reCIRCLE celebrates its 10. Birthday

When reCIRCLE first launched, reusable packaging for takeaway and delivery was barely part of the conversation. Many people found it hard to imagine that a nationwide reuse system could actually work. The idea was new, unfamiliar, and for some, even needed explaining.

“In the beginning, I was regularly transferred to the accounting department on the phone because people thought I was talking about VAT rather than reusable tableware,” founder Jeannette Morath recalls with a laugh.

Today, that misunderstanding seems almost absurd. Yet it highlights just how much awareness of reuse has changed over the past ten years.

A Vision That Started Early

Waste was already an important topic for Jeannette as a child. Her father was involved in introducing Switzerland’s official waste disposal bag fees, which taught her early on that waste is far more than a logistical issue. It evokes emotions, influences our behavior, and at the same time offers enormous potential for improvement.

Later, while working at Waste Disposal + Recycling of the City of Bern, the first city in Switzerland to ban single-use products at events held on public grounds, she had the opportunity to help drive such change herself. There, she gained extensive expertise and, together with strong partners, demonstrated through the pilot project Grüne Tatze (2014/15) that reuse makes ecological sense and can also be financially viable.

Taking the Leap into the Unknown

After the successful pilot project, one decisive question remained: Should the idea be pursued further or not?

For Jeannette, the answer came quickly: “I’m an all-in kind of person. So I took the leap.” Yet she is also clear that she could never have made that leap alone.

“What moves me most when I look back are the people behind these ten years.” Anyone who wants to create meaningful change needs perseverance, courage, and above all, people who believe in the same vision. These are the people who have accompanied, supported, and helped shape reCIRCLE throughout the years.

That is why this anniversary is not only a look back at ten years of company history, but above all a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey and continues to be.

We would also be delighted to welcome you on August 14. Register here.