What Ray's Reusables does

Ray's Reusables is a Philadelphia-based retail refillery and curated sustainable goods store founded in 2020 by Ray Daly. The company operates a brick-and-mortar storefront at 935 N 2nd Street in the Northern Liberties neighborhood, supplemented by recurring pop-up presence at the East Falls and Clark Park farmers markets and a Shopify-hosted e-commerce site that ships plastic-free nationwide. Its core offering is a bulk refill system in which customers bring their own containers and purchase personal care and cleaning products — including hand soap, dish soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry detergent, and all-purpose spray — by weight at per-ounce pricing that ranges from $0.10 (baking soda) to $16.00 (face oil). Around the refill system, the store carries curated sustainable SKUs across Bathroom + Grooming, Kitchen + Cleaning, Household + Out and About, and Gifting collections, plus a small 'Made In House' private-label line (paperless towels, mesh produce bags, stickers, incense) and a 'Made in PA' local-maker assortment.

The business generates revenue through four streams: one-time product sales ($1.30-$44.00 retail SKUs), bulk refill transactions priced per ounce, digital gift cards in $10/$25/$50/$100 denominations, and ticketed in-store workshops ($15-$60 for events such as indigo dyeing, candle making, visible mending, and knife sharpening). Customers are environmentally conscious Philadelphia-area consumers seeking to reduce single-use plastic and households looking for sustainable gift options. The company extends its footprint beyond retail through community recycling programs — accepting up to 200 lbs/week of glass via Bottle Underground, hard-to-recycle items via Rabbit Recycling, and safety razor blades via Albatross Designs — funded in part by a community-sponsored bin program.

Ray's Reusables is organized as Ray's Reusables LLC, a privately held Pennsylvania LLC wholly owned and operated by founder Ray Daly with no disclosed institutional investors, parent entity, or subsidiaries. The disclosed external capital is a single $5,000 Comcast RISE grant in August 2023. The technology stack is intentionally minimal — a standard Shopify storefront with Shopify Planet carbon-neutral shipping — and the company's competitive position is grounded in community engagement, refill habit formation, curated maker relationships, and a depth of local programming (workshops, recycling, farmers markets) rather than in proprietary technology or AI.

Name

Ray's Reusables

Legal name

Ray's Reusables LLC

Website

https://raysreusables.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ray's Reusables is a Philadelphia-based refillery and sustainable retail store where customers bring their own containers to refill personal care and household cleaning products by weight, complemented by curated eco-friendly goods, in-store workshops, and community recycling programs serving environmentally conscious local consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refill / Sustainable Household Retail

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (459510)

SIC

Wholesale-Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods (5190)

akta.pro primary industry

Eco-Friendly Household & Zero-Waste Refill Stores (CRAHAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Eco-Friendly Concentrates, Refills & Packaging Systems (CRAJAOAL)

Keywords

• Refill retail store
• Bulk personal care
• Plastic-free shopping
• Sustainable home goods
• Zero waste supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: One-time product sales of sustainable household and personal care items including body care, kitchen products, candles, gifts, and greeting cards. Products range from $1.30 to $44.00 with most items under $35.
2. Bulk Refill Sales: Refill products sold by weight (per ounce pricing). Customers bring their own containers to fill with household and personal care products like laundry detergent, dish soap, shampoo, conditioner, and cleaning supplies. Pricing ranges from $0.10/oz (baking soda) to $16.00/oz (face oil). This is the core differentiator of the business model, eliminating single-use plastic packaging.
3. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards available in denominations of $10, $25, $50, and $100. Redeemable in-store or online for any products.
4. Events and Workshops: Revenue from ticketed workshops and events including indigo dyeing workshops ($60), candle making workshops ($19.99), visible mending workshops ($60), and knife sharpening services. Also offers drop-off dyeing services ($15-25).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ray's Reusables is a Philadelphia-based refillery and sustainable goods retailer. Its core offering is a bulk refill system: customers bring their own containers to fill with personal care and household cleaning products (hand soap, dish soap, shampoo, conditioner, laundry detergent, all-purpose spray, etc.) sold by weight, eliminating single-use plastic packaging. The store also retails a curated catalog of pre-packaged sustainable goods (body care, kitchen, candles, gifts, greeting cards, gift cards) and supports the experience with community workshops, niche recycling drop-offs, and pop-up farmers market booths.

Product overview

Ray's Reusables is a Philadelphia-based refillery and sustainable retail store founded in 2020, operating from a brick-and-mortar location in the Northern Liberties neighborhood with pop-ups at local farmers markets. The core offering is a refill system where customers bring their own containers to fill with bulk personal care and cleaning products including hand soap, dish soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry detergent, all-purpose spray, and more. The product portfolio spans Bathroom + Grooming (89 products covering body care, face care, hair care, dental, personal care), Kitchen + Cleaning (70 products for food storage, cleaning, cooking), Household + Out and About (laundry, candles, outdoor items), Gifting (greeting cards, gift cards, candy), and Bundles. The store also offers Made In House products under its own brand including reusable paperless towels, mesh produce bags, and stickers, plus a curated Made in PA collection supporting local Pennsylvania makers. Beyond retail, the company runs community recycling programs accepting glass, niche recyclables, razor blades, and flexible plastics, and hosts in-store workshops and events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Refill System (Bulk Refill Station) The core offering allowing customers to bring their own containers and fill them with bulk personal care and cleaning products (hand soap, dish soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry detergent, all-purpose spray, etc.), eliminating single-use plastic packaging; products are sold by weight at $0.10/oz to $16.00/oz.
• Bathroom + Grooming Collection Personal care products covering body care, face care, hair care, dental, general personal care, and bathroom cleaning items for retail purchase.
• Kitchen + Cleaning Collection Kitchen and household cleaning products including food storage, cleaning supplies, cooking and baking tools, and dishware for retail purchase.
• Household + Out and About Collection Household items for everyday and on-the-go use, including laundry products, candles, and outdoor/summer items for retail purchase.
• Gifting Collection Eco-conscious gift items including greeting cards, gift cards, candy, candles, and seasonal gifts for birthdays, weddings, holidays, and baby showers.
• Sustainable Swap Bundles Curated multi-product bundles offering sustainable swap combinations at discounted bundled pricing.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards in denominations of $10, $25, $50, and $100, redeemable in-store or online for any products.
• Do the Planet a Solid! Collection Solid-form sustainable personal care and cleaning products including shampoo bars, conditioner bars, dish blocks, and dissolving cleaning tablets.
• Made In House Products Ray's Reusables branded products manufactured in-house including reusable paperless towels, stickers, incense sticks, mesh produce bags, and seasonal items.
• Made in PA Collection Products manufactured in Pennsylvania, supporting local small businesses and the regional economy.
• Candles Collection Candles including beeswax tapers, soy candles, and refillable glass options.
• Summer Picks Collection Seasonal sustainable products for summer including sunscreen, insect repellent, deodorant, and food storage items.
• In-Store Workshops and Events Ticketed community events including indigo dyeing workshops ($60), candle making workshops ($19.99), visible mending workshops ($60), knife sharpening, clothing swaps, plant swaps, and drop-off dyeing services ($15-25).
• Community Recycling Programs Community drop-off recycling programs accepting up to 200 lbs/week of glass (via Bottle Underground), cork, rubber bands, bread tags, cords/wires, produce nets, bottle caps, contact lens packaging, flexible plastics, and safety razor blades, supported by community sponsorships through the Rabbit Recycling partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 154kg of shipping emissions removed through carbon-neutral shipping
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Philly Dye CoopminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 June 2025Collaborative partner for indigo dyeing workshops held at Ray's Reusables. Philly Dye Coop provides expertise in natural dyeing techniques using an indigo vat, guiding participants through shibori pattern techniques. Joint workshop format combines education with hands-on experience dyeing natural fiber items.
• Seven Stars SharpeningminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 16 May 2025Knife sharpening service provider for on-site sharpening events at Ray's Reusables. Luke from Seven Stars Sharpening provides professional blade sharpening at the store, with pricing from $1.25-1.75 per blade inch. Also accepts drop-off knives for sharpening. Adds value to customers seeking to extend the life of their kitchen tools.
• Queer Candle CominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2025Partner for candle making workshops. Has previously done custom candle fills for Ray's Reusables, and now offers collaborative workshop events where participants create custom-scented candles with professional guidance. Creates unique in-store experience and exposure for both brands.
• Bottle UndergroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal glass recycling partner that collects, de-labels, washes, and sanitizes post-consumer glass. Glass is either resold to businesses for reuse or transformed into new household items like plates, glassware, and light fixtures. Ray's Reusables accepts up to 200 lbs of glass per week for drop-off. Bottle Underground also provides sanitized glass containers for sale in the store.
• Rabbit RecyclingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNiche recycling partner that accepts hard-to-recycle materials including cork, rubber bands, twist ties, bread tags, cords/wires, produce nets, plastic bottle caps, and contact lens packaging. Also handles flexible plastics recycling (grocery bags, snack wrappers, foil-lined wrappers) collected during monthly special recycling events. Simplifies specialty recycling as a single-stream option for community members.
• Albatross DesignsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSafety razor blade recycling program. Ray's Reusables collects used razor blades in paper envelopes to send back to Albatross Designs, where they are melted down and converted into travel utensils. Creates a circular system for metal razor blades.
• Community SponsorscoreOthersCommunity members who sponsor the recycling program bins at Ray's Reusables. Sponsors help fund the cost of niche recycling collection and processing through Rabbit Recycling. Customers can participate by redeeming rewards points toward recycling programs, leaving cash donations in the recycling fund jar, or Venmo contributions. Monthly invoices are posted publicly on Instagram and in the newsletter.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Package Free: New York-based zero-waste retail and refill store founded by Lauren Singer. Directly comparable as a dedicated refillery and sustainable goods retailer offering bulk refill, curated low-waste home and personal care products, and educational content on plastic-free living.
• Zero Market: Denver-based zero-waste refillery and bulk store operating brick-and-mortar refill shops. Directly comparable business model: bulk personal care and household refills, BYO container, retail + e-commerce, sustainability education.
• Wild Minimal: Brick-and-mortar refill shop with locations in Brooklyn, NY. Same core model (BYO container, bulk refill of household and personal care, curated sustainable goods) and comparable emphasis on community education and workshops.
• EcoRoots: Online and in-person zero-waste retailer selling refillable personal care and household essentials. Comparable curated eco-friendly product mix, plastic-free packaging commitment, and refill-friendly product range.
• Fillaree: Woman-owned refillery concept; operates both brick-and-mortar refill shops and an online store selling bulk refill soap, laundry, and cleaning products. Directly comparable refill-first retail format and curated sustainable assortment.

Broad incumbents

• EarthHero: Online-only sustainable goods marketplace offering a broad, vetted catalog of eco-friendly home and personal care products. Comparable curation philosophy (B Corp and 1% for the Planet partners), but lacks the refill station and brick-and-mortar experience element.

Emerging players

• by Humankind: Refillable personal care brand offering subscription-based refill pouches for shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and other essentials. Adjacent refill model targeted at the same eco-conscious consumer, though delivered via DTC subscription rather than in-store refill stations.
• Plaine Products: Refillable, plant-based personal care brand offering aluminum-bottle return-and-refill subscriptions. Targets the same plastic-reduction-conscious consumer with a competing reusable packaging model rather than BYO in-store refills.
• Common Good (refill brand): Refillable household cleaning and personal care brand sold through DTC and select retail partners. Comparable clean-ingredient, refill-first positioning and overlapping SKU categories with Ray's refill menu.

Regional players

• The Good Fill: Charleston, SC-based refillery with bulk refill of household and personal care products, plus curated sustainable goods. Operates a similar BYO refill retail model in a different regional market, useful as a geographic-comparable peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rays_reusables
• TikToktiktok.com/@rays_reusables
• Facebookfacebook.com/raydalyreusables

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ray's Reusables