Upcycling and social responsibility to go

Sustainability and social commitment are important to the FRECH Group. That is why it has been acting responsibly for years and has firmly anchored this in its corporate values. Anyone who does something good for the environment and society should talk about it - even if we normally prefer to report on die-casting machines, process optimization or the latest technical developments. FRECH's approach of “avoidance and recycling instead of disposal” is an impressive example of how sustainability can be implemented in practice. This is particularly illustrated by the cooperation with Lebenshilfe Bruchsal-Bretten e.V., which combines sustainability and social commitment in an extraordinary way.

Group of people shows selfmade FRECH bags

Sustainable use of trade fair banners as raw material

Trade fairs pose major challenges for the sustainable use of resources. Exhibition stands are built from high-quality materials that are often only used for a few days and then disposed of. While some elements can be reused, the majority end up as waste. Not so at FRECH: over 90 percent of the exhibition stands now consist of reusable modules and materials. But one question remained unanswered - what to do with the large exhibition banners? Some of these cover up to 600 m² of wall space and need to be updated regularly. Instead of disposing of them, a creative solution was developed together with Lebenshilfe Bruchsal-Bretten e.V.

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EUROGUSS 365 newsletter

High-quality bags made from old trade fair banners

Lebenshilfe Bruchsal-Bretten e.V. has been supporting people with mental, physical or psychological disabilities since 1963. In our joint project, they transform disused trade fair banners and flags into lovingly handmade unique bags. The manufacturing process is impressive: after a careful material inspection, impurities are removed and damaged areas are cut out. Using templates, the bag blanks are drawn onto the fabric and then cut out using a hydraulic punch. No material is wasted - even the smallest remnants find a new use as inserts or bag handles.

The final details are added to the bags at the sewing stations: handles, labels and fasteners are attached, while supervisors are always on hand to offer help and advice. Each unique item undergoes quality control before being packed and shipped.

This project shows how sustainable business can be combined with social commitment - and how former trade fair banners can be turned into high-quality, long-lasting products that tell a story.