BLOND:ISH Foundation's Collaboration With Gigwell Aims To Make Touring More Sustainable Through Eco-Rider 2.0

BLOND:ISH’s Bye Bye Plastic Foundation has joined forces with Gigwell to deliver a sustainable rider option to over 100,000 music industry professionals.

As we continue to evaluate how single-use plastics contribute to climate change, DJ and producer BLOND:ISH is spearheading a sustainability movement within the music industry. Working to eliminate plastics from music spaces, she founded the nonprofit Bye Bye Plastic in 2018, which officially became a foundation in 2020.

Since its inception, the Bye Bye Plastic Foundation has partnered with industry events such as SXM Festival while simultaneously teaming up with eco-conscious DJs like Adam Beyer and Gorgon City. Providing an environmentally friendly hospitality option to incorporate into their booking process, the Eco-Rider has been adopted by over 1,500 performers since its launch in 2019, saving more than 325,000+ single-use plastic bottles from reaching landfills.

Now launching the Eco-Rider 2.0, Bye Bye Plastic enlisted the help of booking and tour management platform Gigwell to reach their monstrous network of over 100,000 artists, managers, and booking teams. Along with a new and improved rider aimed to bring sustainability to the forefront of artists’ tours, the partnership will provide networking spaces and educational resources for those who opt in.

When I started using the Eco-Rider, 100% of my events were using plastic. Now I’m down to 20%, and not even just in the DJ booth, but the actual entire event is single-use plastic-free.
BLOND:ISH

Bye Bye Plastic was launched through Amsterdam Dance Event’s Pro ShortCut panel. Foundation Co-Founder Camille Guitteau and Gigwell CEO Jermaine Habib presented their new toolkit there, sparking a conversation around sustainability practices in touring.

The Eco-Rider 2.0 is already experiencing an outpour of support as artists Sam Feldt, VNSSA, and Mia Moretti have felt called to join the movement. While the advisory board, comprised of Chambord, Apache, and Luzi Tudor, are spearheading the growth of the project, Dirtybird, EMPIRE, and Protocol Agency are creating change by bringing the inventive service to their respective agencies.

As touring artists, the small choices we make every day add up. Eco-Rider 2.0 gives my team clear, practical steps to lower our footprint, and when artists, venues, and crews align around it, making better choices becomes the default backstage.
Sam Feldt