Community Updates

Goodwill Works with Ray Products to Launch Textile Recycling Solution

A series of Goodwill goBINs, thermoformed by Ray Products, are being deployed to Goodwill chapters around the country. The goBINs make it easier and more convenient than ever for city dwellers to recycle clothing and textiles.

"Convenience is the most important factor for people deciding what to do with the items they no longer need," said SF Goodwill Director of Donations Leslie Bilbro.

Published 8 years ago | About a 2 minute read

"Convenience is the most important factor for people deciding what to do with the items they no longer need," said SF Goodwill Director of Donations Leslie Bilbro.

The goBINs are intelligent, wirelessly connected donation bins designed to be deployed in the lobbies of apartment buildings. In cities like San Francisco, where 31% of the residents don't have a car, taking a load of clothing to Goodwill can be a significant obstacle to recycling. SF Goodwill would eventually like to place a goBIN™ in every large apartment building and condo in the city.

"One of our goals with the goBIN™ project is to make a product that we're proud of from beginning to end, including the design, materials and manufacturing process," said Linda Pratt, SF Goodwill's Director of Sustainability and Partnerships. "We don't usually think of ‘plastics manufacturing' and ‘environmentally friendly' in the same context, but the thermoforming process we're using for the goBIN's enclosure is the exception."

"We looked at several different options for manufacturing the goBIN's enclosures, and thermoforming stood out not only for environmental reasons but because it's very durable, cost-effective, lightweight and it looks good," said Pratt.

Ray Products not only thermoformed the panels used in the enclosure, but it also helped to develop the attachment hardware and assembly process that allow the goBINs to be shipped directly from Ray Products' factory in California to apartment buildings around the city, ready to be assembled in place by building managers.

So far, goBINs have been deployed in Washington, D.C., Indiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Texas, Canada and, of course, California.