recycled-materials
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Trex turned the trash into the terrace.
A plastic bag, a pile of sawdust, and a surprisingly durable business. How Trex made less weekend maintenance worth paying for.
The Company That Sold You the Bag, the Dock, and Everything In Between
Targus made the first laptop case 40-plus years ago. It survived by owning the boring, essential stuff everyone forgets to buy until they need it - and by turning old bottles into backpacks.
The Veterans Who Turned Boring Laptop Bags Into a Multi-Brand Empire
A 1992 laptop-case brand, two Naval Academy roommates, and a plan to own every unglamorous accessory that keeps a company's laptops alive. Here is how CODi Worldwide built a quiet hardware business on the stuff IT departments never brag about.
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi is a Salt Lake City outdoor gear and apparel brand built as a certified B Corporation around the promise of 'Gear for Good.' Founded in 2014 by Davis Smith, it makes colorful, durable backpacks, travel packs and jackets - including the one-of-a-kind Del Día packs sewn from remnant fabric - and channels 1% of revenue into the Cotopaxi Foundation to fight extreme poverty, largely in Latin America. Selling direct-to-consumer, through wholesale partners and a growing base of retail stores, Cotopaxi has grown past $150M in annual revenue while positioning purpose as central to the business rather than an afterthought.
Dagne Dover
Dagne Dover is a New York-based direct-to-consumer accessories brand founded in 2013 that designs hyper-functional bags - backpacks, totes, diaper bags, and luggage - engineered around organization and everyday problem-solving. Built by three women who bootstrapped rather than chasing venture capital, the brand is known for its signature neoprene 365 Collection, recycled Repreve linings, and an 'Almost Vintage' resale program that extends the life of its products.
KEEN
KEEN is a privately held American outdoor footwear and accessories brand founded in 2003 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Best known for the toe-protecting Newport hybrid sandal, KEEN designs hiking boots, sandals, casual shoes and safety work footwear (KEEN Utility) that blend outdoor performance with a durability-first, low-impact ethos it calls 'Consciously Created.' The company has been PFAS-free since 2018, uses recycled and agricultural-waste materials, manufactures part of its line in the U.S., and channels giving through The KEEN Effect. It sells direct-to-consumer online and through retail partners worldwide.
Reima
Reima is a Finnish children's outdoor clothing company founded in 1944 that designs functional, weatherproof apparel, footwear and accessories for kids aged 0-12. Built on a mission to get every child active outdoors for at least an hour a day, Reima pairs Nordic design with technical performance - waterproof jackets, snowsuits, softshells, base layers and shoes - and has become an industry leader in sustainable, circular kidswear, cutting its emissions more than 50% since 2021 and selling in roughly 50 countries.
Troubadour Goods
Troubadour Goods is a London-based, B Corp-certified maker of premium bags and accessories built for people who move between the office, the airport and the weekend. Founded in 2011 by two former City of London financiers, Samuel Bail and Abel Samet, the brand pairs functional, understated design with technical performance - waterproof fabrics, ergonomic straps and tech-protective compartments - and an unusually deep sustainability program that culminated in the Orbis Circular Collection, a line of fully recyclable, zero-waste bags made from recycled PET. Its bestselling Apex backpack has been named a best laptop backpack by Wirecutter, Esquire and The Telegraph.
Sabai Design
Sabai Design is a New York-based direct-to-consumer furniture company making sustainable, non-toxic sofas that are actually affordable. Founded in 2019 by Phantila Phataraprasit and Caitlin Ellen, Sabai builds modular, repairable seating from recycled velvet, upcycled poly, recycled water bottles, hemp, and FSC-certified wood - manufactured in High Point, North Carolina. As a Certified B Corporation, Sabai pairs circular programs like 'Repair Don't Replace' and a first-of-its-kind US furniture buyback line (Sabai Revive) with a mission to keep couches out of landfills and make conscious living accessible to a generation that shops its values.