Crinkly Packaging Is Going Mainstream in Early Summer 2026
Our Crinkly Packaging pilot was a success, giving members a recycling solution for non-stretchy packaging like chip bags, candy wrappers, coffee bags, and other packaging that usually goes in the trash.
Together, members successfully diverted over 500 pounds of Crinkly Packaging from the landfill through the pilot, in partnership with ByFusion. That’s roughly a small dump truck’s worth kept out of the landfill.
Because of the strong response and participation, we’ll be adding a dedicated canvas ReCo bag for Crinkly Packaging to your kit each month starting in early summer 2026. Like the pilot bags, it’s pink! Along with the new bag, we’ll also provide a visual guide to help identify what counts as Crinkly Packaging vs Stretchy Plastic Film.
Find more information about Crinkly Packaging here : therecollective.co/crinkly-food-packaging/
What This Means for Membership Cost
As we add Crinkly Packaging to the core service, the price of Hard-To-Recycle service will increase by $2 per month, beginning in the month we start distributing the new canvas bag (this reflects a savings compared to the $6 cost of pilot bags). For members on the annual plan, your current rate will stay the same until your membership renews.
This change reflects the feedback that we heard directly from members. In our January member survey, 90% of respondents said they wanted Crinkly Packaging added to the service and were willing to pay more for it.
Adding Crinkly Packaging as a core material comes with a tangible increase in operational costs. It means more bags, more laundering, more packaging, and additional partner recycling fees that we pay on your behalf. Since starting the fall of 2022, we have worked hard to keep the service affordable while continuing to improve it. Membership dues have never fully covered the true cost of operating the service, even as we’ve expanded our infrastructure, added more ReCo Picks, and increased wages for our team every single year.
Looking for Even More Flexibility?
Alongside this update, we’ll also be offering an optional upgrade called the Almost Anything Plan.
For +$20/month additional, this optional upgrade gives members more flexibility and convenience.
With the Almost Anything Plan, you can:
- Put approved ReCo Pick items in your bag any time, instead of waiting for their month on the calendar
- Recycle items like books, electronics, scrap metal, kitchenware, tote bags, and other approved ReCo Pick materials year-round
- Have #1 plastics (blue 13 gal bag) and #5 plastics (green 13 gal bag) included in your kit each month, with no need to reorder them in the shop and no extra fees
- Use one no-charge extra-capacity bag each quarter for plastic film, textiles, or styrofoam
Behind the scenes, our team will sort and store your ReCo Pick materials and then send them to the appropriate reuse or recycling partner during that partner’s scheduled ReCo Pick month. Our monthly partner structure stays the same for everyone on the standard plan. Your experience simply gets easier because The ReCollective takes on the extra sorting and storage for you.
The standard service is not changing. This is simply an optional upgrade for members who want an even easier, more flexible way to recycle. On May 1st you’ll be able to add it through your Member Dashboard Shop.
Learn more about the Almost Anything Plan here: therecollective.co/almost-anything-plan/
Thank you for being on this journey with us for almost four years. The ReCollective has really grown up over that time and now serves 1,000 households across the Triangle. That growth is a reflection of the passion and dedication of members like you.
Bryce & Kevin
The ReCollective Co-founders