Paris Just Closed: 5 Medal Industry Takeaways from the Games 🥈

The cauldron was extinguished Sunday night. Already three of the design decisions Paris made will show up in regional sport medals over the next 24 months. Here is what to watch for.

Recycled-Material Stories Are Now Standard

Paris embedded a literal piece of history (Eiffel iron) into every medal. The broader signal: medals that incorporate a recycled or commemorative material now have an unbeatable narrative hook. For any anniversary event you brief in the next two years, ask whether there is a local material — old stadium seating, retired equipment, scrap from a notable building — that can become a small inlay.

Less Color, More Texture

The Paris medals use almost no color — just metal, texture, and the iron inlay. Compare to Tokyo 2020 which leaned hard into reflective rainbow finishes. Expect a trend swing across regional medals: less full-color UV print, more focus on tactile finishes (sandblast, brushed, hammered). RS Trophy is already seeing the request shift in client briefs.