REFER - The Reuse Network in Ile-de-France

What REFER - The Reuse Network in Ile-de-France does

REFER is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) that functions as the regional coordination network for solidarity-based reuse (réemploi solidaire) in the Ile-de-France region. Its core function is to federate more than 50 member associations operating 117 locations open to the public, channeling donated goods into resale, repair, and redistribution pathways that simultaneously create insertion-by-employment positions for people furthest from the labor market — 1,406 such positions were supported across the network in 2023.

The underlying 'product' is the network itself rather than a discrete technology: REFER provides shared infrastructure, sector representation, and a Reuse Observatory that aggregates tonnage and impact data (5,792 tonnes of materials reused in 2023) for member associations and their public funders. It also runs the annual Festival de la Récup' to grow donor and volunteer pipelines. In September 2025 it opened La Venelle, an 1,800 m² shared headquarters in Montreuil co-locating nine member associations.

The business model is a non-profit coordination model. Revenue comes from membership dues paid by member associations and from project and operating grants provided by public authorities — primarily ADEME (the national ecological-transition agency), the Ile-de-France Region, and Syctom (the metropolitan waste-management agency). There is no equity capital, no commercial product pricing, and no disclosed earned-income line.

Name

REFER - The Reuse Network in Ile-de-France

Legal name

REFER - Le Réseau Francilien du Réemploi

Website

https://reemploi-idf.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

REFER is a French non-profit association coordinating more than 50 solidarity-reuse members across 117 public locations in Ile-de-France, supporting 1,406 insertion-by-employment positions and reporting 5,792 tonnes of materials reused in 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Economy Network Services

NAICS

Waste Management and Remediation Services (562)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Reuse & Resale / Recommerce Operations (EUAIANAC)

Keywords

• Solidarity reuse network
• Circular economy services
• Social economy association
• Waste reduction coordination
• Second-hand redistribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreuil

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees and network coordination: REFER functions as a federation/network organization supporting member ressourceries and recycleries. Revenue appears to come from membership structures and public funding/partnerships rather than direct commercial operations.
2. Public funding and institutional partnerships: The organization receives support from institutional partners including ADEME Ile-de-France, regional councils, and local municipalities for its advocacy, coordination, and observatory activities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

REFER coordinates a regional federation of Ressourceries, Recycleries, Emmaüs structures, and other solidary reuse actors in Ile-de-France, supporting them through accompaniment, advocacy, training, and shared events. The network enables the collection, sorting, repair, and redistribution of reusable objects at solidarity prices, while running the Observatoire du réemploi solidaire to track sector data and producing awareness-raising activities such as the Festival de la Récup' and ephemeral ressourceries.

Product overview

REFER (Réseau Francilien du Réemploi) is a coordination network for solidary reuse in Île-de-France, not a product company. It operates as a federation connecting Ressourceries, Recycleries, Emmaüs structures, and other solidary reuse actors. The network provides an online map of reuse locations, publishes an annual observatory tracking sector data (51 contributing structures in 2023), organizes pop-up reuse spaces, produces educational content via podcast, and runs the annual Festival de la Récup'. The organization also advocates for solidary reuse policies and recently opened La Venelle, a shared 1800 m² village space in Montreuil housing multiple member associations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accompagnement et conseil aux structures
• Festival de la Récup'
• Ressourceries éphémères

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,792 tonnes of materials reused in 2023
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ADEME Ile-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADEME (Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l'Énergie) is the primary institutional partner supporting the network's activities and the regional observatory. Provides funding and technical expertise for environmental initiatives.
• Région Ile-de-FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe regional council supports the network's development and the La Venelle project through funding for sustainable economy initiatives.
• SyctomcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSyctom, the metropolitan waste management agency, supports the network as part of waste prevention and circular economy strategies.
• La Venelle - Village du réemploi solidairecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Venelle is a physical village space in Montreuil where nine reuse associations including REFER have established permanent locations. This is a co-located ecosystem of reuse organizations.
• Département de Seine-Saint-DenismajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported the La Venelle project financially as part of departmental sustainable development priorities.
• Mairie de MontreuilmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner for the Festival de la Récup' and supporter of the La Venelle location.
• Mairie de BagnoletminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner for the Festival de la Récup' 2026.
• La Poule RousseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival partner supporting the Festival de la Récup'.
• Est EnsembleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetropolitan territorial community partner supporting festival activities.
• Oxio (Maison de vente aux enchères)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent auction house located at Les Puces de Saint-Ouen partnering with REFER for fundraising auctions of items from member ressourceries.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Back Market: Commercial recommerce marketplace for refurbished electronics; the principal commercial competitor for donor and buyer mindshare in the French reuse market. Relevant for benchmarking the broader French reuse ecosystem rather than as a federation peer.
• Emmaüs France: The largest French solidarity/reuse movement and a member of REFER (via Emmaüs Paris); offers overlapping reuse and integration-employment activities at national scale but with a much broader homelessness and social-action remit.

Direct peers

• Réseau National des Ressourceries (RNR): National-level federation of ressourceries in France; structurally and functionally the closest analogue to REFER at the national scale, coordinating similar member reuse organisations and producing sector data and advocacy.
• Envie: National federation of social-economy enterprises focused on reuse, repair, and recycling of electrical appliances and other goods; structurally analogous to REFER with member associations, regional coverage, and insertion-employment mandate.

Emerging players

• Rejoué: Specialised ressourcerie focused on reused and refurbished toys; member of REFER. Demonstrates the specialised-vertical member model that REFERENCE coordinates at regional level.
• La Collecterie: Solidarity reuse organisation operating the café-cantine at La Venelle in Montreuil alongside REFER; comparable as a co-located member ressourcerie with a hospitality/event twist.
• La Recyclerie: Paris-based flagship ressourcerie/café and cultural venue on the Petite Ceinture; comparable reuse-and-awareness model but operates at a single-site scale, providing a contrast to REFER's federation approach.
• La Réserve des Arts: Specialised reuse organisation for arts materials and supplies; a member-type ressourcerie that REFERENCES coordinates. Comparable as a sector-specific solidary-reuse actor.

Others

• Zero Waste France: National advocacy NGO promoting waste reduction and reuse; comparable to REFERENCES's advocacy function but operating at national scale without a member-network reuse infrastructure.
• ADEME (Agence de la Transition Écologique): France's national ecological-transition agency and REFER's primary institutional partner/funder; comparable as a sector-funder and policy-shaper rather than as a direct operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFzjH6bLtdjnYLBwnubj-JQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/refer.idf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/refer-reemploi-idf
• Instagraminstagram.com/refer_reemploi_idf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 REFER - The Reuse Network in Ile-de-France