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Across the outdoor industry, product recycling has become the cool new thing. The last year has seen several major brands announce programs aimed at in-house recycling of their own products, from Arc’teryx to Carhartt to Smartwool.
And now Hydro Flask joins the trend of creating a “circular product lifecycle” with what it calls the first trade-in program in the U.S. for insulated water bottles. The company will now allow customers to return old, unwanted, and non-functioning bottles, tumblers, and stainless steel products in exchange for store credit through its website.
“We understand how hard the active, on-the-go lifestyle of our customers can be on some products and that eventually, it may be time to retire their Hydro Flask,” said Larry Witt, president of Helen of Troy’s Home & Outdoor segment, Hydro Flask’s parent company. “Through the Trade-In program, customers can feel better about parting ways with their Hydro Flasks knowing they won’t end up in landfills.”
Hydro Flask Trade-In Details
To participate in the Trade-In program, customers will need to register their used Hydro Flask products.
The brand provides the shipping, which can be placed on the item without additional packaging — reducing waste. The company will then disassemble and recycle “as much of the product’s materials as possible.”
Customers will receive a promo code of $5 for each returned product. The discount can only be used on the Hydro Flask website.
The company also encourages customers to keep any caps, lids, boots, or straws. However, the company will accept returns of those items as well. Hydro Flask’s director of corporate responsibility called the Trade-In program a “small step” toward its aspiration of “complete product circularity.”
Since 2017, Hydro Flask has recycled over 100,000 pounds of stainless steel and polypropylene in-house, according to the press release. Learn more about the program at Hydro Flask’s website.
