WRITTEN BY // JESSICA HEATHCOTE
KEY CONTRIBUTOR : ANNE EVERS
UPDATED: FEBRUARY 2025
A sustainable design strategy is essential for creating display solutions that minimise environmental impact while maintaining functionality and aesthetics. Eco-design focuses on using materials, processes, and technologies that support sustainability throughout a product’s life cycle—from raw material sourcing to manufacturing, usage and disposal.
At DisplayWise, we recognise the growing demand for eco-conscious solutions across custom exhibition stands and event displays through to experiential pop ups, retail and outdoor activations. That’s why our sustainable design strategy approach provides brands with the flexibility and knowledge to make informed decisions that align with their broader goals for the investment.
Let’s dive into our top tips for implementing a sustainable design strategy, ensuring your custom displays are both impactful and environmentally responsible.
The Sustainable Design Strategy Brief
A well thought out brief is key to implementing a sustainable design strategy. There’s a few elements we take time to consider with you to determine the must-have and nice-to-have priorities from design for disassembly, longevity and modularity through to reusability to minimise waste and extend the life cycle of your display.
Additionally, with the new 2025 regulations such as Australia’s National Packaging Targets , Circular Economy Laws and Mandatory Sustainability Reporting Legislation, these reforms are driving businesses to adopt eco-conscious principles both internally and externally to meet stricter sustainability requirements.
Anne Evers, General Manager – Sales explains how DisplayWise takes a practical approach to every custom display brief, considering not just its aesthetics, but also the materials used that align with the overall client brief objectives.
“For clients planning to attend one exhibition show once a year, our premium hire stand offering provides a selection of very high-end stands to choose from. For those planning to attend many shows, a custom designed and built stand may be a better option.”
“Some important considerations include whether your display is able to accommodate changing sizes (e.g. from a 6×3 to a 6×6), and whether you make future bookings or participate in a roadshow to ensure the most out of your investment. Ultimately, by embracing modularity and flexible, eco-designs you could save time and money over multiple shows whilst minimising your environmental footprint”.
Balancing Sustainability and Cost: Why Eco-Friendly Design Matters
It’s clear that sustainability is becoming a key factor in business decision making as consumers increasingly expect brands to lead the charge in creating positive environmental change. According to NielsenIQ data, 46% of consumers now look to brands to take the initiative in driving sustainable progress.
At DisplayWise, we are committed to delivering eco-friendly display solutions by integrating sustainable materials and processes whenever possible. However, it’s important to note that sustainable solutions can sometimes come at a higher initial cost. That’s why it’s crucial to discuss your sustainability goals with us to ensure that your display balances environmental impact with your objectives and budget considerations.
While we always aim to use eco-friendly materials, maintaining structural integrity is just as important. We take a careful approach, weighing the options between sustainability and stability to ensure our recommendations align with your project’s goals.
CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: MDI AT REED GIFT FAIR
Since 2014, DisplayWise has partnered with MDI Australia to create a reusable, quality solution to withstand the high-foot traffic exposure the brand attracts at Reed Gift Fair. This long-standing relationship reflects our commitment to providing flexible and sustainable design solutions, meeting both eco-conscious and practical requirements. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you achieve your sustainability goals without compromising on quality.
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The Art of Minimising Waste as a Sustainable Design Strategy
When it comes to designing for reusability, a lifecycle analysis is essential. This sustainable design strategy approach evaluates the entire lifespan of a product or display—from design to disposal—ensuring that every element of the display is assessed for long-term value and future usability. By thinking ahead, we can design displays that not only serve their immediate purpose but are also prepared for repurposing in future projects.
In the 2024 Global Meetings and Events Forecast, 78% of respondents say their organisations are planning to have net zero goals by the end of 2024. Plus, with the increased emphasis on sustainable practices and the tightening of industry regulations in 2025, it’s more important than ever to start your sustainability journey early.
Ultimately, the earlier you can engage our team, the better! We specialise in maximising the potential of your display while balancing environmental and practical considerations. But it all starts with a well-developed brief, clearly defined objectives and an open conversation about the future of your brand and business goals. By planning for sustainability from the start, we can help you minimise waste while creating a long-lasting impact for your brand.
Meeting Sustainability Standards
When designing your display, it’s essential to consider Australian Standards, which can differ from international regulations. While global guidelines may inspire your project, some specialised materials, certifications, or finishes used overseas may not be available locally. In these cases, our team applies a best-fit approach, ensuring that alternative solutions align with your design vision, sustainability goals and compliance requirements.
At DisplayWise, we stay informed about the latest eco-friendly materials and certifications, helping you navigate the best options to meet both aesthetic and environmental objectives—without compromising on quality or impact. Let’s take a look at a few to consider in your brief:
Eco-Friendly Coatings and Graphics
Leading brands such as Dulux and Porters Paint now offer environmentally friendly options using advanced waterborne technologies. These solutions reduce harmful emissions while providing an outstanding finish—an ideal option for those aiming to minimise their environmental footprint without sacrificing quality.
However, when combining eco-friendly paints with printed graphics, it’s important to consider how colours and finishes interact. In some cases, slight variations can occur, meaning the final result may not perfectly match your brand guidelines. Our team can guide you through this process with robust testing and product sampling techniques, ensuring that all elements of your display from painted surfaces to printed graphics work harmoniously to achieve the best possible and sustainable outcome.
Recyclable Materials
New products like EAGLECELL™ are revolutionising the display market with its all-paper honeycomb graphics board. This product is an eco-friendly alternative to plastic, metal, and wood, made from a 100% recyclable paper core and surface papers. EAGLECELL™ helps divert materials from landfills while offering a sustainable solution for display construction.
For those wanting to take their sustainability efforts even further, the Green Tick® Certification offers an independent evaluation system. It assesses products against life-cycle-based criteria (ISO14000 series) and certifies them if they meet all necessary sustainability standards. This global certification provides brands with additional peace of mind, ensuring that the product they’re using is genuinely sustainable.
An example of a certified sustainable product is GreenTick Acrylic™. Made from 70% recycled materials, this innovative product transforms discarded acrylic offcuts and scraps into high-quality cast acrylic sheeting. By reusing materials that would otherwise end up in landfills, GreenTick Acrylic™ reduces waste and offers a more environmentally friendly solution for display projects.
Ultimately, with so many sustainable materials and solutions available, it’s essential to do your research—or let our team do it for you! We’ll help ensure you select the best materials for your next project, maximising both sustainability and performance.
CLIENT SPOTLIGHT: L'OCCITANE SUSTAINABLE POP UP
L’Occitane Australia partnered with DisplayWise to create an sustainable pop up refill station in the middle of nature—blending premium design with sustainability to reflect the brand’s commitment to natural beauty and eco-consciousness. The brief called for a harmonious fusion of warmth, authenticity and sensory engagement with all materials required to be recyclable, FSC certified or demonstrate other sustainability principles to stay true to the pop up store positioning. In addition, the main display elements required reusability for any future pop up opportunities such as high durability materials and be easy to freight. The result was a captivating retail pop up that embodied L’Occitane’s core values whilst enhancing customer interaction. Contact our team to explore how we can create a bespoke display that keeps the circular economy at the forefront for your brand.
Sustainable design strategy is no longer a trend—it’s a necessity. As brands and businesses navigate evolving environmental regulations, consumer expectations, and industry standards, integrating a sustainable design strategy into your displays is crucial for long-term success. Whether you’re looking for guidance on material choices, design strategies, or long-term reuse options, we’re here to help. At DisplayWise, we believe sustainability and creativity go hand in hand we’re committed to helping brands create visually impactful displays while incorporating the best sustainable practices that align with their goals.
Ready to make sustainability a key part of your next project? Get in touch with our team to explore what eco-conscious display solutions are possible and how we can tailor them to your needs.
