How it works.
- 50% of all Take Back Bag items are downcycled into shoddy, rags & insulation.
- 45% of all Take Back Bag items are resold.
- 5% of all Take Back Bag items are sadly, truly trash
We’ve vetted the top sorting and grading facilities. Our recycling partners sort every item into 1 of 250 grades to determine the next stage of the product’s life.
Downcycle
Take Back Bag items are not upcyclable because they are made from unknown materials. So, they are turned into lesser-quality items like insulation or carpeting (aka they are downcycled). Leigh Fibers and Phoenix Fibers are two of our expert downcycling partners.
Resell
Take Back Bag items that can be resold are sent to resale partners that service lower income communities. What this looks like: farmers in other countries accessing low-cost items to cover themselves against the sun. What this doesn’t look like: clothing waste being dumped in a landfill.