We made an important shift, not in our physical operations, but in our digital footprint. We moved our website to a green hosting provider, reducing its environmental impact. Like many, we hadn’t thought much about the carbon footprint of our website until recently. But after coming across a post by Megan Thudium, we realized just…
Published on January 30, 2025
Is building a sustainable startup setting it up for failure? Scaling any business is tough, but when sustainability is at its core, the challenges multiply. Higher costs, added complexity, and an uneven playing field—where polluting companies aren’t held accountable for their impact—make it even harder to survive. In the Netherlands alone, eight recycling companies went…
Published on January 23, 2025
Welcome to Eco Dilemmas, our blog series where we explore the challenges we face at Upstream Trophies as we strive to create sustainable, high-quality awards. From designing our trophies to tackling broader issues like sourcing materials, packaging and transportation, every decision impacts the balance between sustainability, design and cost. At Upstream Trophies, sustainability doesn’t stop…
Published on January 8, 2025
Greenwashing. It’s a word that’s becoming increasingly relevant, especially with the upcoming Green Claims Directive. At Upstream Trophies, we’ve learned firsthand how easy it is to unintentionally fall into this trap, even with the best intentions. When we started, we proudly claimed our trophies were “made from 100% recycled plastic.” But after attending a workshop…
Published on November 19, 2024
Welcome to Eco-Dilemmas, our blog series where we explore the challenges we face at Upstream Trophies as we strive to create sustainable, high-quality awards. From designing our trophies to tackling broader issues like sourcing materials, packaging and transportation, every decision impacts the balance between sustainability, design and cost. At Upstream Trophies, we aim to renew…
Published on November 13, 2024
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…
Published on November 3, 2024
The Romans were already in the trophy business and we’re copying their storytelling skills. In ancient Rome, soldiers collected weapons and armor from defeated enemies. Using them to create statues representing gods or warriors, called a tropaeum.. These trophies, often inscribed with the date of the battle. It was usually showcased in the city rather…
Published on October 2, 2024
Welcome to Eco-dilemmas, our blog series where we explore the challenges we face at Upstream Trophies as we strive to create sustainable, high-quality awards. From designing our trophies to tackling broader issues like sourcing materials, packaging, and transportation, every decision impacts the balance between sustainability, design, and cost. At Upstream Trophies, we are constantly weighing…
Published on October 2, 2024
