Together, iFood and Retalhar have processed more than 20 tons of recycled fabric. What few can imagine is that this material was originally used to create delivery bags that are used by couriers and delivery cyclists.
If not for this upcycling process, at the end of their product lifecycle, these backpacks would be destined for landfills or incorrectly disposed of into the environment.
In addition to avoiding the emission of greenhouse gases that would result from the decomposition of delivery bag materials, the initiative generates fair income for economically marginalized and socially vulnerable groups, including seamstresses from remote regions, recycle waste collectors, ex-prisoners, and immigrants.
At the end of the process, useful items such as backpacks and eco-bags are produced, which creates a new and better purpose for a material that would have otherwise been discarded.
By introducing the usage of reverse logistics with their iFood delivery backpacks, the partnership not only generates positive social impact but also serves as an inspiration for other companies.
For Jonas Lessa, CEO and co-founder of Retalhar, the iFood initiative is an example to be followed.
““With upcycling, the use life of raw materials is increased and negative externalities, such as the extraction of natural resources, are prevented. Upcycling thermal food delivery backpacks also allowed us to avoid using landfill space that is large enough to hold 40 cars. In addition to avoiding this impact, we created a process that generates dignified income for the cooperatives of collectors and seamstresses involved. ””
About Retalhar
Retalhar is a Certified B Corporation for its purpose and practices that have positive social and environmental impact. The enterprise is experienced in generating responsible innovative and inclusive solutions for textile waste, which transforms the problem of disposal into unique cases of success in context of the circular economy. Serving large companies in the main market sectors, it is a pioneer in generating a positive impact in the textile sector.
About iFood
iFood is a leader in online food delivery in Latin America with 44.6 million monthly orders. Having been in the market for nine years, the Brazilian company is also present in Mexico and Colombia working with partners on initiatives that bring together business intelligence and management solutions for the approximately 236 thousand restaurants registered in more than a thousand cities in Brazil alone. iFood has important investors, such as Movile - a global leader in mobile marketplaces - and Just Eat - one of the largest online ordering companies in the world.