Thousands of water bottles end up in the trash every year. Cycling teams alone use 30,000 to 60,000 of these plastic drinking bottles per team per year. That can be done better, thought Marianne Vollebergh and Joris Petterson of SAAR. Their company transforms recycled water bottles into high-quality sports awards and podiums to encourage circularity in the sports world. During the World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Thialf, they tested these products to discover how visitors react to circular medals.

The test in brief
Visitors could choose between a traditional or circular medal and posed in a photobooth on a sustainable stage. The story behind the circular materials proved crucial: with an explanation, 39% of visitors chose the circular medal, compared to 25% of people who received no explanation. In addition, the podium proved sturdy and suitable for ceremonies, and visitors showed interest in turning in old water bottles for recycling.

What’s next? 
To further increase their impact, SAAR is working on optimized designs that communicate the circular story more strongly. There will be additional trials of medals in different materials and various price ranges.

This research was conducted by Avans Hogeschool, E-waste Arcades, and Mary&.

Made possible by Regieorgaan SIA and Sportinnovator.