Event Consumables Hire: The Items Most Organisers Forget Until It’s Too Late
Ask any experienced event manager what they have had to source at the last minute during a build week and the answer is rarely a generator or a barrier run. It is gaffer tape. Cable ties. Bin bags. The consumables that no one puts on the hire list until they are standing on site without them.
Number 8 Hire supplies event consumables alongside equipment hire. That means everything — from a 60 kVA generator to a roll of gaffer tape — on a single order, a single delivery, and a single invoice.
What Are Event Consumables?
Event consumables are the items that are used up, deployed once, or need replacing during an event rather than being returned in reusable condition. They sit outside the traditional hire equipment list but are just as essential to a functioning site.
In a live event context, consumables fall into a few broad categories:
General site — black bags, gloves (disposable), cable cover tape
Securing and fastening — gaffer tape, cable ties (various sizes), barrier tape, zip ties
Waste management — wheelie bins, bin bags (heavy duty), recycling bags
Access control — wristbands (paper and fabric), lanyards, passes
Site safety and welfare — blue roll, hand soap, first aid consumables, eye wash refills, burns kit refills
The Consumables That Make or Break Events
Gaffer Tape and Cable Ties
No event site functions without these. Gaffer tape fixes cable runs, labels equipment, secures signage, and solves dozens of unexpected problems during build. Cable ties keep power distribution tidy, secure fencing panels, and hold temporary fixes together. The quantities required are always underestimated. Order more than you think you need.
Bin Bags and Waste Management
Events generate significant waste. Heavy-duty bin bags for general waste, separate bags for recycling, and wheelie bins positioned throughout the site are all standard requirements. Local authority licensing conditions often specify waste management arrangements — these need to be in place before gates open, not sourced the morning of the event.
Wristbands and Lanyards
Access control wristbands and crew lanyards are required by virtually every licensed event. Paper wristbands for day visitors, fabric wristbands for multi-day events, and lanyard sets for production, crew, and supplier passes are all available from Number 8 Hire alongside your equipment order. Running out of wristbands at the gate is one of the more avoidable site crises.
Blue Roll and Welfare Consumables
If you are hiring welfare units or portable handwash stations from Number 8 Hire, blue roll and hand soap refills can be included in the same order. First aid kit restocks, eye wash refills, and burns kit consumables are also available — keeping your welfare provision compliant throughout the event.
Stationery: The Forgotten Event Essentials
Beyond the operational consumables above, Number 8 Hire also supplies event stationery another category that seems minor until you’re trying to run an event without it.
A4 and A3 paper for on-site printing, briefing documents, maps, run sheets, and signage that needs to be produced or reprinted on the day.
Laminator pouches (A4 and A3) for weatherproofing printed materials site maps, briefing sheets, entrance signage, and crew schedules that need to survive a day outdoors.
Clipboards for team briefings, check-in management, and any process that requires paper-based tracking on the move.
Blu Tack easy to overlook, essential for putting things on walls and surfaces without causing damage. Indoor events, brand activations, and exhibition environments all rely on it.
Why Most Hire Companies Don’t Supply Consumables
The honest answer is that consumables are logistically inconvenient. They are low-margin, take up warehouse space, and require separate ordering systems. Most hire companies simply do not bother.
We do it because our clients should not have to make a separate run to a hardware shop at midnight during a build week. Everything on your site should arrive on one vehicle, on one schedule, from one supplier who understands how event logistics actually work.
Adding Consumables to Your Hire Order
When building your hire quote through Number 8 Hire, consumables can be added alongside equipment. Simply include them in your quote basket or note them when speaking to the team. We will confirm availability and include them in your delivery schedule.
If you are not sure what quantities you need, our team can advise based on event scale and duration. It is a straightforward conversation — and far easier to sort now than at 11 pm on build day.
Work with Number 8 Hire
Number 8 Hire supplies event infrastructure and consumables from a single order. Barriers, generators, gazebos, radios, welfare units, fire equipment, signage, and the tape, bags, ties, and wristbands that keep everything running.
One supplier. Professional standards. Delivered without complication.
Get in touch at number8hire.com, info@number8hire.com, or 0203 743 7292.
Number 8 Hire supplies event consumables gaffer tape, cable ties, wristbands, bin bags, lanyards, stationery, and more alongside a full range of event hire equipment. Part of the Number 8 Events network.