Tradeprint is proud to announce the launch of its Banner Return Pilot Scheme in January 2026, a UK-first initiative designed to significantly reduce the environmental impact of PVC and PVC-free display banners.
Built on circular economy principles, the scheme enables customers to return used banners for responsible recycling. Collected materials will be repurposed into durable infrastructure products such as traffic cones and road barriers, providing a smarter end-of-life route than landfill or incineration.
As part of the pilot, Tradeprint is working closely with Antalis, one of Europe’s leading distributors of visual communications media, to leverage their UK depot network as regional drop-off points. This collaboration helps overcome a significant logistical barrier in banner recycling and supports the scheme’s goal of being easy and scalable.
“In a circular world, waste isn’t the end; it’s the beginning,” said Anthony Rowell, Sales & Customer Success Director and Sustainability Lead at Tradeprint. “Recycling isn’t just about recovery; it’s about respect for resources, for the planet, and for future generations. We are all really excited about this trial and so grateful for the support from the team at Antalis, Reconomy, FESPA UK and the IPIA. I genuinely hope this inspires others to develop similar schemes”, added Rowell.
The pilot scheme aims to:
- Reduce environmental impact from PVC and PVC-free materials produced by Tradeprint.
- Educate and encourage customers to adopt sustainable disposal behaviours.
- Increase customer loyalty and repeat order frequency through positive ESG alignment.
- Establish proof of concept for a scalable return model in print.
- Reinforce Tradeprint’s leadership in sustainability and responsible production.
- To inspire other printers to develop similar return schemes.
Tradeprint’s collaboration with Katie Farr, Marketing & Communications Manager at Antalis, reflects their shared commitment to driving sustainability across the print supply chain. Both Farr and Rowell are Council Members of The Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA),which has been instrumental in fostering innovation across the sector.
The initiative has also benefited from strong early backing by Jon Hutton of FESPA UK and Reconomy, both of whom have supported Tradeprint during the development of this pioneering approach.
“As we transition away from problematic plastics like PVC, it’s crucial we support our customers in making better, informed choices,” added Rowell. “This pilot helps us do just that while strengthening the commercial case for sustainability.”
The pilot went live 5th January 2026 and includes customer education, return incentives, and data on the CO₂(e) savings. Long-term, the ambition is to roll out a fully scalable model across the UK print industry.
Tradeprint invites partners, customers and industry peers to take part in shaping a more circular and responsible future for print.
For more information about the scheme visit: https://www.tradeprint.co.uk/additional-services/banner-return-scheme and our Blog https://blog.tradeprint.co.uk/tradeprints-banner-return-scheme-driving-a-circular-economy-in-print or email: arowell@tradeprint.co.uk