Worldwide, trade fair stands generate an enormous amount of waste. This is not only due to the mass of materials used but also because a large part of them cannot be reused or recycled. To counteract this, we at IBC SOLAR have been using a trade fair stand based on the Cradle-to-Cradle design principle at the leading trade fair Intersolar since 2022. And with success. Our trade fair appearance has been awarded three times: with the Sustainable Exhibitor Award 2024 for a sustainable trade fair stand, the German Design Award 2025 in the category “Circular Design,” and the BrandEx Award 2025 for an outstanding brand experience in live communication.
Efficient Resource Use Thanks to a More Sustainable Design Principle
The Cradle-to-Cradle design principle has been an integral part of our trade fair appearance for three years now. For the trade fair stand, materials such as local wood, aluminum, or acrylic glass are used, which can then be easily returned to the technical or biological cycle. Some trade fair pieces have already been reused. For example, wooden elements were used to build a fence in the bee garden of the Montessori School in Dachau, Germany. We also renounce flooring, which alone saves about 7,000 kg of material. Another highlight: almost all trade fair communication takes place digitally via screens, which in turn saves on stickers and prints. Through this concept, our trade fair stand achieves an impressive recyclability rate of 98%.
An Award-Winning Appearance
We are, of course, very proud to have received three awards for our trade fair stand. They once again show that our hard work and commitment pay off. Special thanks go to our trade fair builder Atelier Seitz and our creative agency Buzzin Monkey, who actively support us in planning and implementing the project.
With our trade fair stand, we want to set an example of the importance of sustainability in the trade fair world and are pleased if we can also inspire other companies to take more environmentally friendly paths in trade fair communication. We continue to expand our own concept year after year. Thus, our trade fair stand this year will also follow the more sustainable design principle.
By the way: We also tell the story behind the trade fair stand in a short video in collaboration with our partners. It’s worth a look!