STADICHAIR and STADISEAT create a sustainable cycle
Decommissioned stadium chairs are now being given a new lease of life: STADICHAIR and STADISEAT work hand in glove when it comes to upcycling and recycling. Stadium seating shells that are still intact are upgraded into stadium chairs that make them cult objects for fans. Damaged stadium seating shells are granulated and used in the production of new stadium seating shells, which are then reinstalled in the stadium. Stadium chair sales can thus contribute to the refinancing of a conversion project. The comprehensive service provided by STADICHAIR and STADISEAT goes a long way towards sustainability.
Founder Jonas Braamt built the first prototype of a STADICHAIR back in 2018. At a flea market of the football club Arminia Bielefeld, he was able to lay his hands on an old stadium seating shell from the Alm football ground. With his family‘s help he made it into a chair, but it took two years of fine-tuning the design before the new business idea was put into practice. Since then, the company has been producing stadium chairs sustainably and regionally in East Westphalia. The company has since developed a support frame for almost any stadium seating shell and sells the combinations as chairs or bar stools.
Upcycling instead of disposal
Sustainability is writ large at STADICHAIR. Until now, stadium seating shells have had to be disposed of as hazardous waste. As upcycled fan products, the company gives them a second life as fully functional chairs for your very own home. The company also attaches great importance to sustainability and regional sourcing in its choice of suppliers. The goal is a high-grade German quality product. The suppliers therefore all come from East Westphalia, thus resulting in short delivery routes. The chair legs, for example, are crafted by a carpenter in the region from FSC-certified wood waste.
Sport is fuelled by emotion
Emotion is a key factor at STADICHAIR. Every fan and season ticket holders especially are familiar with the emotional attachment to their seats. They‘ve been through a lot in this seat: the legendary derby victory, the championship or promotion, but also bitter defeats and even relegation. STADICHAIR has the solution that brings these emotions into your own four walls.
Photos: Stadichair
100% sustainable
Photos: Stadichair
But what happens to stadium seating shells that are damaged beyond repair? This is where STADISEAT, the second company, comes in. The old stadium seating shells are segregated and ground into granulate that is used in the production of new stadium seating shells. For this purpose, STADISEAT uses a recyclable polyamide that it has developed in-house and that satisfies the requirements to be met by stadium seating shells, and even exceeding them on some counts. Without compromising on strength or fire safety, the stadium seating shell made entirely of recycled material is available in all RAL Classic colours. With a regional partner in the plastics sector, production is possible at short notice, with short delivery routes and with quality of the highest order.
Achieving climate goals
The sustainability goals of the German Football League in terms of licensing as well as its 2030 climate goals call for a rethink of conventional products towards sustainable and recyclable alternatives. The carbon footprint is minimised by using sustainable raw materials and by locating production in Germany. The stadium seating shells scores well in four categories in certification by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) for sustainable buildings. In addition, the company is aiming for a vanguard position with various certifications (Blue Angel, EU ECOLabel, EPEA on the cradle-to-cradle principle).
Cycle within a cycle
Working hand in glove, the two companies STADICHAIR and STADISEAT thus create their own cycle extending from the production of sustainable stadium seating shells to the upcycling of old shells.
In practice, this entails the removal and segregation of the stadium seating shells. Those that are still intact are then cleaned and reconditioned and then upgraded into stadium chairs. Damaged stadium seating shells are ground into granulate that goes into the production of new, recyclable stadium seating shells. These are then installed in the stadium in place of the old stadium seating shells. Stadium chair sales can thus contribute to the refinancing of a conversion to the new seating. Thanks to this comprehensive approach by STADISEAT and STADICHAIR, synergies are fully exploited.
The all-round service is rounded off by the products of goracon® ARENA SOLUTIONS, the contact for VIP boxes, hospitality areas, reporter and wheelchair spaces, and press and video analysis rooms.
