Circular thinking in practice
Biodegradable cups started our
circular journey
From year one, we began experimenting with single-use cups made from materials like PLA and 100% compostable and biodegradable materials like bagasse and palm leaf.
On-site water filtration was
introduced to supply clean tap water
Implemented a cashless system.
A cashless system helped with convenience and behavior, so we can plan and implement better practices.
Wonderfruit was certified carbon
neutral for the first time–and we
started our rewilding mission
We developed a carbon calculator to track emissions and offset them through tree planting. The funds raised were also donated to Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage (MFLF) to maintain the forests in Doi Tung.
TREE coin—a crypto initiative supporting mangrove conservation—was launched introducing the idea of natural capital, with each coin equaling one mangrove tree in Thor Heyerdahl Climate Park, Myanmar.
The overall progress of trees was represented through a workshop and living installation, ‘Treehugger Token’ by artist Wit Pimkanchanapong. The design was inspired by spirited wooden figures traditionally made by the Akha hill tribe in Northern Thailand.
Refill stations offered clean drinking water to reduce single-use water vessels, and provide basic public needs.
Original concept for trash monsters
Trash monsters roamed The Fields.
Made in collaboration with Trash Hero, Tom Potisit’s ‘Little Monsters’ were constructed from discarded chicken coops and over 2,000 lighters washed up on beaches around Thailand. These roaming puppets were modeled after deep-sea animals, evoking curiosity and inspiring conversations about how waste affects all living organisms.
Relocating to a new site allowed for rethinking and redesigning systems from the ground up. Art and architecture features were planned out with both longevity and briefness to time and space and environment. We thrive from locally and sustainably sourced materials
#Plasticdreams Wonderfruit 2018
‘#PlasticDreams’ by Nice Monster was animated using plastic waste collected from the streets of Bangkok. Its underwater dreamscapes invited Wonderers to connect with this relationship with nature.
By bringing or buying refillable cups, Wonderers prevented 200,000 cups from landing in our compost, and guests who picked up our sleekly designed rice husk or steel cups—called Wondercups—got to take home a piece of The Fields to use all year.
A site-wide ban on single-use cups promoted refill and reducing waste culture
We hosted an open call design competition for a sustainable pavilion.
The SUPER GREEN, SUPER CLEAN, SUPER LEAN design competition, co-hosted with Ab Rogers Design, invited Wonderers from all over the world to dream up evocative, sustainable structures and how it connects people—with the chance to bring them to life on site. Young architects from the winning team, Trojans Collective, wove together a structure made with bamboo and fibers dyed locally.
Our panel of judges included Deyan Sudjic, Aric Chen, Farshid Moussavi and Thai Architect Boonserm Premthada. Look through some of the shortlisted designs:
Lockdown sparked the launch of Fruitfull, a zero-waste, Michelin-star dining concept delivered in providing new ways of social connection and presentation
Food was packed into traditional lunchboxes and woven baskets and delivered to the homes of Wonderers, connecting them to a host of chefs and artists from around the globe in lockdown. It felt very special at that strange moment.
Zero waste to landfill was achieved for the first time
A program to recycle used cans was launched with Greenery.
Maggie—a pig—joined our team as the Head of Composting.
Used cans were donated to the Prostheses Foundation through the Aluminium Loop—empowering people with disabilities with mobility
We reduced waste from temporary bathrooms.
By 2023, we had built 291 permanent toilets, 126 of which were added that year. We also built 107 showers and 123 dressing rooms, all with plumbing to last for years to come. Instead of paper napkins, cloth hand towels provided for Wonderers to dry their hands—then rewashed before reuse.
Maintaining and committing to a circular community
We took a zero-waste approach to all bars at scale.
To serve drinks without generating landfill waste, fresh fruits were used in their entirety. Pineapple skins were used for tepache, ginger peels were brewed into ginger beer and citrus rinds were used in infusions. Any parts left over became compost for our fruit trees, feeding back to our land.
91 mattresses and 81 foldable mattresses used in past years were repurposed and donated to the Human Network Foundation. These donations benefit nearly 300 children across their initiatives, including the Child Protection and Development Center, Pattaya Orphanage and Sotpattana School for the Deaf.
Pop-up social interventions across The Fields showcased creative ways to use every available material on and around the site’s region, local bricks and upcycled timber. Some even encouraged people to kiss.
“With biophilia, tactility and haptics, at their heart, these interventions encourage us to more deeply embrace the emotional facets of life”
Social Intervention Manifesto
— Ab Rogers, Creative Director, ARD