Special Report


Innovative ways the industry is tackling waste


As sustainability dominates the industry more and more, assistant editor, Ana Lambert, highlights the important schemes that industry leaders are producing to help keep the sign industry sustainable.


A


and gain traction within the sign and graphics industry, companies have started to create and implement schemes and programmes to help keep the industry compliant with sustainability measures. Some companies are part of schemes that work with charities, and others are creating and partaking in the schemes themselves. For instance, Brand Consortia, who market themselves as the UK’s first double-offset carbon neutral sign company, use a scheme called the Sustainable Sign Scheme. It is designed to calculate the size of


the carbon footprint produced in the fabrication and installation of signs and graphics that are produced, then purchase carbon offset credits through reputable schemes such as JP Morgan’s ‘Climate Care’ and The Carbon Neutral Company. Another way that the industry is


embracing sustainability is through recycling, reusing and repurposing in their own various ways.


Banner recycling scheme Recycling is becoming a way for companies to meet the sustainability and carbon neutral promises set by the industry. One company that is pioneering these


recycling schemes for the sign industry is Tradeprint, in partnership with Antalis and Reconomy. The scheme was designed as a


practical proof of concept for a scalable recycling model within the sign and print industry, which currently has five drop-off locations, including Tradeprint Dundee, where customers can return end-of-life PVC and PVC-free banners. The pilot has intentionally been kept


simple and cost-effective, and early feedback from customers suggests


| 56 | May/June 2026 Anthony Rowell, Tradeprint (R) and Katie Farr, Antalis (L)


an appetite for return options by post, but Tradeprint wanted to first validate operational feasibility before expanding the model. The initiative also required careful


governance, so in response, Antalis conducted a formal risk assessment and insurance review to allow customer site access, and Tradeprint worked with Reconomy to ensure compliance with UK waste legislation. Anthony Rowell, sales and customer


success director, said: “The Tradeprint Banner Return Scheme was created to address a simple but important challenge: high-quality PVC and PVC-free banners are incredibly durable, yet too often they’re used once and discarded. “This scheme is about moving


beyond traditional print models and demonstrating that our industry can take meaningful, measurable steps toward reducing environmental impact. It’s a commitment to innovation, accountability, and doing the right thing for the long term.”


However, it’s not just recycling


schemes that are making an impact but also, repurposing schemes.


Revitalising end-of-life equipment Repurposing existing materials can be another way to reach those sustainability goals for sign and graphic companies. One of the most recognisable


names in the industry, HP, has several sustainability initiatives with one centering on repurposing end-of-life equipment and print supplies. Sustainability continues to shape how


print service providers (PSPs) evolve their operations, increasing customer expectations around transparency, material circularity, and environmental impact means that sustainability is no longer optional. Noelle Peutat, global strategic


sustainability lead for HP, said: “In our experience with PSPs, one of the most effective initiatives has been the HP Planet Partners programme, which serves as our consumer repurpose


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s the conversations around being eco- friendly continue to arise


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