VIA Awards 2025: SUSTAIN Merchandising makes the shortlist

VIA Awards 2025

Nominated in the category “Best New Music Business”

We’re proud that SUSTAIN Merchandising made it onto the shortlist of the VIA Awards 2025 by the Association of Independent Music Entrepreneurs (VUT) in the category Best New Music Business.
The awards ceremony took place during the Reeperbahn Festival 2025 in Hamburg.

The shortlist is determined through a multi-stage jury process.
First, the main jury – made up of VUT members and around 250 professionals from across the music industry – submits its nominations. This year, more than 560 entries were received.
The final selection of nominees and winners is then made by a specialist jury of hand-picked experts representing a wide range of genres, backgrounds, business experiences, and industry sectors – reflecting the diversity of the independent music scene.

The Best New Music Business category honors young, independent companies that are reshaping the music industry with innovative ideas and sustainable concepts. That’s exactly what drives us — to create merchandising that lasts, in every sense: environmentally, socially, and creatively.

As an independent 360° agency based in the Heidelberg / Mannheim region, we’ve been developing holistic strategies since 2019 that combine sustainable materials, fair production, and innovative formats.
One example: during the Mayberg Tour 2025, we completely avoided producing new merchandise — instead, we printed live on stage onto the clothing that fans brought with them.

Even though we didn’t take home the award this year, we warmly congratulate Aurismatic and all other winners of the 2025 VIA Awards!
Being nominated alone means a lot to us — it shows that our approach is being recognized and resonates within the industry.

A big thank-you goes out to the VUT and the jury for this recognition — and, of course, to all the artists and partners who continue to walk this path with us.

We’re honored to be part of a movement that’s making the music industry more sustainable, fair, and diverse.

Photos: Jonas Neugebauer, René Plichta