Making something new

The ingenious concept of giving waste a second life first emerged with Antonio Lemaire. He didn't just share this new idea with his sons—Bernard, Laurent, and Alain, the future founders of Cascades—he demonstrated it, experimenting with recycled paper formulas using a simple kitchen blender.

Since 1964, Cascades has stood as a pioneer, driving sustainable solutions in the circular economy. Their vast product range—from cardboard and tissues to paper towels and toilet paper—is manufactured entirely using fibers recovered directly from Quebec households’ recycling bins.The Lemaire brothers’ company quickly became an international leader in recycling, celebrated globally for its eco-responsible strategy. This commercial success is underpinned by the strong family values maintained by the three founding brothers, who took turns serving as president for decades before smoothly transitioning leadership to the next generation.

To mark its entry into this new decade, Cascades wanted to tell its story through its four cardinal values: Respecting Nature; Stronger Together; Speaking the Truth; and Better Every Day.

Set in a cardboard décor, the exhibit design allows the public to explore these values through testimonials from the passionate men and women who have worked, or who currently work, for Cascades. This narrative approach gives a voice to the people behind the company—leaders, employees, and friends—highlighting sixty years of archives and memories within original video segments. Visitors will discover how Cascades’ values drive its entire community and have consistently shaped its operations. The result is an authentic and moving experience rooted in the lived history of those who built and worked for the company.

Cardboard was the natural choice as the exhibition’s primary material, perfectly addressing the main design challenges we faced: the temporary nature of the experience and the need for a flexible format. All of the cardboard used was supplied by Cascades and will, of course, be recycled once the exhibition concludes. Furthermore, the media components created will be adapted into a new design for a future presentation in the Museum's main hall.