Recycling clothes is one of those things everyone knows they should do but few people actually manage. Good intentions aside, the reality is that most of us don’t have the time to research the logistics of textile recycling, let alone haul a bag of worn-out clothes across town to a specialist drop-off point. So instead, things pile up. Drawers overflow, wardrobes become storage units, and eventually, when the moment of frustration arrives, everything goes in the bin. That's where Trashie claims to be able to help.
This new recycling and rewards platform from the team behind For Days, has found a way to fix a broken system. The concept is simple: you buy a take back bag for $20, fill it with unwanted clothes, shoes, accessories, or linens in any condition, and send it back using the prepaid shipping label. In return, you get $20 in TrashieCash to spend on rewards across a broad range of brands. It’s essentially an online return system for your old clothes – only instead of getting store credit for a hasty impulse purchase, you’re helping to reduce landfill waste and getting rewarded for it.
Sustainability made effortless
If the phrase textile recycling system makes you picture a warehouse full of industrial shredders, the reality is a little different. The clothing collected through Trashie’s take back bag doesn’t just get broken down into raw materials – it’s sorted, graded, and assigned for reuse, recycling, or downcycling depending on its condition. Everything is tracked to its next destination, meaning nothing disappears into the recycling abyss.
The timing is significant. According to the EPA, the average American throws away 80 pounds of textiles each year, much of it perfectly salvageable. By diverting just one take back bag from landfill, a single customer can save 151 pounds of CO2 emissions and 1,596 gallons of water. In 2023 alone, Trashie sold 380,000 take back bags, preventing 5.8 million items – nearly 3 million pounds of clothing – from ending up in landfill.
Kristy Caylor, founder and CEO of Trashie, puts it bluntly: "Everyone has too much stuff that they struggle to get rid of in an environmentally responsible way, and yet sustainable options are often inconvenient and expensive. Trashie makes it easy, rewarding – and fun – for people to make the sustainable choice."
The take back bag is catching on
The idea of turning old clothes into spending power is proving particularly appealing to Gen Z and younger millennials, who have a growing appetite for circular fashion but little patience for tedious recycling schemes. With fast fashion still dominating wardrobes, the ability to easily clear out unwanted items – and get something back in return – is a compelling alternative to dumping everything at the nearest charity shop (or worse, the bin).
The appeal extends beyond individuals. Retailers looking to meet carbon-neutral targets can sell the take back bag directly to customers and integrate Trashie’s rewards program, driving customer engagement while also tracking the impact of their efforts in real-time. Brands now have access to metrics on landfill diversion, water savings, and CO2 reduction, giving them tangible proof of their sustainability initiatives.
Recycling rewards
Clothing waste is a problem with no single solution, but making recycling as easy as shopping is a step in the right direction. Trashie’s take back bag takes the friction out of the process, offering an incentive to clear out your wardrobe while ensuring that what you no longer want doesn’t end up as landfill waste. Whether it’s an old hoodie, a pair of trainers past their prime, or a pile of once-loved T-shirts, Trashie is proving that even the most disposable fashion can be repurposed. And if that comes with a few perks along the way? Even better.
