From ugly food catering companies to poverty-aiding supermarkets, these surplus re-users don't know how to say no to some extras. And it's all for the better, of course, since many products whether it's food or leather materials goes to waste each and every day.
Surplus re-users don't simply make the production process a little easier on the planet and the pocketbook, however, they also make consumers breathe a little easier. For example, the Real Junk Food Project operates a pay-as-you-feel cafe where its delicious treats are provided on a donation basis much like a recent Panera Bread innovation, although, Panera certainly is a fairly bigger company and perhaps can cushion the blow more seamlessly if there are ever lulls in donation.
20 Surplus Re-Users
From Ugly Food Catering to Poverty-Aiding Supermarkets:
Social Business Editor — May 27, 2014 — Social Good
20
Stylish Recycled Military Bags
Sword & Plough Recycle Military Fabric with Aid from Army Veterans
19
Poverty-Aiding Supermarkets
This Social Supermarket Decreases Food Prices by 70 Per Cent
18
Seasonal Eco Eateries
A Better World Cafe Serves up Accessible Sustainable Food
17
Well-Wasted Cuisine
FoodCycle Uses Surplus to Feed Local Communities
16
Ugly Food Catering
Culinary Misfits Use Disheveled Fruits and Veggies to Cater Events
15
Delicious Munificent Munchies
Rubies in the Rubble Empower Women and Tackle Food Waste with Jams
14
Sustainable Development Business Groups
WBCSD Targets a World-Wide Future of Social Change
13
Waste-Powered Gardening
EcoScraps Turns Old Food into High Quality Soil Conditioner
12
Pay-As-You-Feel Cafes
The Real Junk Food Project in the United Kingdom Offers Services by Donation
11
Fresh Produce Papers
Fenugreen Keeps Fruits and Vegetables from Spoiling
10
Micro-Farms
Abalimi Bezekhaya is an Example of Bottom-up Entrepreneurship
9
Wasted Apple Beverages
Batlow Premium Cider Stems from the Australian Co-Operative
8
Seasonal Vegetable Deliveries
Growing Places Enterprise Makes It Easy to Eat Local and Organic
7
Fresh Perspective Posts
The Social Business Visit to the FoodCycle Cambridge Hub
6
Collaborative Creation Gigs
Good for Nothing Brings People Together for Fast-Track 'Doing'
5
Fruit Jerky Products
Snact Uses Surplus Food to Create Healthy Snacks Kids Will Love
4
Surplus Food Supermarkets
Community Shop is a Social Enterprise on a Pilot Program
3
Social Purpose Gardens
'Landscaping With Heart' Employs People with Mental Illnesses in Vancouver
2
Parisian Discount Markets
ANDES is a Small Grocery Store Offering Cheap Food for People in Need
1
Surplus Gift Collaborations
'Agence du Don en Nature' Works with Corporations to Redistribute
Related Ideas
Food Waste Sneakers
Hellmann's Canada Launched 1352: Refreshed Sneakers with Food Waste Items
Compostable Suede Sneakers
Puma Re:Suede 2.0 is a Commercial Version of an Experimental Sneaker
AI-Powered Recipe Tools
Hellmann's Meal Reveal Uses Artificial Intelligence to Fight Food Waste
Designer Upcycled Bags
Comme Des Garçons Released Its Collaboration with FREITAG
Plastic Waste Ice Creams
Eleonora Ortolani Proposes a Different Way to Recycle Plastic Waste
Low-Value Plastic Recycling Methods
Ashaya Aims to Reuse Non-Recyclable Plastic Packaging
QSR Hunger Initiatives
Starbucks Expands FoodShare Program with Customer Participation Options
Eco Storytelling Workwear Campaigns
Patagonia's We Can Get There From Here Tells is Inspiring
Anti-Food Waste Delivery Services
Gopuff and Misfits Market Partnered to Expand Fresh Food Options
Surplus Fabric Childrenswear
The Remake by Burberry Repurposes Excess Fabrics and Yarns
Upcycled Beauty Retail Interiors
Nina+Co Uses Salvaged Materials and Biotextiles for This Project
Upcycled Ingredient Ice Creams
Salt & Straw's Upcycled Foods Series Rescues Wasted Food
Repurposed Patchwork Footwear
ReImagined by UGG Gives New Life to Leftover Leathers & Suedes
Inspiring Leftover Ads
Hellmann's Mayo Cat Super Bowl Ad Uses Mayonnaise to Fight Food Waste
Digital Sustainable Food Solutions
Special Projects Debuts Eco Lenses to Help with Decision-Making
BYO Bottle Drink Stations
The Refilled Refiller Stations Eliminate Single-Use Packaging
Eco-Friendly Restaurant Cups
Sulapac Partnered with Burger King in Finland for Biobased Cups
Reusable Paper-Made Water Bottles
The 'reU' Reusable Water Bottle Concept is Recyclable
Retail Overconsumption Campaigns
Coachtopia's 'The Wasted Parts' Explores Overconsumption Culture
Recycled Clothing-Crafted Furniture
Hemingway Design Transforms London's Traid Store
Plastic Intervention Programs
Cleancult's Program Helps Households Make Sustainable Changes
Scrap Material Footwear
Merrell Created a Scrap Shoe Collection for Zero Waste Week
Film-Themed Cookbooks
A24's Scrounging Cookbook Takes Cues from Unusual Movie Meals
Waste-Reducing Produce Stickers
Grey Colombia & Makro's Stickers on Produce Suggest Recipes
Rice Straw Fashion Collections
Siam Kubota and Greyhound Original Launch 'Turn Waste to Agri-Wear'
Customer-Driven Marketplaces
COS Clothing Partnered with Recurate on a C2B2C Marketplace
Sustainability-Driven Fashion Campaigns
pitusa's Sustainability Campaign Focuses on Reducing Waste
E-Commerce Recycling Programs
GUESS Launched GUESS Again in Partnership with SuperCircle
Repurposed Denim Furniture
Levi's Icons Re/Outfitted Refreshes Iconic Designs with Discarded Denim
Fully Circular Fashion Brands
Reformation Aims to be 100% Circular by 2030 with 'RefRecycling'
Encouraging Jar-Reusing Campaigns
Kraft Mayonnaise's Initiative Encourages Consumers to Repurpose
Refillable Product Pilots
Ocado Retail Debuts a Reusable Packaging Pilot with the Refill Coalition
Repurposed Pasta Boxes
Barilla & Marie Kondo are Sharing How to Reuse Packaging
Refurbishing Home Hardware Initiatives
D Line Launches Re-Handle®, Focusing on Sustainability
Recycled Plastic Condiment Packaging
Plastipak and Kraft Heinz Announced a New Partnership
Sustainable Shoe-Trading Platforms
New Balance Joins the Resale Space with 'Reconsidered'
Clothing Buy-Back Programs
Eileen Fisher Revolutionizes Clothing Recycling with Renew Program
Rebranded Food Delivery Apps
Skip Revamps Its Brand Identity to 'Skip to the Good Part'
Digital Food Waste-Reducing Platforms
Hitachi Digital Services Collaborates with Onethird
Eco-Friendly Refill Stores
Desert Refillery Provides Shoppers with Sustainable Personal Products
Pioneering Plant-Based Supermarkets
REWE's Venture is Considered a Bold Innovation in the Industry
Vegan Sportswear Pop-Ups
Hylo Athletics' Pop-Up at Harrods Includes a Recycling Component
Upcycled Slow Fashion Collections
Bellantoni's 'Re.Nu' Project Results in Sustainable Products
Upcycled Cheese Powders
Kerry's Upcycled Cheese Powder is Environmentally-Friendly and Flavorful
Upcycled Circular Design Products
Cyrc Designs Expansive Products with Sustainable Themes
Recyclable Plastic Food Packaging
Rooted Fare Announced a Transition to New BPA-Free Plastic Jars
Upcycled Tortilla Beers
Chica Mexicana is Made with Imperfect Tortillas to Fight Food Waste
RFID-Enabled Tableware
Checkpoint Systems & McDonald's France are Enhancing Reusable Tableware
Fresh Produce Storage Bags
Ambrosia Bags Offers a Solution to the Common Problem of Wasted Produce
Recycled Paper Towels
Reel Recycled Paper Towels are Premium, Tree-Free Paper Towels
Food Waste Bioplastics Factories
Agrorenew is Transforming Watermelon Waste into Bioplastics
Upcycled Ice Cream Desserts
Salt & Straw's Pints of the Month Help to Reduce Food Waste
Pre-Loved Shoppping Events
eBay's Recommerce Day Champions Sustainable Shopping
Delivery-Based Food Rescue Initiatives
Albertsons Companies and Uber Partner on Food Rescue
Circular Fashion-Enabling Partnerships
Coach and Poshmark's Collaboration Makes Buyer Resale Easy
Odorless Compost Kitchen Bins
The Mill Kitchen Bin Automatically Recycles Food Scraps
Reusable Paper Lunch Bags
Out of the Woods Reinterprets a Nostalgic Lunch Classic
Intricate Food Waste Teahouses
Mitsubishi Jisho Design Uses Food Waste Materials for Its Pavilion
Grain Husk Packaging Solutions
Proservation Develops 'Recou' out of Unused Grain Husks
eWaste-Made Furniture Designs
Lenovo Asset Recovery Services Collaborated with Aectual
Compostable Foodservice Packaging
The Better Earth Farmer’s Fiber Collection is Being Expanded
Pet Store Recycling Initiatives
The Pet Supplies Plus Recycle Program Features TerraCycle
Food Scrap Recycling Systems
The Next Generation Mill is Faster, Smarter and Quieter
Circular Packaging Services
Returnity's 'In Rotation' AIms to Reduce Packaging Waste
Free-From Salad Products
The Grow Up Farms 'Unbeleafable' Salads Come in Three Options
Upcycled Mushroom Pestos
Smallhold Mushroom Pesto Gives New Life to Imperfect Mushrooms
Canned Refill Systems
Meadow Invites Brands Offer Refills in Aluminium Cans
Agricultural Waste-Based Fabrics
Rethread Africa Specializes in Biodegradable Textile Fabrics
Freshness-Extending Food Packaging
SAVRpak Offers an Innovative Solution to Combat Food Waste
Fashion-Forward Grocery Totes
The Latest Waitrose x Lulu Guinness Tote is Made of Recycled Plastic
Children's Food-Insecurity Campaigns
Subway's Never Miss A Lunch Campaign Is Set to Relaunch
Ohio-Based Refill Stores
Reduce & Reuse Refillery Helps Save Money and Reduce Packaging Waste
Anti-Food Waste Solutions
Too Good To Go is Targeting Food Surplus Management with an AI Solution
Customizable White-Label Consumables
Printify Offers On-Demand Consumables for Brands & Businesses
Textile Recycling Partnerships
Dunelm and The Salvation Army Partnered on a New Program
Hair-Reusing Fabric Companies
This Dutch Startup Uses Discarded Hair to Create Clothes and Carpets
Sustainable QSR Litter Adverts
McDonald's Malta Presents New Captivating Eco-Centric Campaigns
Innovative Biobased Fabrication Brands
Algreen Creates Bio-Based Polyurethane Out of Food Waste
Waste-Minimizing Food Apps
"Oh, a Potato" Suggests Meal Ideas Based on Inventory
Recycled Fruit Bags
Superfresh Growers Introduces a Collection of Recycled Apple and Pear Bags
Purpose-Driven Popcorn Snacks
Gourmet Popcorn is on a Mission to Create Jobs
Waste Tarp-Made Public Seating
The Membran Collective Joins the Urban Networks Project
Plant-Based Chicken Alternatives
Recreate Foods Makes Nuggets, Filets & More for Foodservice
Reusable Contactless Cups
Starbucks' Borrow a Cup Pilot Explores Reusable, Recyclable Packaging
Urban Waste-Made Furniture
Javier Guzmán Cervantes and Ex Soup Join on an Exhibition
Reusable Cup Programs
Starbucks is Participating in a City-Wide Collaborative Reuse Project
Simplified Food Waste Reducers
'KITRO' is a University-Created Tool for Optimizing Food Usage
Upcycled Supergrain Flatbreads
This Naan Flatbread Uses 20% ReGrained Supergrain+ Flour
Wasteful Fashion Campaigns
Vestiaire Collective Reminded People to Shop Mindfully on Black Friday
Waste-Reducing Wines
Wasted Wine Club Creatively Repurposes Surplus Wine
Low-Waste Shopping Solutions
ASDA, Avery Berkel & Hanshow are Enhancing Sustainability in the UK
Imperfect Produce Subscriptions
Odd Bunch Delivers Oddly Shaped Produce to Consumers' Doors
Food Insecurity Retail Campaigns
Asda 'You Buy, We Donate' Benefits BBC Children in Need
Leftover Bread-Based Beers
Aldi is Launching Food Waste Beers Under the Hop Foundry Brand
Hybrid Community Supermarkets
The After Market is a Grocery Store and a Food Pantry
Meal-Donating Snack Bars
Act Bars Provide One Meal for Every One Sold
Upcycled Grain Naan Breads
Atoria’s Family Bakery Mini Upcycled Naan Has an Eco-Friendly Recipe
Branded Customer Resale Marketplaces
Relove Enables Businesses to Launch C2B2C Storefronts
Waste-Reducing Beanless Coffees
Prefer Makes Bean-Free Coffee from Food Waste Like Soy and Bread
Retail Food Preparation Stations
Urban Eat Debuts a Smart Retail Solution for its Food-to-Go Range
Heat-to-Eat Snack Ranges
This Urban Eat Food-to-Go Range Can Be Heated Inside its Packaging
Clothing Recycling Services
Marine Layer and Trashie Lead Sustainable Fashion with New Initiative
Circular Fashion Shops
Asket Supports a Sustainable Fashion Future with Resale & Repair
Waste-Reducing Culinary Starters
The Spare Food Co.'s Spare Starter Uses Surplus Farm Produce
Affordable Deadstock Apparel
SHEIN Ventures Into Sustainable Production with a 30-Piece Capsule
Eco-Friendly Single-Use Cutlery
Better Earth Debuted Compostable Cutlery and a New Dispenser
Upcycled Fabric Home Goods
Sunbrella ReMade Items are Made from Upcycled Sunbrella Fabrics
Tree-Free Sustainable Packaging
Craste Uses Crop Residue to Create Eco-Friendly Packaging
Reusable Cafe Packaging
SFU Reduces Waste with Tap to Reuse and Smart Return Bin Tech
Textile Recycling Supply Chains
Fashion Takes Action Releases an Eco-Conscious Textile Guide
Upcycled Grapeseed Flours
Salute Santé!'s Flours Repurpose Leftovers from an Oil-Making Process
Food-Grade rPET Packaging
These Novolex Recyclable Food Containers Have 10% Recycled Plastic
Ethical Clothing Recycling Services
Retold Recycling Aims to Reduce Textile Waste
Upcycled Wine Brands
Rotterdam Urban Winery Addresses the Food Waste Crisis
Sustainably Upcycled Jeans
These 'Diesel' Jeans Reuse Textile Cutting Waste Materials
Banana Fiber Apparel
Interloop Limited and Simply Suzette Launch the Unpeeled Collection
Artwork-Adorned Reusable Bags
This Giant Food Reusable Bag Campaign Supports Nonprofits
Food Waste-Combatting Smart Stickers
Grey Colombia Unveils a Set of Progressive Produce Stickers
Biodegradable Fast Food Uniforms
These McDonald's Uniforms Use 'CiClo' Fabric Technology
Global Food Retail Expansions
Supermarket Italy Emphasizes Global Flavors from Around the World
Pre-Loved Clothing Platforms
Zara is Expanding its Pre-Owned Platform for Eco-Shopping
Hyper-Local Gifting Communities
On the Buy Nothing Project App, Everything is Given Freely
Retailer Bakery Product Expansions
These New One Stop Lines are Perfect for Picnics and Sharing
Retailer-Backed Reseller Platforms
IKEA Preowned Helps Consumers Sell Their Housewares
Recyclable Cover Papers
Saputo Dairy UK is Transitioning its Spreadable Covers to Paper-Based
Pet Product Takeback Services
PetSmart Unveils the New Sustainable Pet Product Takeback Programs
Leftover Sandwich Campaigns
The Hellmanns' 'Between 2 Slices' Campaign Tackles Food Waste
Updated Fresh Food Lines
One Stop Refreshes its Product Range to Offer Healthier and Fresher Items
Eco Meal Program Initiatives
The Home Chef Food Rescue Program Redirects Surplus and Waste
Retail Food Expiry Tools
Gander Taps C-Store Collective to Launch a New Service Partnership
Food Insecurity-Addressing Partnerships
TUMS and Second Harvest Address Food Insecurity in Canada
Ultra-Green Deadstock Stores
The Kisarazu Concept Store is Deeply Rooted in Sustainable Practices
Organic Plantain Scoops
Barnana's New Plantain Snack is Its First Upcycled Certified Product
Expiration Management Tools
East of England Co-op Taps Retail Insight for a New Waste Solution
Sustainable Imperfect Groceries
Spud Delivers Unique Foods to the Homes of Eco-Conscious Consumers
Pre-Loved Clothing Markets
Charity Super.Mkt Will Take Over Fenwick's on Bond Street
Carbon-Neutral Shelf-Stable Meals
Matriark Vegetable Harvest Stew Uniquely Supports Food Banks
Sustainable Service Industry Toolkits
RECOUP Has Launched a New 'Bring it Back' Toolkit with PECT
Shared Kitchen Initatives
Metro & Food Banks of Quebec Address Food Insecurity
Seasonal Surplus Produce Boxes
Earth & Wheat Christmas Feast Rescued Box is Charitable