Sustainability in the sign industry: materials and recycling
How the industry is moving towards more environmentally friendly signs
Signs are made to last — but they are also continuously replaced when companies rebrand, move or close. This gives the sign industry a growing responsibility for what materials are made of, and what happens to them when the sign is eventually taken down.
§Material choice with the environment in mind
The creative sign industry is increasingly moving towards signs made of more environmentally friendly materials such as recycled metal, recycled or certified wood and paints and inks with lower environmental impact. For you as a sign technician this means that material choice is no longer just about price and durability but also about where the material comes from and what can happen to it afterwards.
§Light boxes and power consumption
Light boxes and light signs have traditionally used fluorescent tubes or neon, but LED has long since taken over as the dominant light source in the industry because it uses significantly less power and lasts longer, reducing both the energy bill and the number of replacements over the sign's lifetime.
- 01Ask about whether the customer wants recycled or certified materials when a new sign needs designing.
- 02LED has long since taken over as the dominant light source in light boxes because it uses less power and lasts longer than fluorescent tubes and neon.
- 03Consider whether foils and sheets can be dismounted and reused when the sign needs to be replaced or taken down one day.
- 04Choose inks and paints with lower solvent content where possible without compromising durability.
§What can you do yourself?
As a sign technician you encounter sustainability concretely every time you choose a foil a board or a light source. By knowing the alternatives — and being able to explain pros and cons to the customer — you become an adviser who can talk about design durability and environment in the same sentence.
§A sector in motion
Development is fast: new film types new LED generations and new recycling systems for sheets and metal come continuously. It is therefore a good habit to stay updated through industry fairs supplier material datasheets and further education as sustainability requirements grow.