Companies with buy back and recycling schemes
Old runners for softfall, exercise equipment, old tools. Check out these companies walking the walk for a circular economy.
These companies and programs provide accessible and environmentally responsible options across Australia, supporting efforts to reduce landfill waste and promote circular economy practices.
IKEA: Known for its commitment to circularity, IKEA has a recycling and take-back program. Customers can return furniture, textiles, mattresses, and more. IKEA also offers “As-Is” sales for secondhand items, and select stores feature drop-off points for smaller items like light bulbs and batteries. IKEA’s efforts aim to minimise landfill waste and promote sustainable living.
Officeworks: Offers several recycling programs, including battery, pen, mobile phone, printer, and ink cartridge recycling. Stores have recycling stations, making it convenient for customers to drop off items. This service is available nationwide and is part of Officeworks’ “Restoring Australia” initiative.
Sheridan: The Sheridan Recycling Program allows customers to return old linen products (towels, sheets) to Sheridan outlets. The company partners with Circular Threads to upcycle fabrics, which are later repurposed as useful items like protective coverings.
Havaianas: The popular thong brand has launched a recycling program in partnership with TerraCycle, encouraging customers to drop off worn-out flip-flops at participating stores or send them in by mail. Recycled Havaianas are used to create soft fall matting for playgrounds and gyms. Collection points are located in multiple areas, including Burleigh Heads, Brisbane Airport, and Noosa Heads.
The North Face: Through their Clothes the Loop program, customers can drop off used clothing and footwear (any brand) at select stores. Items are then repurposed or recycled into new materials, supporting The North Face’s aim of reducing landfill waste.
Rebel Sport: In partnership with Puma, Rebel Sport provides a recycling program for old athletic shoes. Customers can drop off shoes at select locations to be processed into materials for running tracks and playgrounds.
H&M: Offers a garment collection program where customers can bring in unwanted clothes of any brand. These items are sorted and repurposed, sold as secondhand items, or recycled into new materials.
Decathlon: Offers a repair and recycle program in partnership with TerraCycle, accepting outdoor gear and sports equipment at certain locations, with items being either repaired or recycled.
Apple: Through the Apple Trade In program, customers can trade in eligible devices like iPhones, iPads, and Macs in exchange for credit or a gift card, with all returned products being responsibly recycled or reused when possible.
Bunnings: Many Bunnings locations offer recycling options for items like power tools and batteries. Bunnings has partnered with various programs to provide recycling stations for materials that are hard to dispose of in regular waste streams.
Rip Curl: In partnership with TerraCycle, Rip Curl runs a wetsuit take-back program at select stores. Old wetsuits can be recycled into soft-fall matting for playgrounds and gyms, helping to repurpose neoprene materials.
TerraCycle Programs: TerraCycle operates in Australia through partnerships with brands like L’Occitane, Maybelline, and Kiehl’s, allowing customers to recycle beauty products, coffee capsules, pet food packaging, and more. Public drop-off points are available at participating stores, including David Jones and MECCA.
Dell and Fujitsu: Both Dell and Fujitsu offer take-back programs for e-waste. Dell has collection points and also provides mail-back options, while Fujitsu’s service allows consumers to recycle their products at certified facilities, ensuring more than 95% of materials are recovered.
Officeworks: Officeworks has multiple recycling programs for electronics, batteries, and printer cartridges. Their program includes take-back bins in stores to encourage recycling of tech items and stationery waste.
H&M: As part of their sustainability goals, H&M offers a garment collection program. Customers can drop off any unwanted clothing from any brand at H&M stores, which is then reused, recycled, or transformed into new textile products.
KeepCup - Known for reusable coffee cups, KeepCup promotes sustainable consumer habits by reducing single-use waste. They offer repairs for their products to extend life, available through their website and partner stores across Australia.
Patagonia - This outdoor clothing brand emphasizes sustainability through its Worn Wear program, allowing customers to repair, recycle, or trade in Patagonia items. They operate stores in Sydney, Melbourne, and other cities where customers can bring items for repair or trade-in.
Biome - Specializing in eco-friendly home products, Biome has a strong commitment to plastic-free and zero-waste products, with stores in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and Melbourne. They also run a recycling program where customers can drop off hard-to-recycle items like cosmetics containers.
Stone & Wood Brewing Co. - This Byron Bay-based brewery focuses on sustainable practices like water and energy waste reduction and operates a buyback program for kegs and other containers.
Ettitude - A sustainable bedding brand, Ettitude uses water-saving bamboo fabrics and is Climate Neutral certified. They also track the environmental impact of each product and are available online for Australia-wide purchases.
To find out where to recycle just about anything, visit www.recyclemate.com.au
