It is important to consider how much value merchandise adds to your event, and whether there are more suitable alternatives available.
Things to consider
- Objectives of the event
- The value merchandise adds
- Production
- Materials
- How the audience will use it and for how long
- How it will be disposed of
What impacts could merchandise have on the environment?
Considering the full life-cycle of an item, from the production of the materials it is made from, to the way it is disposed of (and beyond), will help you to fully consider the environmental impact of merchandise. The impacts often involve using natural resources for materials, and energy for production. When merchandise is not produced sustainably, it often involves excessive pollution and release of carbon emissions. Too often, these items end up thrown away without use or lost at the back of a drawer.
Review your options
- No merchandise is the best merchandise! Avoiding it all together saves money and the planet.
- Use merch left over from another event. When it’s gone, it’s gone, so try using incentives when giving away merchandise.
- Get creative! Think outside the box and consider alternative give-aways, such as discounts on experiences, activities or food and drink on campus.
- Buy merchandise sustainably: Use “life-cycle thinking” to identify the most sustainable merchandise, considering what its made from, how it is produced, how it will be used and disposed of. Try to keep branding and customisation to a minimum (e.g. use standard University branding over event-specific branding and avoid adding dates) to allow items to be used at future events or by other departments.
- Following the University’s procurement guidance for promotional merchandise is a simple way to save money and make sure that your items are procured sustainably.
Communicate
Talk to your suppliers about how things are produced and what they are made from. Communicating this with your guests so that they know how to dispose of it once they no longer want the item.
Data and feedback
Keeping track of how much was spent on merchandise, what items were purchased and left over, is a great way to understand the impact of our purchasing. Ask attendees what they think. You may find that they don’t need any freebees, or that they would rather have something made ethically and sustainably.
Example
Meet the team sustainability stall at welcome week 2023
For welcome week 2023, the sustainability team chose to give away non-traditional merchandise, ditching the tote bags and keep-cups for herb growing kits, reusable cutlery, plastic free stationary sets and recyclable notebooks.
All items had University branding and were purchased through university approved suppliers.
The team decided to only offer one item per person to avoid waste and incentivised receiving a free item by encouraging students to follow the @Livunisustainability Instagram account and ‘spin the wheel’. The spinning wheel decided which item they would receive making it a fair choice.
Students were excited to receive a free item and the increase in followers meant that sustainability coms will reach a wider audience, spreading awareness of sustainability issues, how students can get involved and the work the university is doing on sustainability.
Back to: Sustainability