Have you ever thought about what happens to the beautiful and colourful banners that decorate the exhibition spaces in museums? These are unique pieces of art designed with a great deal of talent and care. They are created to promote a specific exhibition in and around the museum, yet their singularity is also what makes them difficult to reuse. Their content becomes obsolete as soon as a new exhibition opens and they are shoved somewhere in a cupboard to be forever forgotten. But it doesn't have to be like that and here at National Football Museum we have found a way to upcycle the banners and give them a new life.
The exhibition
Between 22nd November 2019 and 9th May 2021 National Football Museum organised one of the most popular (and longest) exhibition the museum has ever seen: STRIP! How Football Got Shirty.
The exhibition was an incredibly colourful trip through the history of football jerseys which analysed the development of fashion, design and technology.
For those of you who didn't manage to visit it, you can still enjoy it and access some extra content at this link.
For the exhibition Mark Johnson created some exceptional banners to not only promote it but also to decorate the museum. Here's an example:
These banners were inspired by some of the most famous designs seen on football pitches all around the world. You can see these designs on Mark's website.
Once the exhibition was over the banners were safely stored in our storage cupboard waiting for a new life...
The aftermath of STRIP! banners: totes and pencil cases
Banner Bags is an outstanding company that helps businesses and organizations to benefit from upcycling and thus they became our first choice when it came to transform these banners.
After reading their welcoming message 'You've created attention-grabbing visual banners, printed on strong resilient material. Don't waste them. Use them...', we thought it was time to send these banners away for a makeover.
Two weeks after their spa treatments, our banners came back in the shape of tote bags and pencil cases.
Each one of them is an incredible unique piece that you won't find anywhere else. The designs of the banners are spread over different products creating an exquisite special fashionable item.
These will make an exceptional present to give to a friend or to yourself. Not only will you have a one of kind bag or pencil case, but you will also receive a piece of National Football Museum history. You will be able to own a piece of exhibition!
Why upcycle?
National Football Museum is aiming to reduce our direct carbon emissions by 50% by 2025.
The museum is committed to reach this goal with a variety of different initiative including educating staff, improving the heating and cooling system to reduce consumption and recycling/upcycling.
Through the upcycling of STRIP! banners we have contributed in reducing waste and we will aim to reuse banners as much as possible to create products that you will love in all their aspects.
Shop our upcycled banners bags and pencil cases.