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sustainable pickleball trophy

A sustainable pickleball trophy: the Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships 2025

The Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships 2025 introduced the first fully sustainable pickleball trophy in professional pickleball, designed by Upstream Trophies in partnership with Veolia. But why does this matter? Pickleball is a fast-growing modern sport. Its fast growth brings the opportunity to cement in new traditions, breaking free from the set design and shape that…

Published on March 30, 2026

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Custom event trophies: The complete guide to designing awards

Event trophies are awards presented to recognize achievement at ceremonies, competitions, corporate events, and community gatherings. More than simple prizes, they are physical symbols of success that reflect the values, identity, and story of the organization presenting them. From bespoke corporate trophies to sports awards and community recognition pieces, event trophies take many forms. The…

Published on March 30, 2026

Employee recognition: why recognising employees improves retention, engagement, and organisational performance

Employee recognition in sales teams is an important incentive used in many businesses, but other teams’ achievements and contributions often go overlooked. Are organisations today falling short of this culture-shaping gesture? Business identity is built by all the people within the eco-system who drive operations forward – meaning employee recognition for every department helps support…

Published on February 23, 2026

2026 Winter Olympic medals: Milan Cortina design and the history of Olympic awards

2026 Winter Olympic medals: Milan Cortina design and the history of Olympic awards

2026 Winter Olympic medals: Design Each year, the awards at the Olympic Games are reimagined to symbolise not only the event, but also a global attitude. The 2026 Winter Olympic Medals are no different. Maintaining the minimal trend that we’ve seen in recent years, the Olympic medal design at first glance looks simple. Looking closer,…

Published on February 4, 2026

Corporate sustainability

Corporate sustainability at scale: How Schneider Electric are leading the circular economy

Schneider Electric’s approach to sustainable business operations Some companies talk about corporate sustainability while others organise their entire business around it. Schneider Electric falls into the latter. From creating energy management software to installing EV charging points and assisting other companies in reducing emissions, Schnieder Electric is a one-stop wonder when it comes to sustainable…

Published on January 21, 2026

How to live sustainably

How to live sustainably in 2026: Small changes, real impact

How to live sustainably is a question at the back of all of our minds – especially following the over-consumption holiday of the year. Well, the buzz of Christmas now seems like a distant memory. 2026 is in full swing. Time feels slow, and fresh starts are possible. While planning your goals for the year…

Published on January 21, 2026

Pickleball Trophy

The rise of the Pickleball trophy: from backyard antics to professional accolades

Pickleball. The sport’s name itself is one of whimsy – and up until recently, the trophies followed suit. As Pickleball became more popular, the Pickleball trophies got more serious. Here, we take a look at the brief history of Pickleball, the tournaments, and the trophies. The history of Pickleball It’s summer in Seattle, 1965. Three…

Published on January 12, 2026

Custom shaped trophy

Top 5 advantages of customised trophies and awards in professional sports

Sports trophies are a culmination of effort and achievement – but does the design match the triumph? ‘Modern’ trophies For an athlete, a spot on the podium is often the pinnacle of their career. Each win represents a different set of challenges overcome, and with it comes an awe-inspiring story of adversity, growth, and talent.…

Published on November 11, 2025

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Really different trophies: 6 ways to create a unique sports award

Searching for a sports trophy results in the same tired silhouette. We’ve come up with the solution. The cost of mass-produced trophies Much like everything else in the world, the standard sports trophy is mass-produced. Factories in Malaysia, China, and Vietnam churn out the same models in conveyor-belt fashion – all produced with little thought…

Published on November 11, 2025

Why we moved to a green hosting provider and why you should too

Why we moved to a green hosting provider and why you should too

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 a Sustainable Startup a Suicidal Business Model?

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

Eco vs. efficiency:choosing the right shipping path

Eco vs. efficiency:choosing the right shipping path

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 visual

Are we greenwashing?

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

recycled vs recyclable

The recycling dilemma

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

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95% of trophies fail to honor real achievement

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 used their trophies as storytelling tools

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

Using glue or screwsin assembly?

Using glue or screwsin assembly?

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