Flip the Thinking on the Three Rs: Join the Reuse Movement

By Ira Baseman

Recently, there has been a lot of invigorating discussion from sustainable business leaders in the apparel industry about implementing take-back programs to recycle clothing and accessories. After all, it is estimated that more than 70 pounds per consumer, or nearly 22 billion pounds of clothing, shoes and accessories annually, end up in our solid waste stream -- representing 5 percent of landfills. To be sure, retailers and manufacturers are playing a strong role by raising awareness about this problem of overburdened landfills and encouraging consumers to become part of the solution. I want to elevate the discussion and challenge business leaders to consider a new model for recycling that is focused on reuse, unprecedented convenience and personal engagement that is meaningful and impactful. In my work, I see a new wave of conscious consumerism taking hold, and I like to refer to this as the 'reuse movement.'

The reuse movement is about making recycling personal. It is about creating and delivering an experience for consumers and a new (corporate social responsibility CSR) journey for retailers and other stakeholders. Each single, personal act of recycling creates local community benefits, such as reusing materials or turning them into new products, and it creates a global impact such as generating new jobs, connecting people through recycling and ultimately reducing waste.

For the retail industry, a new program within the reuse movement allows consumers to recycle clothing shoes, and accessories without leaving their homes – for free. Through a customized portal designed for the retailer, consumers are invited to simply box up their items, print out a free shipping label and place the box on their doorstep for pick-up by their mail carrier. Once recyclers ship their items for reuse, they are invited to their own environmental dashboard where they receive a personalized sustainability report, track the path of their recyclables across the world and share their success through social media channels to showcase their personal impact. For the recycler, this experience is personal, measurable and impactful. For the retailer/manufacturer, this is frictionless, traceable and builds a sustainability record that is easily deliverable to all stakeholders.

One such leader embracing this program in the reuse movement is Original Penguin. The company offers this opportunity to its consumers online and in-store (receipt promotions) with little to no labor impact, which showcases how the company is reducing its environmental footprint. Thus far, Original Penguin, has engaged its consumers in more than 20 states, which are all traceable back to each patron.

The reuse movement champions the concept that sustainability and economic development go hand-in-hand, by putting clothing and related items back into communities for reuse and resale. As a country, we generate 26 billion pounds of apparel, textiles and footwear annually, or roughly 82 pounds per U.S. resident. Yet only 15 percent is recycled; the remaining 85 percent ends up in landfills. I see this as a huge opportunity for consumers and companies to work together to reduce waste, while humanizing recycling and generating economic opportunity. The reuse movement is seizing this moment.

Reuse does not end with clothing being re-worn by others – it sparks economic opportunities across the globe for people who rely on textiles to fuel their entrepreneurial aspirations. I see this happening across the U.S. and around the globe. From artisans to new industries, reuse is having a profound impact and sparks new life into our material world and how we engage with it.

Overall, our company’s contribution to the reuse movement prevents more than 50 tons of materials from ending up in landfills every day. More than 5,000 partner organizations in the U.S. and more than 50 countries – artisans and businesses reuse materials. All of these gently-used items are reused in thrift stores and marketplaces around the globe, where more than 70 percent of the population depends on affordable, secondhand goods.

Despite the growing environmental movement by companies and consumers, most people in the U.S. are unaware their clothes, shoes and other items can be reused, resold and recycled, creating local economies and jobs both here and around the world. Yet, every day, I am experiencing this new wave of conscious consumerism – people are embracing the human connection of recycling through reuse. I am hopeful that there will come a day when we see consumers actively recycling clothes, shoes and accessories with the same frequency they do with curbside programs for recycled bottles, paper and aluminum. I think we are seeing the beginning of real change and we invite everyone to join the reuse movement.

Inspired by the mission of doing well and doing good in business, Ira Baseman is president of Community Recycling, a social-conscious, for-profit recycling company, which has championed the Reuse Movement. Community Recycling scales clothing recycling and reuse for people, while helping retail organizations build brand reputation and connectivity among their customers. As a result, Community Recycling engages more than 5,000 partner organizations in the U.S. and more than 50 countries in the Reuse Movement by reusing materials or turning them into new products, helping to grow local economies and provide jobs for people in the U.S. and abroad.