Goodwill is partnering with leading retailers to make it easy for online shoppers to reuse, repurpose and recycle textiles and clothing this holiday season. Launched one year ago, in time for Cyber Monday, the Give Back Box platform leverages e-commerce to allow people to donate items in a unique and convenient way, without having to leave the comfort of their homes.
In fact, it’s as easy as 1-2-3:
- When you receive goods that you purchase online on Cyber Monday— or any day, for that matter — simply open and unpack new merchandise. Visit www.givebackbox.com to print a prepaid mailing label.
- Pack that same box with clothing, small household items and accessories that you no longer need.
- Attach the prepaid Give Back Box shipping label to the box. You can either drop off the box at a local UPS store or leave the box at your door for pickup by USPS to complete your donation to your nearest Goodwill organization.
As with all items donated to Goodwill, donations made through Give Back Box will create jobs and transform lives by supporting Goodwill’s mission of providing employment placement, job training, skills building and other support services in local communities. In addition, donating through Give Back Box helps divert cardboard, the largest contributor to landfills. Since Give Back Box launched, more than 16,400 boxes have been given a second life (boxes shipped); and more than 197,200 pounds of items have been diverted from landfills.
“Goodwill is proud to team with some of the top names in the retail world to offer the Give Back Box platform and strengthen our ongoing effort to create jobs in communities across the country,” said Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “Cyber Monday is the perfect time to take advantage of this free and easy way to start the holiday season in the spirit of giving.”
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Retail leaders in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability space include ASICS America, Bonobos, Bon-Ton, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson’s, Dockers, eBags, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s, Younkers, Dockers, Ecru Style, Foxcroft, Levi Strauss & Co., Outerknown, Overstock.com, REI, UncommonGoods, and Viva Terra.
This year, one of Give Back Box’s anchor partners, Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.), is providing an extra incentive to make your donation. For every box of donated clothing or shoes shipped to Goodwill using the free shipping label that you can download from Levi.com/Goodwill or Dockers.com/Goodwill, LS&Co. will donate $5 to Goodwill, up to $25,000. On Giving Tuesday, LS&Co. will increase that amount to $10 per box.
“Give Back Box is a great idea on so many levels,” said Gibbons. “By reusing boxes, you’re protecting the environment; by giving to Goodwill, you’re helping to provide jobs and skills training in your own community; and by donating your stuff to a good cause, you’ll feel better about clearing out unwanted items from your home.”
YouTube fashion influencers, Cassie and Ricci, found at ToThe9’s, will extend the reach of Give Back Box messaging and awareness with a millennial fashion-focused audience. Cassie and Ricci, who will produce unique video content featuring Give Back Box, have more than 450,000 subscribers on YouTube in addition to large social networks.
To calculate the impact of Goodwill donations, consumers can visit theDonation Impact Calculator on the Goodwill website. To learn more about the Give Back Box, visit www.goodwill.org/givebackbox
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Sustainable Brands Staff
Published Nov 28, 2016 3am EST / 12am PST / 8am GMT / 9am CET