5 Eco-Friendly Medals For Your Sustainable Event

Eco-friendly medals are a great way to make your event more sustainable.

You've got the vision: a fantastic event that's not only memorable but environmentally responsible. But there are some challenges in your way: what eco-friendly custom medal options are out there? What makes them eco-friendly? And finally, where can you find one that aligns with you?

Badges And Medals have got you covered.

Why? Because we're serious about doing what we can for the environment. It's a big part of how we do business. We have been audited as an environmentally responsible business by the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) and the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (SEDEX). On top of that, most of the medals we make come from recyclable or sustainable materials, and we remove two plastic bottles from the ocean every time we supply a large medal order. We've already stopped 22.7 tonnes of plastic from hitting our oceans!

We know that finding an eco-friendly medal is as important to you as it is to us. That's why we've written this article - so you can learn five types of medals you can use to honour your participant's accomplishments and lower your impact on the planet. Let's get started!

1. Second-hand medals

Surf Life Saving New South Wales’ medals are so well designed that they could be re-used by groups in other states. 

Have you ever seen an event online and thought, "Wow, I wish I could have those stunning medals!" Well, why not ask? Drop the event organisers a message and see if they've got any leftovers you can purchase. They might have ordered a few extra, just in case, that are now sitting without a home.

It's a win-win situation! They earn money while clearing some storage space, and you snag fantastic medals without hurting the environment. You divert items from landfills and conserve resources and energy that would otherwise have gone into making new medals.

You also build a sense of shared responsibility for the environmental impact of events among fellow event organisers. It's like borrowing a cup of sugar from your neighbour – but with medals.

And we can't mention all the 'green' benefits without mentioning the usual one - money! Second-hand items typically come at a fraction of the cost of their brand-new counterparts. It frees up funds that can be redirected towards other impactful initiatives, such as investing in community programs, like clean-up days, or contributing to environmental initiatives, like tree planting.

Who do we recommend?

The choice is yours for whom to reach out to. However, we recommend asking events that don't have their name on their medals because they'll be easier to pass off as your own. If you have a sister event whose medals are usually similar to yours, consider sending them a message.

Another option is to check online shopping platforms, such as eBay - just search 'sports medals'.

2. Sustainable medals

Want a medal that ‘rocks’? Then the slate medal from Sustainable Medals might be for you. (CREDIT: SUSTAINABLEMEDALS.COM)

There's no legal or industry definition for what makes a medal 'sustainable'. However, several factors that likely play a part, the biggest being what the medal is made from. Materials are sustainable if they can be responsibly sourced in the long run, with very little impact on the environment. A truly sustainable material can also be recycled or composted at the end of its life. Here are some of the most common sustainable materials to make your medal out of:

• Wooden medals:

Wood is a great sustainable material for your medal, provided it's responsibly sourced. Ask your favourite medal supplier about their wood's origin - does it come from a business with a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification? The certification is internationally recognised and proves that the wood is being harvested sustainably, with a commitment to preserving forests and biodiversity. Check if your medal supplier participates in tree replanting - in other words, replacing cut-down trees with new ones - to ensure a cycle of growth and sustainability.

Medals made from raw wood can be composted at the end of their life. The wood will eventually decompose, returning nutrients to the soil. They can also be taken to a recycling facility.

• Stone medals:

Stone is the oldest sustainable material on the planet. It has a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other medal materials because it's often used in its natural form, just in miniature. All it takes to make is to extract, cut and polish it. Better yet, it's almost always a stone's throw away from where you live (haha!). This cuts down the distance it needs to be transported, and therefore the amount of pollution produced. Its durable nature also means it's easy to recycle.

Look for medals made from stone that would have otherwise gone to waste, such as blocks from old buildings, constructs, or monuments. This not only reduces the environmental impact of extracting new stone but creates a memorable medal with fun historical ties to your local area.

Once your recipients are finished with their medals, they can reuse them in their home or garden.

Who do we recommend?

If you're looking for wooden medals, we suggest exploring EFX or Team Elite.

EFX makes their medals in facilities certified for their environmental friendliness using FSC-approved bamboo. Meanwhile, Team Elite makes its medals from locally-grown Australian timber. The timber is from forests that are planted and managed under a sustainable plan.

If stone medals appeal to you, consider Sustainable Medals. They etch custom designs onto slate, then attach that medal to a small wooden hanger, making for a one-of-a-kind medal.

3. Recyclable medals

Danish company omhu made recycled plastic medals for the 2022 European Stand-Up Paddle Championships. (CREDIT: OM-HU.DK)

Wait, what? Didn't we just cover this? Well, not quite!

There's a big difference between a sustainable material and a recyclable one. A material might be recyclable, but if its production involves a lot of resources, high energy consumption, or contributes to environmental degradation, then it may fall short of being truly sustainable.

It doesn't mean a medal crafted from a recyclable-only material is a bad idea. Far from it! It's still a commendable step in the right direction. A recyclable medal benefits the environment by diverting waste from landfills, conserving resources, and fostering a circular economy.

Here are two recyclable materials to make your next medal out of:

• Plastic medals:

Plastic is recyclable at the end of its life, but it's not a sustainable material to make your medals out of because making it uses up a lot of water and adds greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

A good alternative is recycled plastic.

Choosing a medal made of recycled plastic helps divert plastic waste from landfills and oceans, making it a smart way to repurpose materials that have already been in circulation. Creating recycled plastic is also more environmentally friendly than making plastic from scratch because it takes less energy and produces fewer emissions. It's also recyclable! However, recycled plastic is not sustainable because it comes from a waste product that will eventually run out.

• Zinc alloy medals:

Zinc alloy is a metal made up of zinc and other metals. Most traditional metal medals are zinc alloy, plus a little brass or copper for strength. While these medals are easily recyclable post-event, it's important to note that zinc alloy falls short on the sustainability scale. Mining and smelting zinc can have negative environmental impacts, like land degradation, and water and air pollution. Making zinc also takes a huge amount of energy.

Who do we recommend?

The Danish company om-hu turns plastic litter on beaches into products, including colourful custom-made medals. They've collected 26 tonnes of litter so far!

We at Badges And Medals make fantastic custom-made zinc alloy medals. Not only are these medals recyclable, but for every large medal order placed, we stop two plastic bottles from reaching the ocean. Talk about eco-friendly!

4. Biodegradable medals

Earth Runs makes medals that turn into wildflowers once planted. (CREDIT: EARTHRUNS.COM)

What if your medals could transcend the recycling journey and maybe even leave a positive environmental impact? Enter the biodegradable medal. Crafted from plant-based materials, these medals celebrate achievements and finish in a way that leaves no trace behind.

Once your event is over, these medals can gracefully be placed in the recipient's compost heap or garden, ready to become part of nature's cycle. Some biodegradable medals even come infused with flower seeds, turning your medals into a living legacy of your event. Imagine the joy your recipients will feel when they see their achievements blossom into a bouquet of memories!

Who do we recommend?

Orakel makes medals from potato peel starch, which breaks down in just a few months.

If you want something extra, Earth Runs Medals makes medals from recycled paper and wildflower seeds. Recipients break up the medal and pop it (and its biodegradable ribbon) in their garden. Then, they can watch as wildflowers grow each year!

5. Reclaimed medals

Ever wondered what to do with that collection of old, unused medals gathering dust in that forgotten corner of your office? Here's your chance to turn them into something extraordinary – the reclaimed medal.

By swapping out the medal's old ribbon for a new one, you can breathe fresh life into it without the environmental toll of purchasing brand-new medals. It works well if the old medals don't have anything on them that dates them, such as a previous year. It's a small change that makes an impact visually and ecologically!

On top of the environmental perks, the reclaimed medal is also budget-friendly. Consider directing your saved resources towards initiatives like supporting local sustainability projects, contributing to community green spaces, or even bolstering eco-conscious education efforts.

Who do we recommend?

Badges And Medals is the only medal supplier to actively upgrade reclaimed medals. 

However, if you're feeling crafty, you can upgrade your reclaimed medals at home! Just order ribbons from your favourite craft store or medal supplier and switch out the ribbons yourself.

Take the next step!

We know you're serious about doing your bit for the environment, and so are we.

Sustainability isn't just a checkbox for Badges And Medals; it's an integral part of our business ethos. Most of our medals come from recyclable or sustainable materials, and with each large sale, we proudly extract two plastic bottles from our oceans.

We know that being environmentally friendly starts with informed choices.

Now that you've read this article, you know there are plenty of eco-friendly medals out there for your event to choose from! Whether made from sustainably sourced materials or cleverly repurposed leftovers, these medals represent your event's commitment to a greener future.

If you want to learn more about Badges And Medals and how we contribute to a more sustainable world, read our post, 'Is Badges And Medals Sustainable?'.