color of LED was nice, but nowadays there are various suitable warm color shades to choose from.
Packaging
To ensure that the exhibition materials arrive undamaged at the exhibition location, it is important to pack the materials well for transport. Packaging, such as bubble wrap, cardboard boxes or plastic boxes, is often thrown away immediately after use. New packaging is then used for the return journey. By using sustainable and smart packaging, you can ensure that the sustainable stand materials are usable for much longer.
Giveaways
Think carefully about the promotional items and what you want to give to visitors. The sad truth is that giveaways are often thrown away immediately, sometimes even in the first trash can in the exhibition hall. Do you want to give away a gadget? Then choose an environmentally friendly product.
Following up on your leads
There are special exhibition registration systems that record information about visitors (including their email addresses). By using these systems, it is possible to write to leads by email. This solution reduces printing and shipping costs and reduces paper waste.