Giving Used Tennis Balls a Meaningful Afterlife
Hong Kong’s first initiative dedicated to tackling tennis ball waste.
AFTERLIFE transforms discarded tennis balls into environmental impact through recycling, community participation, and sustainable sports practices — giving every ball a meaningful second life.
The Hidden Waste of Tennis Balls
325M
Tennis Balls Produced
each year
AFTERLIFE was created to give tennis balls a meaningful AFTERLIFE beyond the court.
Tennis balls are essential to the sport — but they are also one of its biggest sources of waste.
2M+
Tennis Balls Used
annually in Hong Kong
Because tennis balls are made from rubber, synthetic fibres, and pressurised materials, they are difficult to recycle and often end up in landfills or incinerators.
~3
Average Matches
Before Balls Are Discarded
The birth of AFTERLIFE
In 2022, Sports for Hope Foundation (SFHF) collaborated with Hong Kong designer Douglas Young to explore creative ways to repurpose used tennis balls.
Discarded balls were transformed into unique furniture pieces, demonstrating how sports waste could be given a meaningful AFTERLIFE.
This creative concept sparked interest within the sports community and started a broader conversation about sustainability in tennis.
Raising Awareness Through Art
A Month-Long Exhibition in Hong Kong
In July 2022, the AFTERLIFE furniture pieces were showcased during a month-long public exhibition at Hysan Place in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
The installation transformed thousands of used tennis balls into striking furniture pieces, drawing public attention to the environmental impact of tennis ball waste.
By turning sports waste into art, the exhibition sparked conversations about sustainability and responsible sports practices.
The strong public response showed that the idea resonated with both the tennis community and the wider public.
From Concept to Action
Following the success of the exhibition, the Sports for Hope Foundation secured HK$3 million in funding from the Hong Kong Recycling Fund.
This support enabled SFHF to launch a city-wide tennis ball recycling programme in collaboration with OFLO Environmental Technology (Hong Kong), a specialist in material recycling and circular economy solutions.
The programme allows used tennis balls to be:
For two years, the programme operated free of charge for tennis clubs, encouraging broad participation across Hong Kong’s tennis community.
Through our recycling partner OFLO, collected tennis balls are processed and transformed into reusable materials for new applications.
Install tennis ball collection bins across tennis clubs and collect used balls from the community.
Transport collected tennis balls to recycling facilities across Hong Kong.
Community Impact
The AFTERLIFE initiative quickly gained recognition across the sports community.
Key Milestones
-
AFTERLIFE was introduced as a creative sustainability concept that transforms used tennis balls into unique furniture pieces, sparking early interest from the sports community.
-
The tennis ball throne chair "The Champ" was unveiled, endorsed by Olympic champion Guo Jingjing, and auctioned to raise HK$500,000 for the Sports for Hope Foundation.
-
With support from the Hong Kong Recycling Fund, the AFTERLIFE initiative expanded into a city-wide tennis ball recycling programme, installing collection bins at tennis clubs across Hong Kong.
-
The initiative gained support from public figures in the sports community including Rafael Nadal, Coleman Wong, and Kenneth Fok, helping amplify awareness of tennis ball recycling.
These milestones helped raise awareness about sustainability in sports and tennis.
The Challenge Today
Where We Stand
Two years of government funding helped AFTERLIFE set up a citywide system to collect and recycle tennis balls in Hong Kong. That funding has now ended.
The Challenge Remains
Millions of tennis balls are still thrown away every year. To keep collections running and reach more venues, AFTERLIFE needs more clubs, academies and partners to take part.
Why Tennis Clubs Matter
Tennis clubs play a critical role in reducing sports waste and building a more sustainable tennis community.
By participating in AFTERLIFE, clubs can:
Reduce Waste
Prevent used tennis balls from ending up in landfills by contributing to a city-wide recycling effort.
Promote Responsibility
Demonstrate environmental leadership and encourage responsible sports practices within the tennis community.
Inspire Youth
Show younger players that sustainability can be part of everyday sports culture.
Lead the Way
Position Hong Kong’s tennis community as a pioneer in sports sustainability.
Happily ever AFTERLIFE
The long-term vision of AFTERLIFE is to build a sustainable ecosystem for recycling tennis balls in Hong Kong.
Run a tennis club, academy or venue in Hong Kong?
Get in touch to start or restart tennis ball collections and find out how your venue can help keep the programme running.