Sustainability Stories: Sustainable Stand Design

A stand in a fair is like a stage for sales to perform to captivate attention in a short span, typically around 3-5 days. When you think about a stand in a fair, keywords like “wow-factors,” “experience,” “engagement,” “space,” “visibility,” and “temporary” might come to mind. However, these concepts don't inherently connect with “sustainability.” So, how do we ensure we combine both?

Attending fairs with our stands is essential as it allows us to showcase and interact with people we might not typically reach. It offers us the opportunity to exhibit our new products and bring the 'Dataflex feeling' to them without requiring them to travel to us. Each time, we must be at our best. By carefully analyzing the floor map, considering the stand’s orientation, and incorporating our brand image and current trends—even down to the relative distance from the toilet or restaurant—we can create a design that serves as the perfect stage.

So, when everyone is fighting for attention, how do we integrate sustainability in it?

Reuse as Much Material as Possible

Furniture in stands differs from normal furniture which was intended for repeated use. Stand furniture is often intended to make the biggest impression with the shortest lifespan. However, when we design stands, the reusability of materials is a key criterion. For example, we reuse our carpet by cutting it into modular sizes, storing and reusing it for other events. We even use them in our office events like our repair cafe. If you are curious, the carpets served as shock absorbers for all the hammering. Additionally, to save weight and space during transport, we opt for space-saving furniture such as inflatable ball chairs, which we can also reuse continuously.

Additionally, in our efforts to create a biophilic design, plants are always visible in our stands. Instead of discarding them, we bring them back and they now form a green wall in our office. For the actual stand structure, we have recently designed a portable stand that can be moved and stored easily, which we could use repeatedly in roadshows and exhibitions. Of course, exhibitions still produce a significant amount of waste, but we strive to minimize it as much as possible.

Collaboration

We also collaborate with stand designer Pitchkoff, who aligns and realizes our designs and appearances with Dataflex principles. Having established our commitment to sustainability, we don't need to convince them of its importance. Together, we make decisions like placing wires above instead of hiding them in an elevated floor, thus saving on flooring materials. We also believe fair organizers play a crucial role. We're starting to see trends where organizers are leaving the carpets out, require attendees to recycle waste to smaller things like reusing badges and key cords.

Perks and challenges

Of course, it’s not only challenges with being sustainable. It also offers perks, such as cost savings from reusing materials. The principle is to “have the same impact with less material.” By reusing elements in different stands, we can maintain the 'Dataflex feeling' without becoming monotonous. However, the greatest challenge is to stay trendy and refreshing. How can we create a wow-factor with the same elements? Additionally, there's the added cost of storage.

People

Ultimately, it all comes down to people. Those who stand at the booth showcasing products and delivering our values play a crucial role. We also work hard to shift the mindset of our sales colleagues and even the visitors. Instead of giving away goodies and printed materials, we focus on telling our genuine story, hoping to leave a lasting impression without creating waste. When goodies are still needed, our marketing team behind the scenes handpicks sustainable promotional gifts for our visitors, such as bags made from recycled PET, to reduce the overall impact.

The content of this article comes from interior architect and our project manager for fairs and events Mirjam Kuiper-Kool. Do you have more ideas or learn more about how we do it? Reach out to her at [email protected]