Who are We?
The Elm Project was founded from the belief that every small action makes a big difference.
Our mission is to combat the degradation of our environment through innovative solutions that empower individuals, industries, and communities to reduce waste, conserve resources, and promote reforestation- ultimately leading to a healthier planet for all.
Our organization is a collection of waste reduction initiatives that fund reforestation efforts within the U.S. We are passionate about building relationships between nature and modern design, and envision a future where we get to create visionary reuse solutions across industries.
Our Projects & Partners
We are better together. Check out what we are working on and who is helping us get there.
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For each item that TEP sells, we plant 1 tree.
Trees are the lungs of our planet, absorbing carbon dioxide and producing clean oxygen. By planting trees, we are fighting climate change and creating habitats for wildlife.
Reforestation is a big job, and TEP leverages a number of trusted partners to get it done. The U.S Forest Service and OneTreePlanted are 2 resources we have trusted since 2021 to plant trees here in Oregon.
Check them out to learn more!
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The world uses 5 trillion plastic bags annually, and only 13% make it to a recycling facility. TEP Totes were created to tackle plastic waste crisis.
TEP Totes are strategically sourced from high quality canvas to last over years of wear and tear. They’re great for grocery runs, but we hope you use them for so much more.
Check out this article to learn more about single-use bags.
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Here is where our passions lie- finding the beauty and potential in things no one else does.
This project is all about turning something old into something new, and diverting as much from the landfills as we possibly can. We leverage our local creative reuse store SCRAP PDX and other corporate partnerships to source our materials.
We take the unused/excess/left over fabric donations and handcraft them into something new and exciting.
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Did you know less than 50% of all donated items to thrift store actually make it onto the shelves?
That is why we partnered with William Temple House here in Portland to reduce the number of clothes hitting the landfill. With this program, we take clothing not fit for sale, repaired it back to health, and recirculated back into the community.
Our team averages 25lbs of clothing laundered or repaired each week, and are always looking for a few extra volunteers.
Learn more crazy clothing facts here.
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Vintage & preloved shopping is the greenest way to buy, but there are so many other reasons why we love to shop second hand.
Vintage is the ultimate expression of creativity and encourages quality over quantity- but honestly, why not have both?
At TEP, we have helped hundreds of sustainable shoppers find brands and pieces they love while keeping affordability at the forefront of our mission.
Each item is intentionally chosen with you in mind by our team of design oriented volunteers.
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Ever wish you could do something other than throw away the shipping bag your Amazon order comes in? Us too.
This is why we created a small local network of shipping bag drop offs and collection sites. It’s not sexy, but every TEP product bought is sent in a second-life mailer. We hope to grow this network to source to and encourage other small businesses to follow suit.
We have given a second life to hundreds of mailers, and thank you for supporting our mission of using what we have.
We Believe in Imperfect, Modern, Accessible Sustainability.
The term ‘sustainability’ is often met with rolled eyes. To most, the community is 1) judgmental about the “right way” to be sustainable, 2) renewable solutions are generally ugly and inconvenient, and 3) anything labeled ‘green’ has a substantial price tag.
We want you to like us for our design first, sustainability second. We place an emphasis on simple, staple pieces— not boring. The fact that you are doing some good the planet should be a forethought.
To start making sustainable sexy we are removing the substantial price tag. Doing good for the planet can also mean doing good for your wallet- being green doesn’t have to cost tons of green.
And most importantly, we are here to encourage and celebrate small, mindful changes because we know you have to start somewhere— and man are we happy that you are starting here.
Our Impact.
