When you shop for a living like I do, you often find yourself inundated with more products, patterns, and niche clothing styles than your closet can hold. Combine that with my insatiable desire to keep up with all of TikTok’s rotating aesthetic, and you’re left with a closet so full of excess fashion that you often lose track of what you even own. For reference: my most recent closet delve revealed that I actually own three exactly the same black sweaters with turtlenecks — so that was a real reality check.
After months of feeling overwhelmed by my wardrobe and starting the new year (rather ironically) by binge-reading Marie Kondo’s famous guide to decluttering your life, aptly titled “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” I decided it was finally time to hit the save button. reset on your clothes. Moving forward, I would focus on just keeping the basics, getting rid of any pieces I’ve outgrown and only investing in quality styles so I can build a more sustainable investment wardrobe in the long run. Not sure where to start (and frankly so tired of my usual process of emptying bags at the local thrift store), I turned to For Days, Generation Z’s favorite zero-waste fashion brand, to help me approach the process more mindfully.
Dubbed a product designed to start a “circular revolution and end fashion waste,” the For Days Take Back Bag ($20) is arguably the brand’s biggest bestseller. It allows users to clean out their closet and even get rewarded for sending it back with used clothes and textiles. In honor of the New Year, I took the recycling bag for a test spin to see if it really was as easy to use as the fashion brand made it out to be. Now, having completely overhauled my wardrobe, I’m convinced that For Days may have actually invented the single best way to reduce individual fashion waste – maybe ever? Keep reading to see my honest review of the circuit with photos!
What I like about the For Days Take Back Bag
I appreciate that For Days is really working to simplify the clothing recycling process through a more thoughtfully designed closed loop model. Instead of throwing my clothes at Goodwill or any other thrift store without knowing what will happen to the pieces (often worrying if they will even resell), For Days provides a more transparent system that is very easy to navigate and makes me feel good knowing that my old styles contribute to a greater, more conscious purpose. The brand has built a network of recycling partners, all of whom are committed to keeping discarded clothing out of landfills. Through the Take Back Bag merchandise program, For Days reports that 50 percent of all returned items are “recycled into substandard materials, rags and insulation,” and 45 percent of all Take Back Bag items are resold through closed-loop resale partners. . While the remaining five percent is often thrown in the trash due to its condition or composition, the circular label’s website notes that more than 80,000 bags have already been sold, resulting in nearly 2.4 million garments being diverted from landfill (love that!). In addition, all styles from For Days are non-toxic, organic and designed to be recycled into new fabrics.
Once I received my Take Back Bag, I simply filled the product with a few pieces I had outgrown like a sweater, a fitted turtleneck and a worn out pair of flared leggings; scanned the QR code on the bag for shipping instructions; printed a USPS mailing label; and left it at the local post office. The whole process was truly so easy, and I immediately started ordering my next bag to be ready for any spring cleaning shenanigans in March.
I also love that For Days rewards you for submitting clothes. For each bag returned, customers receive $20 in Closet Cash credit, which not only never expires, but can also be applied immediately to future purchases of styles from For Days. The brand is packed with plenty of comfortable, well-made, and totally practical items like matching sweatpants — including this For Days Waffle Cropped Sweatshirt ($68) and For Days Waffle Jogger ($92) combo, which I love. Plus, there’s a range of styles that can easily be dressed up for lounging at home or dressed up for comfortable daytime wear – these For Days Relaxing Long Sleeve Pants ($78) are a particular favorite of mine. In addition to providing more incentives to recycle old clothes through For Days, the sustainable model also directly helps customers start building a more environmentally friendly wardrobe, with conscious pieces that support a closed-loop system.
Which is worth noting
While the Take Back Bag can hold up to 15 pounds (a pretty decent amount, in my opinion), if you’re looking to do a complete wardrobe overhaul or are specifically hoping to rid your closet of some bulkier fashion pieces like chunky sweaters, winter coats, or any oversized purses, I recommend ordering more than one bag so you have enough carry-on space to ditch these styles. I found my own bag full much faster than I expected, and since I had already sorted through my closet and picked out everything I couldn’t wait to part with, I wished I had more than one Take Back Bag on hand at a moment’s notice so I could finish cleaning of your wardrobe in one day.
It’s also worth noting that the Take Back Bag itself costs $20, so you’re essentially spending $20 up front to get that money back and put toward future purchases.
Who is the For Days Take Back Bag best for?
This product is a great buy for anyone who feels inspired to clean out their closet or get rid of clothes they’ve outgrown, but wants to do it in a more circular, sustainable way. Fashion waste is one of the most pressing environmental issues in our world today, and one of the simplest ways to reduce excess waste in our lives is simply to find more conscious ways to recycle. The Take Back Bag makes recycling easy, so you don’t have to find the time to drop it off by hand at a nonprofit or thrift store — which is especially appealing for anyone (like me) who has a constantly busy schedule and often struggles to find time for anything outside of their weekly routines. Even better, with the boost of Closet Cash Credit, you’ll also feel more inspired to revamp your wardrobe with more conscious pieces that are designed to last—and eliminate the need to invest in any disposable styles.
Where is the For Days return bag available?
The Take Back bag is available for purchase exclusively at For Days.
additional details
- The Large Take Back Bag measures 24 inches x 24 inches and is made to hold up to 15 pounds of clothing.
- Unlike other circular brands, For Days accepts textiles from all brands — regardless of condition — including items like socks, sheets, pillowcases, underwear, bedding, towels, shoes and even handbags.
- According to For Days, each Take Back Bag helps save an estimated 15 pounds of clothing from landfills and 16,000 gallons of water and even reduces up to 118 pounds of carbon emissions.
- For every Take Back Bag filled with clothing and textiles returned, customers will instantly earn $20 in Closet Cash Credit, which can then be used toward any future For Days brand purchases.
Evaluation:
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kyley Warren