Some Of Our Commercial Supporters

Wilderness Equipment are a proud supporter of the 2nd Life Project and an Australian company that truly believes in sustainable practices. Wilderness Equipment have donated new packs and tents for rehoming to schools while providing a commercial sewing machine and repair equipment so we can patch and fix all pre loved donations!

"We all leave an unavoidable environmental footprint, in this we have no choice. It’s up to us to decide how big our footprint is going to be, because in this we can make a difference."

When core values align, you know you know you are going to have a strong partnership! Icebreaker's core belief is that sustainability isn’t just a feature of their products, but it’s in the values and design of their business."

This sustainable ethos has led to Icebreaker to be a market leader in sustainability and they continue to contribute socks, thermals and warm wear to our gear library and recipients in need!

Offtrack & The 2nd Life Project are proud recipients of the Macpac Fund For Good. This gear grant along with contributions has allowed the 2nd Life Project to set up a more detailed gear library and provided the necessary equipment to wash and dry equipment that we can continue to loan out at no cost to the user in need!

We are also sent Macpac returns and warranty products to repair and rehome to those in need!

REUSE

Why mess with something that is still fit for purpose?

We think it's best to put gear in the hands of students and schools that don't have the financial backing to make outdoor education a possibility. The great outdoors has long formed the focus of our lives and we believe that it is the best classroom for anyone so if we can help people experience it then it's a win win for everyone. "If it is not looking schmick, we will repair and clean it up and give it to to organisations, underrepresented schools and community programs"

REHOME

It may not be fit for commercial use but that doesn't means its life ends there!

If it's not quite up to institutional rigours anymore, but still usable we will try and rehome the item. Working with many different organisations that support people sleeping rough and others in need, giving them waterproof layers, insulation and comfort.

RECYCLE

Everything eventually comes to an end but this way materials and components can have a 2nd life

Recycling is always a last resort. It takes a lot of energy, effort and time to recycle anything. However, if it is beyond use, Offtrack will take them apart, separating pieces of fabric, zip, buckles and straps, for some exciting plans we've got down the road.

We Are Explorers - The 2nd Life Project

Take a look at some awesome articles written about our project!

https://weareexplorers.co/2nd-life-project/ https://mattersjournal.com/stories/lets-get-offtrack

Matters Journal Article

“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.”
– Fred Rogers

The 2nd Life Project

You’ve just upgraded your hiking pack, again, and the old one’s giving you dirty looks from the bottom of the cupboard. It’s still pretty good, just not as good as the new one. It needs a new home, but who can be bothered sticking it on Gumtree and spending the next two weeks replying to Kevin that lives out of state and wants to know if you’ll post it to him. Oh and can you give him a sweet deal because he’s only got 20 bucks. There’s got to be a better way, right? The 2nd Life Project might just be the answer.

So how does it work?

Follow the steps below and see how your donations are moved through the 2nd Life process!

Step 1: Donate your old outdoor equipment to the 2nd Life Project

Fill a postal bag or even the back of your car! You can post things to our warehouse or feel free to even drop in and say hello while dropping your donation off in person!

Step 2: We assess the donation

Once the equipment or clothing arrives at our warehouse we take a good look at its condition! We then clean it before deciding what to do next!

RE-USE

If the item is still in working order and just needed a clean we find a program in need and then send it back out in the field for someone in need of the extra support!

RE-HOME

If the item is not fit for a school program or no longer viable for commercial purposes we then rehome the equipment to someone in need! This could be someone sleeping rough or even someone who just needs some added support.

RE-CYCLE

Unfortunately not all equipment can be rehomed or reused. Some donations unfortunately have come to the end of their life so we do our best to sustainably recycle materials and parts while keeping anything we can for spares and repairs of other items.

RE-CREATE (Coming soon)

As the donation volumes increase and we continue to grown the project we aim to have the ability to create new products from pre loved materials that could not be previously repaired. We hope to have a bespoke 2nd Life equipment and clothing range, every item would tell a different story and continue to keep the resources in the community and out of landfill. Locally made by our community for our community!

THANKYOU

Step by step we are together keeping equipment and clothing out of landfill while supporting more people to access the outdoors who otherwise could not afford to.

FAQS
How did you come up with this idea?
Marcus has his hair cut by Nasir Sobhani who created ‘the streets barber movement.’ The movement offers free haircuts for homeless people. While cutting Marcus’s hair in the barber shop they were chatting and the conversation sparked the idea of rehoming outdoor equipment with the homeless.
How can I help?
We often have bigger donations that need sorting and fixing. If you would like to volunteer your time to help then let us know. Alternatively if you think you can support in any other way let us know.
What are the 2nd Life Products Re-Created products?
This is in the infant stage and we are still trying a few different designs and ideas. If you have an idea of what to make from the recycled materials then we would love to hear it!