As we continue our journey behind the scenes of the trade show industry, it’s time to get real about eco friendly products. In 2023, many companies have adopted ESG (environmental and social governance) standards and other company requirements to produce and buy materials that are more “eco-friendly.” If you look beneath the surface, most of these efforts are simply marketing techniques to give the appearance that a company or corporation genuinely cares about the conservation of the environment. Many of these efforts are not eco-friendly, and even more harmful to the environment than traditional manufacturing processes. One of the biggest debates currently is the debate on electric cars.
Due to the manufacturing process of current battery technology, it is dirty, expensive, and very fossil fuel intensive to extract raw material, transport the materials, manufacture, and disposal of batteries. Additionally, many electric vehicles are charged using fossil fuel power sources. However, fossil fuel powered vehicles are also bad for the environment as a whole. So are some of these “green energy” solutions really helping? It’s a complicated and nuanced topic that most skim over. This same methodology applies to all manufacturing, including the trade show industry. The questions is: Is it REALLY eco-friendly? Or just a marketing façade? Let’s figure it out!
Get real about eco-friendly
Let’s rip the bandaid off right away, many of the “eco-friendly” efforts are simply marketing techniques to sell new, high cost products, with the appearance that the consumer is helping the environment. This is typically referred to as “greenwashing.” Even if the product shows it’s made from a renewable resource or plant based material, that doesn’t actually mean its good for the environment. However, there are many eco-friendly efforts are truly great for the environment by reducing pollution and promoting renewable recourses.
A good example is plant based and biodegradable plastics. This includes use the hemp plant to replace most oil based products and anything made from cotton. Industrial Hemp is a highly renewable resource that requires very little fertilizer or pesticides. Additionally, it scrubs the atmosphere of greenhouses gases and renews the soil. Another technology is graphene, a carbon based material that is extremely lightweight and extremely strong and durable. The carbon used in graphene can come from manufacturing by-products or the atmosphere itself!
These solutions are truly helpful to the environment because they tackle many aspects of environmentalism, without creating a deficit in other other areas. Products made from recycled materials, or that are recyclable, are mostly net positives to reduce pollution and waste. Additionally, durability is an often overlooked element to reduce pollution and help the environment. Durable, long lasting products almost always are the most eco-friendly solutions to manufacturing. However, we have morphed into a throw away society that builds disposable items in the interest of profits. The trade show industry is making great strides in these areas. Let’s talk about what we are currently doing and plan to do to make the trade show industry more sustainable!
ecoSmart Sustainable Exhibits
We are proud to sell ecoSmart Sustainable Exhibits as our go to custom display solution. These display systems are all Made in the USA in the PNW! ecoSmart uses the most eco-friendly materials available in every display system. This includes:
- Biodegradable Eco-Board Graphics
- Recycled Fabric Graphics
- Sustainable Packaging
- Green Acrylic Alternatives
- Light Weight Recycled Aluminum Frames
- LED Lighting
- Durable Materials with a Lifetime Warranty
- Reconfigurable Designs
The ecoSmart line does everything a standard custom display can do, with a smaller carbon footprint. The green features of the ecoSmart line are an overall net positive on the environment. Contact us today to get our ecoSmart sustainable exhibit designed and built!
Additional Eco-Friendly Solutions
Our line of Waveline and OneFabric displays use graphics made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, all of which are made and printed in the USA! Additionally, the Waveline Counter, Triangle Counter, and Bubble Poster use the same graphics! The industry is in the process of moving to all recycled fabric so this will be a standard feature on all of our displays in the coming years! Check out our line of trade show displays Made in the USA to find products that are made locally which reduces transportation cost and emissions. Additionally, products made in the USA must adhere to USA environmental regulations which are far more strict than standards found in China and other low cost manufacturing countries.
At Creative Imaging Displays we are dedicated to providing eco-friendly solutions that are truly eco-friendly, and not just a marketing ploy. We understand the many layers of the manufacturing process and what makes a product a true “green” alternative. Check back to our site and blog regularly to stay up to date on all the trends of the trade show industry!
