Dominique Huret, journalist at Cape Decision, explains how the Tomorrowland festival combines sustainability and technology in a ‘record-breaking’ summer of unity and music.
As Tomorrowland continues to set the global standard for festival experiences, 2025 will be remembered not only for the music and memories, but for proving that sustainability can be just as magical. Many were shocked to see the main stage dramatically engulfed in flame and light the night before the opening, but the festival organizers remained incredibly calm and positive - a reflection of Tomorrowland’s signature confidence and mastery of spectacle.
In Boom, Belgium, 400,000 “People of Tomorrow” from over 200 countries gathered over two magical weekends, as the world’s largest electronic music festival once again delivered an unforgettable celebration of music, unity, and wonder. But beyond the music and magic, this year marked a milestone for sustainability at the festival: the full-scale adoption of RFID-enabled reusable cups across Tomorrowland and DreamVille.
In partnership with Belgian innovators deSter, Aucxis, CupNation, and Weezevent, Tomorrowland replaced all single-use drinkware with sleek, semi-transparent smart cups - each carrying an embedded RFID chip linked to the festival’s cashless system. At the point of purchase, attendees paid a deposit of one Pearl per cup, automatically registered to their festival bracelet or card.
Returning the cup to any RFID-equipped return station triggered an immediate refund, making the process seamless and user-friendly. The system allowed millions of cups to be reused and recirculated throughout the two weekends, a major achievement in waste reduction for an event of this scale.
At the heart of the system was a high-capacity cleaning infrastructure powered by CupNation, capable of washing up to 500,000 cups per day at facilities in Antwerp province. Designed and produced in Belgium by deSter, a company known for sustainable packaging, the cups in PP were simple and branded with a Jupiler logo, so as to showcase their belonging to a closed-loop local economy.
Technology firm Aucxis, based in Stekene, provided the RFID integration ensuring fast, accurate tracking of every cup’s journey from bar to return station. Weezevent, Tomorrowland’s cashless partner, facilitated the deposit-refund system.
The result? A scalable, environmentally responsible solution that matched the festival’s massive footprint without compromising on experience. For hundreds of thousands of music lovers, it was more than just another cup, it was a symbol of Tomorrowland’s ongoing evolution, where innovation meets impact.
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