Cardboard Tents: A Sustainable Solution to Festival Waste

Every summer, UK music festivals witness a recurring issue: the abandonment of thousands of plastic tents, contributing to a significant environmental problem. According to the Association of Independent Festivals, around 250,000 tents are left behind annually, most of which end up in landfills.

Tayla Evans, a young entrepreneur, decided to tackle this issue head-on. She founded EnviroTent, a startup that creates recyclable and biodegradable camping gear made from cardboard. Despite initial skepticism, Evans assures that the cardboard tents, designed with a unique seven-sided structure, are sturdy and capable of withstanding a three-day festival weekend, "come rain or shine."

According to CNN, 

The cardboard tents offer several benefits, including better insulation and light-blocking properties, which have been well-received by festival-goers. Moreover, the tents are customizable, allowing users to personalize their shelters, making them easily identifiable amidst a sea of tents.

EnviroTent is not alone in this endeavor. Dutch company KarTent has been producing cardboard tents since 2015, offering a solution to the single-use tent issue plaguing festivals. Their tents, retailing at €68 ($73), are made from 73% recycled cardboard and have found a substantial market in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Despite the promising initiative, some argue that the focus should be on encouraging festival attendees to reuse and maintain high-quality camping kits, steering clear of single-use items altogether. Shambala Festival, for instance, promotes audience education and behavior change over the use of biodegradable tents.

As the industry explores various solutions, including rental platforms like Tentshare and initiatives like "No Tent Left Behind" by Decathlon, the consensus remains that reducing waste and promoting sustainable practices is the ultimate goal.