Send On Upcycling - Queensland

We're on a mission to reduce the amount of retired climbing gear that ends up in landfill, by upcycling it into useful (and damn attractive) items.

With a background as a climbing guide and outdoor education instructor, I've seen first-hand how many things end up getting thrown out. Most safety equipment "soft goods" (ropes, harnesses, slings, etc) need to be retired 10 years after the date of manufacture - even if they've never been used! With heavily used items, these will get replaced much sooner. While these items are no longer safe to climb on, the materials are still perfectly usable for non-safety items, and I love that I can save them from ending up in the trash through Send On.

I'd toyed with this idea for a while, after seeing amazing companies in the UK and USA doing the same, however lacked the confidence to get things going. This year saw me give birth to beautiful twins, and then go on to battle severe postpartum depression and anxiety. Coming out on the other side of this, launching a business didn't seem as scary - it was definitely a case of "If I can get through that, I can do anything".

In terms of goals, these really boil down to three things - scale to a point that I can earn a wage through this and work on my own terms; contribute to a more sustainable way of living; and set a positive example for my babies as they grow.

I'm currently selling belts, coasters, plant hangers and bags. I'm having fun experimenting with different ways to use the items that I save, which may see this range expand.