What BRING does

BRING (Begin Recycling In Neighborhood Groups) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1971 and headquartered at the Planet Improvement Center, 4446 Franklin Boulevard, Eugene, Oregon. The organization operates as one of the nation's oldest non-profit recyclers, processing more than 2 million pounds of reusable materials annually through a hybrid retail, reuse, and education model. Core operations span a building materials thrift store offering reclaimed lumber, fixtures, appliances, and tools at 10-75% discounts off retail; specialty resale items including recycled paint, rain barrels, Biocycle Poplar lumber, composters, and biomass cookstoves; the BRINGmade upcycled product line; and a free donation pickup service across the Eugene-Springfield area.

The portfolio extends into education and business services. Education offerings include K-12 waste prevention curriculum aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, Toolbox Tactics DIY classes, pay-what-you-can Make it! workshops, and a Product Design Challenge. Business services include the Rethink Business certification program for Lane County businesses, Green Business Grants (in partnership with GBENN and Intuit, providing up to $1,500 per business), a Food and Beverage Manufacturing Partnership for Oregon manufacturers, and a Materials Recovery Program serving contractors and architects on demolition salvage.

BRING's revenue model is diversified and non-profit typical: retail sales of reclaimed and specialty items, individual donations and corporate sponsorships (Founder $10,000 down to Contributor $500), transaction-based Reframe Donor contributions from large materials donors, grant-funded business services, and modest fees from education classes. Distribution runs through the single physical retail store, online shop, an Etsy marketplace, and consignment partnerships with local retailers. There is no proprietary technology platform underpinning operations.

Name

BRING

Legal name

BRING

Website

https://bringrecycling.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BRING is a 501(c)(3) non-profit recycler founded in 1971 in Eugene, Oregon, operating the Planet Improvement Center to resell reclaimed building materials, deliver business sustainability certification, and run waste prevention education programs for Lane County consumers, businesses, and schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Building Materials Reuse and Recycling Services

NAICS

Solid Waste Collection (562111), Materials Recovery Facilities (562920), Other Waste Collection (562119)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Donation Pickup & Reuse Hauling (HSAKALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Product Take-Back & Reverse Logistics Programs (EUAIANAA), Donation, Reuse & Sustainability Returns Programs (TLAIAHAJ), Special Waste Transfer (Tires, Mattresses, Appliances) (BPALABAG)

Keywords

• Building materials reuse
• Recycling education
• Green business certification
• Upcycled products retail
• Waste reduction consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Eugene

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales: Revenue from selling reclaimed building materials, specialty items (BRINGmade products, recycled paint, rain barrels, compost, composter bins, cookstoves), and Biocycle poplar lumber through the physical store and online platforms.
2. Business Certification Services: Free technical support and certification programs for businesses (Rethink Business). Certified businesses receive recognition, directory listings, and marketing benefits. No direct certification fees mentioned.
3. Donations and Fundraising: 501(c)(3) nonprofit relying on financial donations from supporters. Sponsorships for Toolbox Tactics classes at Founder ($10,000), Builder ($5,000), Partner ($2,500), Supporter ($1,000), and Contributor ($500) levels.
4. Reframe Donor Program: Businesses donating more than 500 lbs or $1,000 worth of materials become Reframe Donors. Materials donors receive tax receipts, quarterly impact reports, recognition, and one-stop drop services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BRING is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that recovers usable building materials, household goods, and industrial byproducts from the waste stream and resells them at its Planet Improvement Center retail store in Eugene, Oregon. The organization complements retail sales with K-12 and adult education programs, a Rethink Business certification and consulting service for Lane County businesses, and a network of free community programming including workshops and the annual Repair Café.

Product overview

BRING (Begin Recycling In Neighborhood Groups) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1971, operating as one of the nation's oldest non-profit recyclers. The organization offers a diverse portfolio of reuse-focused products and services centered around its Planet Improvement Center—a combined building materials thrift store and conservation learning center. The core retail operation, the BRING Store, processes over 2 million pounds of reclaimed building materials annually across 20+ categories. The organization extends its mission through BRINGmade (an upcycled products workshop), specialty resale items (recycled paint, rain barrels, compost, composters, biomass cookstoves), education programs (K-12 waste prevention curriculum, Toolbox Tactics DIY classes, Make it! workshops, Product Design Challenge), business certification services (Rethink Business Program, Green Business Grants, Food & Beverage Manufacturing Partnership), and materials recovery services (demolition salvage, Reframe Donors program, free pickup service). The portfolio operates on a circular economy model, keeping materials in use through retail resale, upcycling, education, and business sustainability consulting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BRINGmade: An exclusive product line made entirely from reclaimed materials in BRING's product design workshop, including garden gifts, shelving, jewelry, and home decor. Products are available in-store, online, and on Etsy.
• Planet Improvement Center

Products and services

• Planet Improvement Center Retail Store

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 million+ pounds of materials processed annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 core, secondary and minor.

• Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer Biocycle Poplar lumber to the community. MWMC Biocycle Farm is a 400-acre tree farm using biosolids as fertilizer, producing hybrid poplars for sustainable lumber. BRING sells lumber from this farm, representing a waste-to-commodity solution. 70,000 board feet was milled for BRING from the 2021 harvest.
• Visions Quality CoatingssecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHigh-quality recycled paint option sold at BRING. Visions Quality Coatings helps keep usable materials in circulation with modern colors and great coverage for home projects and touch-ups.
• Prime Forest ProductssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to recirculate quality reusable wood from door and window manufacturing programs. Prime Forest is one of 23,000 companies worldwide to participate in the 2023 CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) in the United Kingdom.
• Ride-ON Recycling Program (Tactics)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership where workshop staff transform broken skateboards (typically destined for landfills) into earrings, tap handles, shelves, coasters, and more BRINGmade products.
• Urban LumberminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Urban Lumber to create elegant ceiling panels from Biocycle Poplar for Springfield's City Hall Library Meeting Room.
• Green Business Engagement National Network (GBENN)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational partnership for Green Business Grants program offering rebates up to $1,500 for energy efficiency upgrades to about 30 Oregon businesses. BRING is one of 5 states offering this national program.
• Lane County Waste ManagementsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerTransportation reimbursement program for low-income and rural schools for waste facility field trips to Glenwood Transfer Station, Short Mountain Landfill, and BRING Planet Improvement Center.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The ReBuilding Center: Portland, Oregon nonprofit retailing salvaged and donated building materials at discount, with deconstruction services. Operates a nearly identical reuse-retail-plus-salvage model in the same Pacific Northwest region as BRING.
• Big Reuse: Brooklyn nonprofit operating a building materials reuse center, deconstruction services, and education programming. Combination of retail thrift, deconstruction, and community education paralleling BRING's integrated model.
• Community Forklift: Maryland nonprofit reuse warehouse selling discounted donated building materials, appliances, and home goods to support local sustainability programs. Mirrors BRING's thrift-retail model and donation logistics.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: National chain of nonprofit retail outlets that sell donated furniture, appliances, and building materials to support Habitat's housing mission. Direct comparable to BRING's reclaimed materials thrift store model and donor-driven inventory approach.
• Earthwise Society: British Columbia nonprofit operating a thrift store for reused building materials alongside environmental education. Similar reuse-retail-plus-education mission in a different geography.
• Second Use Building Materials Center: Seattle-based nonprofit retailer of reclaimed building materials, fixtures, and architectural salvage. Closely comparable reuse retail concept and secondhand-construction supply chain.

Broad incumbents

• CalRecycle (CA Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery): State-level governmental body overseeing recycling, reuse, and waste reduction programs in California. Functionally adjacent as a publicly funded analogue that funds reuse grants and programs BRING also operates.

Emerging players

• Toast Reuse: Portland, Oregon nonprofit retailing salvaged building materials from deconstruction projects to fund community programs. Local peer with a narrower focus on deconstruction-sourced materials reuse.
• Green Standards: Canada-based commercial deconstruction and materials redistribution organization partnering with businesses on sustainable demolition. Comparable to BRING's Materials Recovery Program serving contractors on job-site salvage.

Regional players

• ReStores by Habitat for Humanity (Oregon): Oregon-specific Habitat ReStores operating in the same regional market as BRING. Compete directly for donated building materials, fixtures, and home goods in overlapping catchments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bringrecycling

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 BRING