Basic Revolution Giveaway | the ReFab Diaries

Solving two hole-y problems with one box. Welcome to the revolution! And a giveaway :)




Winners drawn 9/17 : Robert Y. and Kelly T. Please check your email! 


Fab friends!! I'm so excited to introduce you to Basic Revolution and its amazing, Chicago-based founder Andrea. Let's get right into the basics of her revolution and what she's offering TWO of my lucky readers!

Ok Andrea, what’s this revolution all about?
It’s a pretty small revolution, but a big idea. We want to change the way you dispose of your unusable unmentionables. Yes, I'm talking about hole-y socks, stained t-shirts and worn-out undies. What do you usually do with them? We used to throw them in the trash, and we're guessing you do too because what else can you do with them - donate them? Ewww! Of course not. 

Of course not. And if that's what we're all doing, I'm guessing we have a pretty embarrassing problem on our hands, right?  
Yup. Did you know the average American throws away 80 lbs of clothing a year?!? I sure didn’t, but now I want to weigh all my clothes and see what that looks like. Here’s another dirty fact: about 85% of all post-consumer clothing ends up in a landfill. The other 15% gets donated to charities and other organizations that accept clothing items in good shape to resell or to give to people in need.

Well, those are revolting numbers. And that's why you started Basic Revolution? 
We understand there are tons of other things hurting our environment - ocean plastic, carbon emissions, overuse of resources, water pollution - the list can feel endless. So we wanted to create a fun and simple way to help a lot of people make a small change, in turn creating a big difference. A way for you to easily recycle those hole-y socks, sad undies, and torn-up T’s. A Basic Revolution.

Wait - you said you're solving TWO problems with one box. What's the other one?
We understand that no matter how careful you are, your basic items - like socks - need to be replaced more often than other items of clothing. So part of our solution is making sure that you never run out of fresh, sustainably-made basics. 

You're like a planet-friendly sock fairy! So tell us how it works.
To put it simply: Wear. Recycle. Repeat. 



textile recycling infographic


Wear. Order your basics from us and you’ll receive your box of fresh, sustainably-made basics. You’ll get to feel good about buying items you know were made in an environmentally friendly way, so wear the heck out of them!

Recycle. With every shipment you receive, you can recycle your old, worn out, un-donate-able clothing items. All you have to do is re-use the box your items came in and apply the shipping label we sent with it. Just fill it with socks, undies, t-shirts...whatever you can’t donate but can fit in the box goes. Then drop it off at your local post office. That’s pretty easy!

That box goes to our recycling partner who sorts and distributes the items to places that will give them a second life. You’d be surprised what your old clothing can be turned into. Old t-shirts might become wipe rags, jeans can be turned into insulation, and other items might go to a fabric recycler to be broken down and turned into stuffing for car seats and dog beds, or carpet padding. 

Repeat. Receive your sustainable basics every 6 months or every year. Don’t worry, we aren’t just going to ship stuff without checking in first. And if you aren’t ready for new basics, you can delay your shipment. Once you receive the new shipment, the process starts again. Send us your old, your hole-y, your tattered and we’ll help give them a new life.

What basics can I order right now?
We are starting with socks! Black, white, crew, ankle, sport. We’re keeping it simple, basic if you will.

Choose your box size - 7 or 15 pairs
Choose your sock type or create a mix
Choose your fabric - bamboo or organic cotton
Choose your frequency - every 6 months or once a year
 
Done! We’ll take care of the rest. Your items will arrive in a sustainably-made box (full circle), with the shipping label needed to send it on to our recycler. Pack the box full of your old, worn out unmentionables and send it off again... Marie Kondo is already proud of you!  

"I LOVE these socks and can't believe I waited so long to sign up. Not only are they great quality and comfy thickness but it feels great to be part of reducing waste. I donate clothes but used to throw away old personal items. Sending back old socks and such is super easy thanks to BR!" 

--Heather


Fantastic! Last question: what's different about the socks in your box? 
We spent a lot of time looking for great socks for our sock box. We wanted socks that were sustainably made, by companies that care about the environment, their employees, supply chain, and are socially conscious. AND we wanted quality socks that are comfortable. After much testing we settled on offering two kinds of socks - bamboo and organic cotton.

Our bamboo socks are super soft and comfortable. They are lightweight and great for wearing with dress shoes or boots, or your everyday sneakers. Our organic cotton socks are thicker than the bamboo and more like what you might think of as a traditional cotton crew sock.

"Thanks for the great socks! The bamboo athletic socks are the softest I've ever had! And I'm super happy I'm now able to recycle my old ones instead of throwing them away!! 

--Doug"


And there you have it. Awesome, new, sustainably-made socks that you didn’t have to scour the internet for and the great feeling of getting rid of stuff you don’t need in a way that doesn’t hurt the planet.

WHAT CAN I WIN? 


TWO of my readers will win a 7-pair sock box valued at $89. Your prize includes one shipment of socks (either men's or women's; your choice) and one recycling return. Free shipping. Whether you choose men's or women's socks, you'll be able to choose your mix of materials and styles - bamboo, organic cotton, crew, ankle, sport.  There's no obligation to continue the subscription, just email info@mybasicrevotution.com to cancel

Rules:  
  • Giveaway opens Sept 1 and closes at midnight Sept 16
  • US RESIDENTS ONLY
  • Must order your shipment within two weeks of winning
  • Once order is placed it will ship in 1-2 weeks
  • No obligation to continue the subscription - just reply to the email that you’d like a one time shipment and we will cancel the subscription
  • If you forget to respond, no worries, you’ll get an email before it renews, at that time you can change your mix or cancel the subscription





Any final thoughts on what we can do to cut down on textile waste?
 
  • Be more deliberate in your purchases. It’s fun to get new stuff, but if it’s low quality and you’re only going to wear it once, is it worth it when you look at the bigger picture?
  • Buy quality items that last. Ok, they cost more but that pair of boots I bought 15 years ago are still in my closet (and they get worn!)
  • Repair items. It’s amazingly easy to fix a tear along a seam yourself or to sew a button back on. And the time you invest is little compared to the cost of a new item. Don’t want to repair it yourself? Find a good dry cleaner or seamstress. Most towns have one, and if you live in a city they are probably on every block. They can make fixes big and small for a fraction of the cost of a new high quality item.
  • Donate. If you’ve gotten all the use out of an item and it’s still wearable, donate it to an organization to get it in the hands of someone else who needs it.
  • Recycle. Some organizations that take donations will also take items that can’t be worn and recycle them. But be sure to do your research! Many only want to take items that can be resold and will throw out the rest.
  • Join the Basic Revolution! Send us your old, your hole-y, your worn out! We’ll make sure it gets to the right place … aka not a landfill.




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  1. I always cut up things that you cannot donate and put them in a bin in the garage! The guys need an unending supply of rags out there, which, after being used, have to be burned.. that grease, oil, etc, can't even put them in the trash, for fear of the spontaneous combustion! Deb Sluis

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  2. I've been using socks as rags

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    1. I've done that too - the really fuzzy ones make pretty good dusters.

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  3. what I cannot mend I throw out

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    1. Me too Monique! That's why BR is such a great idea... it's a way to get those un-mendables recyled.

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  4. I have a box full of un-matching socks in my closet that I've been hoarding. The duster idea is good, I should try that!

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    1. I think we all have those socks! Wouldn't it be great to get them recycled instead? That's what BR does and why I love the idea so much.

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  5. I donate them to Goodwill if they're still in good, wearable condition.

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    1. Awesome. Problem is, we can't donate old underwear and hole-y socks! That's why I'm so excited about the Basic Revolution - we really need a solution for stuff that's too worn to donate.

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  6. Replies
    1. I think most of us do, which is why I'm so excited about what Basic Revolution is doing. I hope that one day we can recycle ALL scrap textile instead of throwing it out.

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  7. We turn old socks into dish rags and pot holders.

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    1. Nice. One day I hope that what BR is doing isn't such a revolutionary idea... I hope we can just recycle all scrap textile instead of trying to figure out how to re-use it.

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  8. I really just toss them when they get worn out.

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    1. I think most of us do Kim, which is why I'm so excited about what Basic Revolution is doing. I hope that one day we can recycle ALL scrap textile instead of throwing it out.

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  9. I always cut up old t-shirts and use them as rags and use old socks to dust.

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    1. Nice Rose, although I do hope that one day we don't have to think about how to repurpose old socks. Basic Revolution proves that textile recycling is possible; my hope is that it becomes easier for all of us to do!

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  10. I trash the old stuff. Can't think of anything else to do with them.

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    1. I think most of us do PJ, which is why I'm so excited about what Basic Revolution is doing. I hope that one day we can recycle ALL scrap textile instead of trashing it.

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  11. Nice, although I do hope that one day we don't have to think about how to repurpose word out clothes. Basic Revolution proves that textile recycling is possible; my hope is that it becomes easier for all of us to do!

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  12. Darlene Carbajal9/2/20, 12:00 PM

    I usually donate them!

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    1. Awesome Darlene! Problem is, we can't donate old underwear and hole-y socks! That's why I'm so excited about the Basic Revolution - we really need a solution for stuff that's too worn to donate.

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  13. We use them for rags in the garage and cleaners. Thank you

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  14. I use my hole-y socks as swifters on my hardwood floors. Old boxers and undies are cleaning rags but I do throw away worn out bras:(

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    1. Cindy - I feel your pain. I wrote a whole post on the bra issue because it really is crazy that we have to trash them... especially when most are so expensive in the first place!

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  15. Replies
    1. I think most of us do Linda, which is why I'm so excited about what Basic Revolution is doing. I hope that one day we can recycle ALL scrap textile instead of throwing it out.

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  16. I use them on garage and basement spills .

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  17. I use them as cleaning rags to get a little more use out of them!

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  18. I upcycle, recycle and give to charity! Really trying not to be so wasteful!

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    1. That's awesome Sonnetdog. Beyond all that though, we need an economy that's generally more circular. We need design and business models that actually think about the full lifecycle of "stuff". I think individuals do need to take more responsibility - but it can't all be about our "choices". We need businesses like BR that help us do the right thing.

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  19. My old unmentionables go into the trash..

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    1. Yup - not too many other options, right? It's a pity, and one of the reasons I think Basic Revolution is a model for all businesses. Yes, sell people something... but while you're at it, how about you help them get rid of their old stuff too?

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  20. I use them as cleaning cloths.

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    Replies
    1. So do I - not to many other options out there, right?

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  21. we tie them in a knot and let the dogs play with them, they love it.

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    1. I can picture that - what a great idea!

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  22. Any old clothing that isn't in great shape to donate we turn into cleaning rags.

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  23. That's definitely one way to keep stuff out of landfills for longer!

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  24. Robert Young9/2/20, 11:34 PM

    My old socks get one final usage before they go out in a blaze of glory as I use them by putting them on my hands to wipe things down and dust clean around the house.

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    1. Nice! Even nicer if they could go on to second life, right?

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  25. No one wants more worn out so int he trash~

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    1. Exactly. But what if they could be recycled instead? It's completely possible - we just don't have a cycle of production that thinks about that or makes it easy.

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  26. I either toss them in the garbage, repurpose them as rags, or cut them up and put them in the compost (but only if they're 100% cotton). I love the idea of recycling them this way, though. What a great idea!

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    1. Yay composting! And yes - this way of giving work textiles a second life really shouldn't be revolutionary... but it is!

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  27. I wear my stuff until they're completely done for so I usually throw them out.

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    1. Yup - not too many other options, right? It's a pity, and one of the reasons I think Basic Revolution is a model for all businesses. Yes, sell people something... but while you're at it, how about you help them get rid of their old stuff too?

      Delete
  28. I throw away. But they must be well worn.

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    1. Yup - not too many other options, right? It's a pity, and one of the reasons I think Basic Revolution is so exciting. Yes, sell people something... but while you're at it, help them get rid of their worn-out stuff too!

      Delete
  29. mostly go to the trash

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup - not too many other options, right? It's a pity, and one of the reasons I think Basic Revolution is a model for all businesses. Yes, sell people something... but while you're at it, how about you help them get rid of their old stuff too?

      Delete
  30. Usually stick them in my hubbys rag-bag

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    1. Awesome. And for those of us without hubbies (or their rag bags) there's Basic Revolution! :)

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  31. I give all my old clothing to Goodwill. Thanks for the giveaway!

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    1. Awesome Christina! Problem is, we can't donate old underwear and hole-y socks! That's why I'm so excited about the Basic Revolution - we really need a solution for stuff that's too worn to donate.

      Delete
  32. I cut off any metal and use them as cleaning rags.

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  33. My old socks goes into the rag bag.

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  34. Merysa Cortez9/6/20, 4:21 AM

    With my old socks, I throw them out when they are completely worn. Old clothing, if they are still in good condition, I donate them! :D

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    1. Me too, but if those completely worn socks could be recycled? It's completely possible - we just don't have a cycle of production that thinks about that or makes it easy. That's why Basic Revolution is so exciting!

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  35. I throw them all in the trash when they are worn out.

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    1. Me too Michele. Wouldn't it be cool if worn socks could be recycled instead? It's completely possible - we just don't have a cycle of production that thinks about that or makes it easy. That's why Basic Revolution is so exciting!

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  36. I give as much as possible to our local thrift store

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    1. Awesome Q! Problem is, we can't donate old underwear and hole-y socks! That's why I'm so excited about the Basic Revolution - we really need a solution for stuff that's too worn to donate.

      Delete
  37. Replies
    1. Me too, but if those completely worn socks could be recycled? It's completely possible - we just don't have a cycle of production that thinks about that or makes it easy. That's why Basic Revolution is so exciting!

      Delete
  38. I donate what I can, what hasn't been donatable would take to textile recycling and my local greenmarket--but due to the pandemic textile collections were suspended. Since March, I have to admit I was throwing them in the garbage

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    1. Amazing that you have access to textile recycling - that's so unusual.

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  39. Car repair rag bag :-)

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  40. Rags or filling for stuffed animals

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  41. rags to clean and later to trash!!

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    1. Yup - not too many other options, right? It's a pity, and one of the reasons I think Basic Revolution is so exciting. Yes, sell people something... but while you're at it, help them get rid of their worn-out stuff too!

      Delete
  42. I use old socks and shirts as rags sometimes for cleaning around the house and then I toss them

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    1. Me too Carolyn. Wouldn't it be cool if worn socks could be recycled instead? It's completely possible - we just don't have a cycle of production that thinks about that or makes it easy. That's why Basic Revolution is so exciting!

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  43. I save old worn out socks for rags.

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  44. I donate what I can to Goodwill but some items have to be thrown away.

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    1. Me too! Wouldn't it be cool if the stuff we throw out right now could be recycled instead? It's completely possible - we just don't have a cycle of production that thinks about that or makes it easy. That's why Basic Revolution is so exciting!

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  45. I shelter elderly cats, so everything is used for them old towels, socks, etc.

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    1. Bravo Audrey - you have made my Sunday!

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  46. I try to use them for cleaning rags before I throw them away.

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  47. We usually throw our socks out and get new ones

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  48. Mostly trash and cleaning

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  49. I use my old socks for cleaning cloths.

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  50. I wear them till their pretty much trash.. so there's not much I can do but throw them away

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  51. I use our old socks for dust rags, they work just fine. I also use them for cleaning the floors.
    twinkle at optonline dot net

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  52. I trash them. I wish I could recycle them.

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  53. We might keep a few of the thicker fluffier socks for replacement swiffer pads or rags but otherwise all that stuff gets thrown away at my house!

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  54. i use them as rags for cleaning

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  55. I use all the items not fit for donation as rags.

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