TRUE, formally ZeroWaste, is a whole-systems approach aimed at changing how materials flow through society, resulting in no waste. TRUE Zero Waste promotes processes that consider the entire life cycle of products used within a facility.

Because of the various trademark challenges, the ZeroWaste brand needed to be renamed and rebranded. Originally, the creative brief for this project toggled between two options for the new name: “Minuswaste,” which does not include the zero waste terminology and was difficult to trademark, and “TRUE,” which stands for Total Resource Use and Efficiency.

The goal of this rebranding project was to create a full identity package, including logo design, style and usage guidelines. One of the challenges with this identity was to create a logo that reflects a zero-waste life cycle in a minimalistic form. The client wanted to convey a future-focused and innovative brand and included these samples as inspiration:

I began my usual three-step process for developing this new identity: research, sketch, revise and finalize.

1) Research

It’s important to see what’s already in the ether of logo design. What’s trendy right now? What’s classic? What styles really work for the industry? What is the client’s mission? Once I had a solid understanding of ZeroWaste’s mission, it was time to get the best possible understanding of what the client does to achieve this mission and who the target audience is.

2) Sketch

I presented several initial ideas. Here are some of the initial designs:

3) Revise

I created new versions of the initial ideas, based on the feedback given by the client.

4) Finalize

After submitting the final round of revisions, a design was chosen. At that point, all that was left was to put together the last few pieces of this identity puzzle:

• Logo details (logo color, spacing and sizes, etc.)
• Color palette
• Typography
• Applications and examples of usage (web, print, etc.)

The final logo embodies a nontraditional, continuous cycle using bold, clean lines. Ultimately, the redesign achieved a clean, minimalist design while maintaining the integrity of TRUE’s mission. The new identity is flexible to adapt to all media and presents a modern, professional aesthetic for longevity.

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