Beauty of waste
Welcome to The Beauty of Waste, a blog series featuring insightful interviews with the Upstream Trophies team. From the challenges of working with recycled materials to bold opinions on design and sustainability, each post dives into the future of the trophy industry. These aren’t just stories, they’re conversations meant to spark ideas and challenge the norm. Join us as we explore the beauty and potential of waste, and rethink what’s possible in sustainable design.
Casper van der Meer
CEO of Upstream Trophies
95% of trophies fail to honor real achievement
Trophies are often handed out to celebrate extraordinary achievements. Whether it’s excelling in business, acknowledging groundbreaking innovation or winning a major sporting event. What surprises me is that we continue to reward these accomplishments with the same unoriginal, old-school and frankly dull trophies. It feels like a contradiction. Why celebrate something exceptional with something that’s been the same for decades? When achievements are evolving, the way we celebrate them should evolve too. And that’s exactly what we’re doing at Upstream Trophies, we’re setting a new standard.
Why celebrate extraordinary achievements with a tombstone?
Take a look at what’s typically offered: the standard glass trophies that all start to blur together. If you’ve won several, you probably have some very similar trophies sitting on your shelf right now. Then there are the classic, cheap and soulless sports trophies which are still being used a lot for B2B award ceremonies, often mass-produced in China.
Even so-called “sustainable” trophies are uninspired. These are usually just a wooden block with something generic glued on top. And don’t get me started on resin trophies, an eco-friendly nightmare in a world moving towards sustainability. These options not only lack creativity but fail to honor the true uniqueness of the achievements they’re supposed to represent. These kinds of trophies essentially send the message, “Sure, we’re celebrating you, but we don’t care.”
A new standard
I believe we can overcome these issues by rethinking what a trophy should represent. Instead of relying on the same old materials and designs. We do this by focusing on using repurposed or recycled resources. Leveraging the backstory of the material, for example this trophy used to be a refrigerator. Working with these materials brings a real sense of pride. Not just for the person making the trophy, but for the one receiving it too. As a trophy maker you want to show the care and thoughtfulness that went into its creation, rather than being just another mass-produced item. You might wonder, “Who cares?” But trophies are a direct reflection of your brand. Do you want your brand to be represented by something dull, polluting, and uninspiring? Or by something you can proudly present?
Why customization matters
I’ve always believed that a trophy should be as unique as the achievement it celebrates. That’s why we offer custom design options that allow our clients to be part of the process. I love working closely with our clients. Understanding their vision and translating that into an award that truly reflects their values. This could mean using materials that resonate with a company’s story or even making it from actual waste materials from the company itself. In this way we’re creating a design that captures the essence of a brand and has a backstory to the actual operations of the company.
Sustainability should not be a marketing gimmick
Sustainability should be central to how we honor achievement. Symbolizing both excellence and a commitment to making a positive impact, is how we truly celebrate success in today’s world. Other companies may offer sustainable trophies, but too often I see basic, DIY-looking designs that lack elegance and fail to inspire. We push boundaries by blending high-end design with sustainability. Creating awards that spark conversations, tell a story and create sustainability ambassadors. The industry needs this shift. Trophies should reflect the future, not repeat the past.
I’m Casper from Upstream Trophies and we create unique, high end and sustainable awards that deserve to be seen. We believe that every piece of waste can be reborn into an extraordinary statement piece that adds a touch of glory to any office or home. Our motto? Form follows material. Specializing in plastics and utilizing diverse waste streams, our material-first approach is an ode to modern craftsmanship. From material passports and transport with a minimal carbon footprint to locally scouted and recycled materials: we set the standard in sustainability and proof is in every trophy.
Upstream Trophies – From waste to glory.
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