After forming a repurposing partnership at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, CSM Live and Event Cycle have been working to promote innovative solutions for reusing old event graphics. This year the collaboration resulted in repurposed water bottle holders for the cinch Championships at The Queen's Club.
The cinch Championships is a prestigious annual event on the men's ATP World Tour, drawing top players from around the globe. Held at The Queen's Club, the tournament boasts a rich history of iconic players and past Wimbledon champions competing since 1979. Owned and operated by the Lawn Tennis Association, the cinch Championships continues to be a celebrated showcase of world-class tennis talent. And whilst the action happens, there’s branding to be made, displayed and disposed of, or when CSM Live is involved, repurposed. With the LTA keen to showcase better use of materials and the CSM Live team striving for sustainability at every opportunity, a challenge was set - to make use of last year's event branding from the cinch Championships at The
Queen's Club, rather than recycling it.
Teaming up to work through a number of different options, CSM Live and Event Cycle settled on water bottle holders for the ball crew.
The water bottle holder represents a remarkable journey of transformation and sustainability. Crafted with care and ingenuity, it incorporates various repurposed materials, each with its own unique story.
Some of the fabric is, of course, from last year's cinch Championships at The Queen's Club, making up 660cm2 of the total 2,888cm2 required for each water bottle holder. For reasons relating to flexibility, thermal ability and practicality, additional repurposed material from other sources was also incorporated into the design.
The mesh has come from the banners of a recent sporting event in Birmingham. The thermal lining, to keep the water cool, has been saved from medicine packaging from a local business and the remaining fabric has been sourced from exhibition stands from all kinds of events that have taken place in the UK in the past year. Even the labels are offcuts that are leftover after a fabric printing process.
The holders were created by social enterprise Calluna Graphix, who work closely with Event Cycle on a lot of their fabric reuse projects. Through Calluna, these water bottle holders have been individually handmade by women that would otherwise struggle to obtain gainful employment. Alongside producing bespoke items for clients, they also create and make some wonderful products from old event branding, all sold with 10% of proceeds donated to Severn Hospice, Charity Number 512394.
On top of keeping the old championship material in use and out of an energy-intensive recycling process, each one crafted saves approximately 1.35 kg of CO2 emissions and preserves a staggering 3870 litres of water from the production process by not using new material, embodying the LTA’s, CSM’s Live and Event Cycle’s commitment to sustainability and
responsible resource utilisation.
Communications
Event Cycle worked with the LTA and CSM Live to make sure the communications around the repurposed bottle were accurate and informative, with an option to find out more through a QR code on the plinth. As well as highlighting the progress they have made, the LTA also noted the limitations they currently face, displaying a transparent and honest approach to their sustainability journey.
By choosing to partner with Event Cycle, event organisers can embrace eco-friendly practices, support social enterprises, and make a positive impact on the environment, turning old materials into new opportunities. Join us in promoting a circular economy and a greener, more sustainable future for the live events industry. #EventCycleIt