After launching in 2023, one company is already changing the way some people look at cleaning out their closets. And it just might be one of the easiest ways you can help the environment.
Trashie is offering The Take Back Bag, a hands-off solution that allows you the chance to recycle your old or unwanted clothes — and get rewarded for it.
How does The Take Back Bag work?
The concept behind the bag is so simple that it might seem a little too good to be true. All customers have to do is order The Take Back Bag, fill it up, and ship it back to Trashie. Yeah, it's that easy.
The bag costs $20 but is large enough to hold up to 15 pounds of unwanted clothes, shoes, or accessories in any condition. Once you ship it back to Trashie, staff members carefully sort the contents of the bag. According to the company, around 90% of all items sent inside their bags are kept out of landfills.
Trashie sends out about 70% of these items to countries around the world in order to be reused. The remainder is then properly recycled and given another purpose.
In exchange for unwanted items, customers receive the equivalent of $30 in rewards that can be redeemed from companies such as Hulu, Crocs, BloomChic, and Subset. And the concept has many people eyeing the contents of their closets.
"This is a total game-changer," wrote one commenter on Instagram.
Why should I order The Take Back Bag?
In a 2017 study from the Global Fashion Agenda, it was determined that around 92 million tons of textile waste is produced every year. To make matters worse, it was predicted that the amount of textile waste would increase to 150 million tons by 2030. The rise of fast fashion has proved to be a major contributor to the amount of clothes discarded every year.
In an effort to combat the increasing concern of textile waste, concepts such as The Take Back Bag can go a long way. While 15 pounds of clothes, shoes, and used linens might not sound like a lot, it can dramatically reduce the amount of harmful carbon pollution over time.
According to the European Environment Agency, the average European Union citizen consumed 42 pounds of clothing, footwear, and household textiles in 2022. By recycling textiles, we can work to reduce the amount of carbon emissions produced by textile industries.
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Giving me money back 💰 Are there similar programs to Trashie?
There are a few companies that offer services that consumers can take advantage of to reduce textile waste. ThredUp offers a similar product in which customers can order a bag to send used or unwanted clothing in exchange for cash or credit. For sneakerheads, GotSneakers offers you the chance to keep your old shoes out of landfills in exchange for cash.
If you would rather donate your items instead, many communities offer clothing drives that encourage recycling or clothing swaps.
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