Turning the Tables on Textile Waste: What “Figs Recycling” Really Means
Figs Recycling: What It Means for Sustainability and How Greenway Fits In
If you’ve seen the buzz around “Figs recycling”, you’re witnessing a big step forward for sustainability in apparel. FIGS, the scrubs brand, recently launched a take-back program with SuperCircle to keep old uniforms out of landfills and give the fibers a second life. It’s a smart move—and it signals something bigger happening across industries: waste is being reimagined as a resource.
If you are in Chicago and want to use the programme rather than just read about it, there is one place to do it: the FIGS Community Hub at 1016 W Randolph St in the West Loop, open Monday to Saturday 10 AM – 8 PM and Sunday 10 AM – 7 PM. Scrubs have to be laundered before drop-off, and you get $25 off a future FIGS order of $100 or more. You can set up a drop-off code at wearfigs.supercircle.world beforehand, or simply turn up and do it in store.
At Greenway, we love seeing these shifts take root. Our mission is built around the same idea—helping businesses, contractors, and communities recycle more and waste less. While we focus on construction, commercial, and industrial materials (not textiles), we share the same belief that every stream has potential value when managed responsibly.
What the Figs Recycling Program Shows Us
Circularity is becoming mainstream. FIGS is proving that even high-wear fabrics like scrubs can be kept out of landfill — though “closed loop” overstates it. FIGS says returned scrubs are “upcycled into new fabrics like recycled denim or tees, or downcycled into other useful items like insulation and padding for sports equipment.” Some of the material goes back into fabric; some becomes products that will never be scrubs again. That is real recovery, and it is progress, but the loop is not closed.
Transparency drives loyalty. Customers want to know where materials go when they’re “done.” FIGS’ program tells that story clearly—a principle Greenway applies to everything from C&D debris to cardboard.
Data and diversion matter. The best recycling programs track what’s being recovered and repurposed. Greenway helps businesses do just that—measuring diversion rates and optimizing their sustainability performance.
Why Businesses Should Pay Attention
Textile recycling might seem far from jobsite dumpsters—but it’s part of the same sustainability puzzle. Whether you’re managing uniforms, packaging, or demolition debris, the challenge is the same: how to reduce waste and prove impact.
Forward-thinking brands like FIGS show what’s possible in one sector. Greenway helps make it possible in another—turning construction and commercial waste into measurable progress toward LEED credits and corporate sustainability goals.
The Bigger Picture
“Figs recycling” isn’t just about scrubs—it’s about accountability, innovation, and circular design. It’s about industries taking ownership of their material footprint.
At Greenway, we’re proud to champion the same mindset across Chicago and beyond: helping businesses close the loop, one load at a time.
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