The scene after any road race is always equal parts celebration, relief and … a big mess. The ground is littered with paper cups, shredded bibs and plenty of unidentified pieces of trash, waiting for the volunteers to come through and clean up. 

While most of these race volunteers have a love for the sport and a commitment to a successful event, and don’t mind scooping up the mess left behind from all the festivities earlier in the day, there is one hazard that sets them off — getting their fingers pricked by a bunch of safety pins that fell off of race bibs.

Not only can the safety pins used to fasten race bibs to athletes cause irritation by poking or rubbing race participants, they can also pose a great danger to race volunteers and have long-lasting impacts on the environment.

Enter BibBoards, which has carved a specialty niche by creating an eco-friendly and safer alternative to safety pins. These safety pins so often used at races to secure bibs to shirt fronts can wreak havoc on humans – ouch! – and can also have massive implications on the surrounding environment, including birds and animals that call the race area home.

Outdoor races need to show an appreciation for the environment and are taking significant steps by cutting down on paper cups, disposable route markers and even T-Shirts. Participants appreciate the efforts and a little thing like BibBoards goes a long way to earning their gratitude — and to doing a little something for Mother Nature.

BibBoards are simply a snap-and-lock device made to fasten race bibs to all types of fabric over and over again. BibBoards are reusable and built to last out of recyclable nylon plastic, making them a cost-effective option to care for the earth while enjoying the sport. 

As an added bonus, BibBoards have been certified as Prop 65 compliant, meaning they do not have harmful levels of chemicals in them. 

The sales pitch to race directors is that BibBoards will come in handy over and over, in every race or competition setting. A race director who opts to make the switch from safety pins to a product such as BibBoards can set the bar for sustainability while knowing that the branded BibBoard goes from race to race with every competitor that has BibBoards with their logo on them. It’s an investment for the event and an investment for the earth.

Racers, who naturally spend a lot of time in the Great Outdoors, are the same people who care about preserving nature for generations to come and they are already demanding sustainable solutions from the events in which they participate. Race directors and retailers need to respond to that demand.