Dismantling Party and Smash Bros Tournament!

Thanks to the efforts of Indigenous leadership, The Standing Strong Task Force and allys across campus, the school has changed its name to Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). With this incredible progress comes the question - what happens to all the stuff with the old branding? There's an immense amount of branded objects, including old campus merchandise, stationary, signage and more, that can no longer be appropriately used. Without intervention, leftover university merchandise would be thrown out - but together we can help divert this waste from landfills.

Join the Design Fabrication Zone (DFZ) and the Athletics Deparment on October 11th to dismantle old branded merchandise that cannot otherwise be reused! With your help, individual parts will be returned to manufacturers and repurposed in productive ways. In supporting TMU’s Branded Materials Transition Project we can work together to reduce waste. Drop by to dismantle a little or stay to dismantle a lot - any contribution helps!

Feel free to drop-in to 110 Bond Street (The Innovation Studio on TMU Campus) anytime during the Dismantling Party, and stay for as long as you like or until 8pm. Staff will welcome you into the building and direct you to the second floor where dismantling instructions will be provided. The Innovation Studio is a physically accessible, barrier free building with an elevator.

This time, we're joining forces with the Transmedia Zone to bring you thrilling entertainment for the evening in the form of a Super Smash Brothers Tournament! Starting around 6pm, participants have the option to either just spectate the games or compete in a casual tournament and win prizes! Transmedia Zone really amps-up the energy, so it's going to be a blast!

Let’s take a look at lanyards as an example of what dismantling old merchandise will look like:

TMU has over 20,000 branded lanyards that are destined to landfill without intervention. The old lanyards are made of three main types of materials:

1. Metal swivelling clips to hold keys/cards

2. Polyester ribbons that wrap around the wearer’s neck

3. Plastic clips that connects the lanyard behind the neck

❌ When these materials are combined as a lanyard, they cannot be repurposed or recycled into new objects.

When these materials are dismantled:

✅ The metal swivels will be returned to their manufacturer

✅ The polyester ribbons will be shredded and reused in felting projects. The School of Fashion will also be using these ribbons for bindings and trimmings.

✅ The plastic clips can be used in various experimental art and engineering projects

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Design Fabrication Zone (DFZ), 110 Bond Street, Toronto, Canada