Like this organization’s work, the Les Valoristes logo is simple and clear. The emblem highlights its invaluable contribution to waste recycling, positively impacting the surrounding environment and protecting the habitat.
Les Valoristes: Brand overview
Les Valoristes, a social cooperative founded in Montreal, Canada, in 2012. The organization was established by a group of activists and community leaders to support individuals collecting bottles and cans for recycling. In Quebec French, these collectors are known as “valoristes.”
The cooperative began in 2012 with a small collection point in Montreal’s Ville-Marie district. Its primary goal was to ensure that recyclable waste collectors received fair compensation for their work while creating respectable working conditions.
2013, the initiative expanded its operations by establishing its first permanent collection site. During this period, it began collaborating with the business community and municipal government to improve working conditions for collectors.
A key milestone was reached in 2014 when Montreal city authorities officially recognized the cooperative. This recognition allowed the organization to improve the infrastructure of its collection stations and expand its activities.
Between 2015 and 2016, operations grew further with the launch of new collection sites and a training program for new members. A social assistance program was also introduced to support participants.
From 2017 to 2018, efforts were focused on building partnerships with other organizations and expanding services. During this phase, the cooperative began offering more job opportunities to its members.
By 2019, the enterprise had become a prominent social player in Montreal, employing hundreds of people. It continued to improve infrastructure and enhance support programs for its members.
Between 2020 and 2023, growth continued with the creation of additional social support initiatives and the opening of more collection sites. The cooperative became a well-established participant in Montreal’s social economy.
The organization has developed a sustainable social entrepreneurship model by consistently improving working conditions and social protections for recyclable waste collectors.
Meaning and History
What is Les Valoristes?
This social enterprise in Montreal supports collectors of recyclable materials by providing a convenient location to exchange bottles and cans for rewards. It creates dignified working conditions and offers social support. The organization enhances the social status of collectors, conducts educational initiatives, and helps with professional development. It collaborates with local businesses to build efficient collection networks and ensure proper recycling, giving materials a second life.
2012 – today
The Les Valoristes logo is both soft and assertive. Rounded edges and calm colors convey the softness, while the assertiveness is reflected in the straight edges and sharp angles. This design perfectly captures the delicate nature of household waste recycling and the urgent need to make the environment safe. This is the organization’s mission, which is reflected in its emblem.
The top left corner features a heart-shaped symbol. However, it is not just a heart but also a hand inviting others to collect recyclable materials. In the palm is a can, a piece of paper, or perhaps a rectangular plastic fragment, making this part appear as the second half of the heart. The edges of all elements are smooth and precise, with no angle out of place—everything is geometrically aligned.
At the bottom right is the organization’s name that supports those concerned with recycling waste for a meaningful purpose. The name is written across three levels:
- At the top, “Les Valoristes” is displayed in large capital letters.
- The middle line contains the word “Cooperative.”
- The bottom line features the final part, “De Solidarite.”
To emphasize the most important part and make it stand out visually, the designers used turquoise for the top line, which they considered the focal point. The other two lines are ash gray. The top line also uses a bold and prominent font, while the text in the middle and bottom lines is written with thin strokes.
All three levels are aligned in width, creating a uniform appearance despite each line’s varying number of glyphs. This effect was achieved by adjusting the spacing between characters: the top line has narrow spacing, while the middle and bottom lines have wider spacing. As a result, the words appear to have perfectly matching lengths.