You really can turn your trash into treasure thanks to a startup's simple system.
Trashie launched its Take Back Bag last year, and it's been a popular option for keeping your old stuff out of landfills and earning rewards and discounts in the process.
How does Trashie's Take Back Bag work?
Trashie's Take Back Bag is easy to use. You just order one of the brightly colored bags for the upfront cost of $20. When you receive it, load it up with clothes that you would otherwise toss, including jackets, sweaters, socks, just about anything made of fabric that you wear, shoes, bedding, and accessories such as purses and backpacks.
"Whatever really fits in the bag … as long as it doesn't have extreme biohazard or soil or anything extreme that we can't recycle," Trashie CEO Kristy Caylor explained in a conversation with The Cool Down.
💡Make money recycling your old stuff
Looking for an easy way to clean out your closet and get paid for the trouble? Trashie has you covered.
Trashie's Take Back Bags cost $20 but earn you $30 in rewards, which means you're making money every time you fill one up with old clothes, shoes, linens, or bags.
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After you've loaded up, scan a QR code to get a free shipping label for the United States Postal Service, and drop it in the mail. Then, for each bag you send in, you get $30 in TrashieCash to spend on rewards, such as tickets for AMC Theatres, food delivery from DoorDash and Uber Eats, HelloFresh meals, Allbirds shoes, homegoods from Caraway, gear from Bass Pro Shops, and more.
Why should I participate in Trashie's Take Back Bag program?
Every year, people throw away 34 billion pounds of used textiles, with 66% of that ending up in landfills, contributing to the production of harmful, planet-warming gasses such as methane, per Boston University. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that methane is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere, contributing to the climate crisis.
Trashie's Take Back Bag program aims to reduce the amount of textile waste that goes to landfills, keeping 90% of what the company receives out of landfills. Approximately 70% of the items are reused, and 20% are recycled into new fibers for things such as pet bedding.
By participating in the program, you're not only making money and tidying your home, but you're also helping to prevent further environmental damage.
Are there similar programs to Trashie's Take Back program?
More and more companies are striving to help the planet while rewarding consumers.
ThredUp, the online consignment and thrift store, has a similar program that allows you to send in gently used clothes to earn cash or store credit. And Swiss shoe brand On, which also utilizes other sustainable practices, has a recycling program to trade in your old shoes for store credit.
There's also Hydro Flask, which has a trade-in program that offers a $5 credit on your next reusable bottle from the company when you send in your old one, and electronics companies including Apple that offer incentives for trading in your old devices.
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