This is not a new concept. Recycling is considered morally good – socially, politically and perhaps even religiously. But, is that enough?
Trashy It doesn't just depend on those feelings.
Most people get basic education about recycling and landfills in elementary school, then continue learning about the relationship between waste and greenhouse gas emissions through high school. By college, many people become aware of global social movements about climate change.
in the Statista Research Department survey In a survey conducted from October 2021 to July 2022, about 63% of Generation Zers said they are concerned about tracking their environmental impact.
Corporations have been under as much social pressure as individuals – if not more. Millions of companies have pledged to apply more social pressure sustainable practices in sourcing, production, packaging and sales Global scale,
But, it still depends on some personal factors. Will you throw your plastic cups in the right trash can? Will you throw your broken furniture into a landfill? And, what will you do with that pile of old clothes that have been lying in your closet for ages?
a New York City-based Recycling start-up has presented a unique solution.
Trashy wants you to send them your old clothes and in return, the company will give you cash to shop from top brands like Cozy Earth, Allbirds, and more.
Christy Keller is the CEO and brains behind Trashy. Idea The aim was simple; to help people reduce the burden of clothing in their home by setting up a system that would encourage them to do so.
“Everyone has too much stuff that they struggle to dispose of in an environmentally responsible way, and yet sustainable options are often inconvenient and expensive,” Keller said. “Trashy makes it easy, rewarding and fun for people to choose sustainable options.
take the bag back Works in three easy steps.
“It's a big bag, fill it with anything of any brand or any condition. Scan a QR code on the outside of the bag and get a free mailing label and drop it off at a UPS center and we'll reward you with TrashCash,” Keller said.
According to Keller, the results are already looking good. He said, “In 2023 alone, Trashy sold 380,000 take back bags, which means we diverted 5.8 million items, totaling 2.9 million pounds, from landfills.”
The company is pretty transparent about this “downcycling process.” Trashy partners with a global network of retailers who buy very specifically categorized items — whether it’s warm coats going to Eastern Europe or old T-shirts sent to field workers in Southeast Asia.
Trashy officially launched only in February, but its impact is already evident. People are buying the bags, and then buying them again and again.
Each bag costs $15, but once a customer fills it with clothes and sends it back, they can earn $30 in TrashCash to use for clothing, food, entertainment, sporting goods, health and more. Shoppers get a free take back bag For every 5th order, In addition to free shipping.
“I got my first bag, filled it with worn-out t-shirts, printed out a shipping label and dropped it off at the post office. It was so easy that I ordered two more bags. I used the money I had in my closet to buy zero waste laundry sheets,” one reviewer reported. “They work great. Everything should be this easy.”
Aside from the simple cleaning process, Trashy users are really excited about the opportunity to use their cash to claim some great rewards, whether it’s buying new clothes or saving money on a big item they’ve been waiting to splurge on.
“I was excited to be able to send these clothes to a place where I knew they would stay out of the landfill and ensure they weren't making the earth's problems worse. I'm looking forward to using my credit to buy gifts for friends and family members.”
Trashy may have gotten off to a good start, but there's still a lot to be done. According to the messaging on the site, the company has a big mission, and it will take time to expand its reach.
“Our goal is to become everyone's default choice for clothing recycling. When we work together at scale, it's a huge step toward circularity that ignites the systems change we all want to see in the world.”
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