“Recognizing Innovation in the Circular Economy: Upstream’s Reusies Awards Winners Lead the Way in Reuse and Sustainability”
Upstream, a national nonprofit organization focused on promoting reuse, recently announced the winners of its Reusies Awards on May 23. The awards ceremony was held in partnership with GreenBiz at the Circularity conference for the second consecutive year. The Reusies Awards aim to recognize individuals and organizations that are leading the way in building a circular economy through initiatives such as durability, design, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, sharing, recycling, and reuse.
The awards were presented in three main categories: food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, and fashion and apparel. Additionally, activists and community groups were also honored for their contributions to promoting sustainable practices in the U.S. and Canada.
In the food and beverage category, the winner of the Reusies Award was Kadeya, a Chicago-based company that operates a patented beverage kiosk. The kiosk washes, sanitizes, inspects, and refills water bottles, providing a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic bottles. The user interface of the kiosk allows users and facilities managers to track their progress, making the process of refilling water bottles more engaging. The runners-up in this category were Buoy and Revino.
In the consumer packaged goods category, Cabinet Health was named the winner of the Reusies Award for its innovative approach to eliminating single-use plastic in drug packaging. The company offers a refillable system for over-the-counter medicines and supplements, customizing reusable prescription bottles and supporting the transition away from plastic-packaged medicines. Cabinet Health’s reusable option ships pills in a home compostable pouch, reducing the environmental impact of traditional plastic medicine bottles. The runners-up in this category were Good Filling and Green Gooding.
In the fashion and apparel category, Coblrshop was recognized as the winner of the Reusies Award for its efforts to make shoe and bag repair mainstream again. Customers can send in their items for repair, and a cobbler will fix them before mailing them back. Coblrshop’s app also connects brands with cobblers to promote repair as a sustainable alternative to buying new items. The runners-up in this category were Pact Group and Rax.
Additionally, the Reusies Awards also honored activists and community groups for their outstanding contributions to promoting reuse and sustainability. Activists of the year included Maria Gastelumendi, founder of the Rising Loafer Cafe in Lafayette, California; Kendra Schneider of Lansing, Michigan; and Alisa Shargorodsky, a board member of the Philadelphia Sustainable Business Network. Community awards were presented to the Maryland Department of Aging, Plastic-Free MKE in Milwaukee, and The Post-Landfill Action Network in Philadelphia.
Overall, the Reusies Awards highlight the importance of adopting a holistic approach to building a circular economy that encompasses various aspects of sustainability. By recognizing and celebrating individuals and organizations that are leading the way in promoting reuse and sustainable practices, the awards serve as a platform to inspire others to follow suit and contribute to a more sustainable future.