Sustainability - After the Football-EM: Flags and Banners become souvenirs
After the European Football Championship, fans can secure flags, banners, and signs from the host cities or at least parts of them as souvenirs. The city of Gelsenkirchen is making a portion of the used promotional materials available to interested parties free of charge, as stated in the announcement. Interested parties can still apply for them online.
"The interest in the population for these materials is enormous. In the last few days, we have received many inquiries from citizens who would like to hang flags, banners, and signs in their own gardens," said Wilhelm Weßels, overall project manager of the EM Office in Gelsenkirchen, in the announcement. The city intends to fulfill this wish.
Souvenir bags or pencil cases as EM memorabilia
Moreover, the city also plans to upcycle some European Championship flags and banners. In collaboration with social institutions in Gelsenkirchen, they intend to create bags or pencil cases from them.
A sustainable use of as many promotional materials as possible was part of the city's concept from the beginning, it was stated. According to city information, the tournament was promoted in Gelsenkirchen and outside of it on a total of approximately 7,500 promotional carriers.
Upcycling also in Cologne and Düsseldorf
In Cologne, plans are underway to create pencil cases and bags of various sizes from the European Championship flag fabric, a spokesperson for the city announced upon request. These will be made in a Caritas workshop and used as merchandise products for the Cologne Sports Year. The PVC plans will also be recycled and new banners made from them.
Plans for the upcycling of European Championship promotional materials are also running in Düsseldorf. "The promotional materials used in the host city Düsseldorf are being collected and will be sustainably recycled through an Upcycling Program," said a city spokesperson. More detailed information will be announced at a later time.
Fans who visited Gelsenkirchen during the European Football Championship might be interested in obtaining souvenirs, as the city is offering some of the used promotional materials for free. The city of Cologne also intends to create pencil cases and bags from the European Championship flag fabric, which will be used as merchandise products during the Cologne Sports Year. Gelsenkirchen's plans for upcycling include collaborating with social institutions to create bags or pencil cases from championship flags and banners. Düsseldorf is collecting the promotional materials used in the city and plans to sustainably recycle them through an Upcycling Program.
