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Reuse 101
Everything you need to know to make the case for reuse in your community, at your workplace, and beyond.
What is a reuse economy?
In a reuse economy, products and packaging are designed from the beginning for reusability – to be recirculated in the form in which they were originally created and intended, and they are put into a system in which they can be used again and again.
What does a reuse system look like?
A reuse system is made up of the infrastructure, logistics, and technology for collection, washing and processing, and recirculation of durable, returnable products and packaging. Reuse service providers who offer some or all of these elements are part of a burgeoning industry.
Upstream’s primary goal is to achieve widespread, interoperable reuse infrastructure that makes the reuse economy possible. We do this by normalizing reuse, growing and supporting the reuse industry, and ensuring a supportive policy environment.
Why do we need a reuse economy?
The reuse economy suppresses extraction of materials and the endless production of single-use items. It all but eliminates landfilling and incineration. It keeps resources circulating locally and helps businesses achieve independence from volatile global supply chains. Reuse slows global climate change and builds climate resilience for communities that are already facing climate impacts. It creates jobs, increases community wealth, and it represents a just transition to a safe, healthy, participatory new industry.
According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, converting just 20% of single-use plastic packaging to reusable is a business opportunity worth $10 billion. New jobs, new businesses, new systems to bring our communities into the 21st Century: reuse is an economic driver for the country.
Reuse Learning Library
Informational overviews of topics to help you learn the ins and outs of reuse, with a rich library of resources at the bottom of each page for a deeper dive into the topic.
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![hands passing food at a restaurant with reusable dishes]()
Reuse for Onsite Dining Library
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![A plastic bag with the words 'BIO COMPOSTABLE' containing several apples, which are also visible outside the bag.]()
Why single-use compostables and bioplastics aren’t the answer
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![A person wearing a reflective safety vest standing near large bales of compressed trash and plastic waste outdoors, with a gray industrial building and trees in the background under a cloudy sky.]()
Why we can’t recycle our way out of the problem
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![Close-up of green tropical leaves, including monstera and fern, layered and overlapping.]()
Reuse vs. single-use: environment
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![A glass container filled with coins in which a small green plant with leaves is growing.]()
Reuse vs. single-use: economics
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![Hand holding a reusable coffee cup with a black lid outdoors, with bicycles and fallen yellow leaves in the background.]()
The Reuse Economy
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![A bicycle parked on a bike rack near a green grassy area and a large brick building with ivy-covered walls. Trees line a sidewalk in a park-like setting on a sunny day.]()
Reuse in Schools
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![A stainless steel tumbler filled with a latte topped with latte art sitting on a wooden table, with a large textured white vase filled with purple and green floral arrangements in the background.]()
The Reuse Outreach Playbook
Reuse Reports by Upstream
For other key reports regarding reuse, see our Research page.
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![Colorful stacked plates and bowls with spoons on a white background.]()
Reuse Wins
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![A crowd at a concert or festival with people making heart shapes with their hands, facing a brightly lit stage with smoke effects.]()
Reuse Wins at Events
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![Arrangement of various food and household product containers, including seasoning jars, tea tins, and bottles of tea and detergent.]()
The New Reuse Economy
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![kid with lunch tray]()
The Conscious Cafeteria Report
Reuse 101 Articles
Reuse 101 Podcasts
Recyclable and reusable packaging can share collection points, transportation systems, and sorting and processing facilities. Here’s what that looks like.