The world’s first biodegradable billboards
Salt Lake City / USA
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Salt Lake City / USA 〰️
Image: Unsplash
TL;DR: The world’s first biodegradable billboard material is about to shake up the advertising industry.
So what? Lock up your wallet, because ad space just got a whole lot more aspirational.
Imagine driving down the highway or strolling through an airport and seeing billboards that are not just eye-catching but also kind to the planet. That's exactly what K&R Solutions Group, an out of home advertising business, is bringing to our everyday landscapes. Earlier this month, they unveiled Bio Knit - a groundbreaking fabric that's set to transform those giant ads into eco-friendly beacons.
What’s wrong with traditional billboards?
Typically, billboards are made from materials like polyester, which, despite being hardwearing and vibrant, have a dirty secret: they don’t break down easily in nature. This means that long after these ads have served their purpose, they linger in the environment for hundreds of years. Over 1,200,000m2 (or about 500 tonnes) of billboard skins end up in landfills in Australia alone, and their digital counterparts aren’t much better, consuming up to 30 times the energy of an average American home.
Not the best news for our planet, right?
Image: Unsplash
How do you advertise sustainably?
Here's where Bio Knit changes the game. This innovative fabric acts like wool in the environment, breaking down naturally without leaving a lasting footprint. It’s a big leap forward, offering the durability your favourite brands like Nike, Apple and Netflix need for those larger-than-life ads, but without the environmental guilt. Bio Knit is designed to work with natural processes once its useful life is complete, breaking down 15 times faster than polyester.
Audrey Peebles of K&R Solutions Group shed light on why this is a big deal, pointing out that "recycled content has a lot of baggage. Materials in the recycling stream are transported multiple times and heavily processed to become usable again," which can cancel out some of the environmental benefits.
"K&R is approaching environmental impact from another angle,” she says “how can we work with nature and still manufacture products that perform in the real world? Biodegradable technology is our answer."
Another cool thing about Bio Knit? It won’t burn a hole in advertisers’ pockets. It’s priced just like its less eco-friendly counterparts, making it an attractive option for businesses that want to go green without seeing red in their finances.
Image: Unsplash
OK great, I guess I’ll go shopping then
The launch of Bio Knit is more than just an industry breakthrough; it's a sign of changing times. It's about those big, bold advertisements we see every day taking on a new role – not just selling products, but also showcasing a commitment to our planet's future. So next time you see a billboard, think about the possibility of it being part of this green revolution.
To learn more about this eco-friendly innovation, visit K&R Solutions Group. Who knew billboards could be part of saving the planet?
