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 is familiar in the sporting world.
Its wide adoption makes it the perfect sport for debuting fresh ideas around sustainable sports design, while giving sustainability a global commercial platform.
Where sustainability, climate and circular economy are making a shift – from mere talking points to being integrated into culture – it is becoming a relevant subject for sports organisations and sponsors. Especially so for those organisations looking to appeal to a less traditional demographic.
As we roll on to this year’s Pickleball Championships, we take a look back at the creation of the first-ever sustainable pickleball championship trophy.
The Veolia Atlanta Pickleball Championships 2025 trophy
The Veolia Pickleball Championship Sunday was the pinnacle of the tournament, featuring the finals for all divisions. It was the culmination of a series of high-level tournaments, where the winners compete against each other for the title.
Once announced, the winners collect their trophies. In 2025, we were proud to create the sustainable pickleball championship trophy on behalf of Veolia. Their partnership with the PPA helped shift every aspect of sustainability into the public view.
Our vision was to create something striking. A piece that reflected Veolia, PPA, and the individuality of Pickleball. We wanted to design a sustainable sports trophy as the default, using that as a foundation upon which we could create something truly distinctive.
The first 100% sustainable professional pickleball trophy.
We primarily used bioplastics derived from potato starch along with other recycled plastics to develop an award like no other. Materials that would normally be considered waste were transformed into a distinctive new material with unique texture, color and character.
We were keen to design something different. Something that would raise eyebrows – but in the right way. But to be accepted in the world of sports, we needed to hold on to a piece of tradition – the story.
These symbolic stories can be seen in sports trophies and championship awards throughout sport. From the Olympic medals to boxing belts, each award has its own story to tell. The story tells a tale of the awarding body. It depicts the journey of the athlete. It displays the brand. This is a tradition we can not only cling to, but elevate.
Who are Veolia and why sustainability matters in professional sports
Veolia is a global leader in water and waste management and energy solutions. They are leaders in transforming ecological processes and pioneers in changing our relationship to waste.
They act as a sustainability partner for the PPA Tour, helping shape a more sustainable future for the sport through eco-friendly initiatives such as water bottle and pickleball recycling stations.
Along with the PPA, Veolia’s goal is to expand its influence and make professional pickleball a greener sport, for players and spectators alike.
Designing a sustainable trophy for pickleball
Designing and creating a sustainable pickleball trophy that reflected the values of the PPA and Veolia was a rewarding and innovative experience.
With the help of rEvolution, we developed the award made from a biobased 3D printed structure and recycled plastic, including Veolia’s signature 3 red bands symbolising: water, waste and energy.
As with any sports trophy, we believe awards are for life – and we design with this thought in mind. Longevity, durability and strength are all fcators that need to be considered, especially when working with materials that innovate.
For a brand such as Veolia (and for designers like us!) the design needs to be a visual success. Distinctive and new, yet recognisable. Our priority was making sure that the sustainable pickleball trophy didn’t lose character. It had to emulate Veolia and their vision, as well as representing the PPA athletes’ journey.
This was achieved through material context as well as design, allowing us to build the trophy story out with multiple dimensions.
Upstream Trophies and the PPA Tour pickleball partnership
As trophy creators, we are increasingly building our presence in the sports industry primarily through our work with sports marketing agencies. Pickleball was on the rise, and the professional pickleball tournament was already on our radar.
Sponsorship for the tournament by waste management giant Veolia meant the goal was to find a high-end award made from recycled and sustainable materials.
When rEvolution (sports marketing agency for PPA) saw our portfolio, they reached out. The design collaboration began.
As a modern sport, there is plenty of room for innovative pickleball trophy design – meaning the possibilities are endless.
Our vision, from waste to glory, points to a shared interest with Veolia. Sustainability. Efficient waste. Circular economy. Combine that with PPA’s innovation in modern sports and their culture of continuous improvement? It’s quite the match.
For such a fast-growing sport, the opportunity to have a pickleball trophy that is unique in shape, design and build is an important piece of the marketing puzzle. With a trophy, the sport is never forgotten. The physical reminder is there – in pictures or in reality.
After the success of this design, we’re excited to continue our collaboration with the PPA and Veolia, creating pickleball championship trophies for the 2026 Pickleball Championships.
Turning waste into a championship moment through sustainable trophy design
Designing sustainable sports trophies allows us to add another dimension to the story. The award is no longer simply built for a purpose, but instead it’s continued on its material journey, which is clearly documented with the use of a material passport on the trophy base.
Our material passport feature enhances the storytelling power of material reuse by communicating the source of each element of the trophy. It takes transparency a step further, making sustainability both visible and tangible in the form of an award.
Our goal is for the sustainable pickleball trophy – and sustainable sports trophies more widely – to become the standard in design. The design-led innovation we pioneer at Upstream Trophies would – and does – allow us to take this standard and create something with even more meaning. A discarded item or a byproduct that journeys into an award with purpose. An athlete’s transformation is no longer simply represented by a trophy; it mimics their metamorphosis: from waste to glory.
