Beyond the Court
At the Australian Open, every "hit" counts. But for Valiant, the most important hit happens off the court. Sustainability isn't just a buzzword for our team; it’s about "Closing the Loop" on waste and proving that high-design furniture can have a circular heartbeat. This year at AO26, we were proud to unveil a bespoke furniture collection that has been over a year in the making—transforming the waste of yesterday into the resources of tomorrow.
From Waste to Resource
The tabletops installed at the new Western Courts Highline and the exclusive Players Lounge started their life as a different kind of baseline essential: the Dunlop ball canisters of AO25.
In a unique partnership with Tennis Australia and our sustainable manufacturing partners, Valiant undertook extensive R&D to solve a complex puzzle. The goal? To transform discarded PET plastic into a durable, high-performance material that could withstand the high-traffic environment of a Grand Slam. After months of testing and refining, the result is a technical triumph in recycled materials.
Design in the Detail
A circular product is only successful if it looks as good as it performs. We worked closely with the AO design team to ensure the material was custom-mixed to match the tournament’s specific color palette.
For an added touch of industrial elegance, we looked at the canister itself for inspiration. The aluminum rings from the original canisters were shredded and incorporated directly into the plastic mix. This creates a distinct, signature metallic fleck that catches the light, serving as a subtle visual reminder of the material's former life on the court.
A circular product is only successful if it looks as good as it performs
The Onsite Micro-Factory: Real-Time Circularity
The process didn't stop once the tables were delivered. To truly close the loop, Valiant deployed a mobile micro-factory to AO26, starting the recycling journey on site.
Working in real-time during the tournament, our team shredded approximately 16,000 canisters over just 48 hours. These canisters—which would have otherwise headed to landfill—were converted into high-grade pellets on the spot. These pellets are the raw materials for the furniture of AO27.
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A Legacy That Lasts
By keeping these materials within the AO ecosystem, Valiant and Tennis Australia are ensuring that every tournament leaves a legacy—not just in the record books, but in the very furniture the fans enjoy.
But our mission doesn't stop at the tennis. Our mobile micro-factory is already moving on to its next "waste to resource" project, currently onsite at the F1 to process floating pontoons.
