This started with a simple question.
What if what we throw away could create opportunity for someone else?
OUR MISSION
Create Opportunities Locally to Impact Globally
We exist to change the way the world thinks about waste. The reuse economy is built on the belief that products still have value long after their first use. Instead of ending up in landfills, they can be redirected, reused, and repurposed to create a meaningful impact.
Our mission is to connect excess with need. We look to turn everyday items into opportunities. And we seek to build systems that support both people and the planet.
It’s not about doing more. It’s about wasting less and using what already exists in a smarter way.
Our Ecosystem in Action
Where this Comes to Life
The reuse economy is not just an idea. It’s powered by real programs that operate at scale and create measurable impact every day.
Funds2Orgs turns shoe drives into dual-impact fundraisers — collected footwear supports local organizations while fueling small businesses in developing countries through the global reuse market.
Sneakers4Good partners with runners, gyms, marathons, and retailers to collect sneakers and give them a second life — supporting both environmental sustainability and a global network of micro-entrepreneurs who rely on secondhand goods for income.
Why This Matters
We live in a world built around consumption.
Products are made quickly, used briefly, and discarded without a second thought. The result is millions of tons of usable goods sitting in landfills while communities around the world lack access to affordable essentials.
More than 70% of the global population relies on secondhand goods. This is not a small market, and it’s a critical part of how the world functions.
Reuse isn’t a trend. But it is a necessity. And it’s one of the most immediate ways we can create both environmental and human impact.
Where We Fit In
We sit at the intersection of sustainability, business, and global impact.
The reuse economy isn’t just about environmental responsibility. It’s about building systems that work in the real world. By connecting communities, organizations, and global markets, we help create a continuous flow of value instead of waste.
The reuse economy exists in that gap. It connects what is available with what is needed. It reduces waste and creates economic opportunity.
This is how local action becomes global impact.
Meet Wayne Elsey
Wayne Elsey is a leader in social entrepreneurship and one of the pioneers behind the modern reuse movement.
His work began with a simple realization: there’s value in what we throw away. The challenge is building the systems to unlock it.
Over the past two decades, Wayne has helped redirect millions of pounds of sneakers and shoes from landfills while creating economic opportunities for thousands of families around the world.
Through Funds2Orgs and Sneakers4Good, his work has connected local communities with global markets in a way that is both sustainable and scalable.
The reuse economy is the culmination of that experience.
It’s a social enterprise model and a call to rethink how we use, value, and move resources in our world.
This isn’t just about products.
It’s about people, possibility, and a better way forward. Let’s break away from the “throwaway culture” together.