The circle of it: This company reduces or eliminates the frictions associated with reusable packaging by creating a system for reusable packaging that will be returned to the brand to be used over and over again.
limeloop
Summary
LimeLoop has designed a system for reuse to make it a more appealing option for brands to choose when shipping their products to customers. The company’s packaging pouches are made from upcycled billboard vinyl and recycled cotton, which are meant to be reused over 200 times. Brands rent or buy the zippered pouches to ship products to customers who return them to the brand. When a consumer receives their product in a LimeLoop reusable package, they remove their product, flip the pre-paid return shipping label over, and drop the package back in the mailbox instead of in the trash. The package is then mailed back to the retailer so it can be used again for the next customer. Brands are able to pick from a range of shapes and sizes for packaging and the company also takes care of repair of replacement if the packaging comes back in a state such that it cannot be reused. According to the company, customers’ return rate of the packaging is almost 90%. (Source)The company also provides a platform that helps online stores handle the distribution and recovery of the packaging. The platform enables brands to track the reusable package, and gives them more metrics related to sustainability, allowing them to meet their goals in the area.
Story
Co-Founder Chantal Emmanuel was working as a software engineer when she got a called from her friend and later co-Founder Ashley Etling, who wanted to talk about packaging related to online shopping, which has increased drastically in the last few years. The duo wanted to tackle the problem and Limeloop was started. (Source)
Pic Credit: LimeLoop
” I always go back to those three R’s we learned way back when, which is reduce, reuse and recycle. So ultimately we would like to get to reduction, but reuse is that next one. And when we talk about consumer behavior change, we’ve always have approached it from the perspective of convenience. Creating a system that’s convenient or even better for the consumer will allow them to participate. When you think about not having to untape boxes or retape them and now you can just unzip them or simply leave them at your front door versus actually going down, breaking down a box and put it in your recycling bin if it’s not full and then trying to find another place to put them..”
Ashley Etling in an interview
Founder(s)
Ashley Etling and Chantal Emmanuel
Headquarters
Emeryville, CA
In business since
2017
Business type
for profit
Impact
According to an interview, the company has diverted over a million packages since their launch in 2017.
Technology
providing a system for reusable packaging, providing an online platform for brands to track metrics relatd to reusable packaging
Material
digital, recycled vinyl and other recycled materials to make the pouches, system logistics
Website
The Circular People 
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