tart cherries and sweet carries

Traverse City, Michigan

Situation

Marking the first full-fledged festival since 2019, the return of the National Cherry Festival this July was cause for ample celebration. A weekslong event devoted to the cherished local produce, the absence of this July jubilee had left a considerable void in the community—making its ultimate return all the sweeter. Featuring a full slate of live concerts, packed parades, and a variety of cherry-themed activities (who can forget the pie-eating contest) the 96th iteration of this annual festival was experiencing a long awaited second life. Highly attuned to this notion of renewal was company and Cherry Festival partner, Priorlife. Powered by Britten Inc, this sustainable solutions company transforms used banner material into one-of-a-kind tote bags. Ripe for a collaboration, Priorlife upcycled outdated Cherry Festival pole banners (another Britten Inc. product) into a highly coveted collection befitting the cheery air of this cherry affair.

Solution

A longtime client, the National Cherry Festival has an established pole banner program with Britten Inc. Every July for 30 days leading up to and during the festivities, custom printed cherry-centric pole banners line the bustling lanes of Grandview Parkway. Secured with BannerSaver™ brackets these high-quality pole banners last for years and with a special arrangement in place, Britten Inc. removes, stores, and reinstalls these banners each year for the National Cherry Festival organization. Inevitably designs or ideas change, and these reused banners become outdated. So, what to do with this unused vinyl? The solution is Priorlife! Specializing in sustainable upcycling, Priorlife takes the outdated pole banners and creates a totally novel and refreshed product. Stitching the durable vinyl into attractive tote bags, Priorlife created a Cherry Festival specific commemorative collection. Embellished with the National Cherry Festival logo, these former banners turned trendy totes become officially licensed keepsakes—a collection so popular that 79% of the order sold online before it even hit the souvenir tent!

Impact

Applying a forward-thinking approach to materials that may be past their prime, Priorlife is creating positive changes and novel products. Crafting custom totes from otherwise discarded vinyl materials, this Britten Inc. backed company is proving that creative sustainable solutions abound. Knowing that the National Cherry Festival was a longtime client of Britten Inc pole banners and their BannerSaver™ systems, coordinating on a Priorlife project was sure to be a fruitful endeavor. From outdated to upcycled, these former pole banners live on as cherished Cherry Festival keepsakes, and that is a pretty sweet deal.