For four years, REI and Trex have partnered to divert plastic film waste collected at the retailer’s stores and fulfillment centers to make Trex’s composite decking. 

When REI expanded its Signature Camp near Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, the companies collaborated to create elevated platforms from Trex composite decking to elevate tent set-ups.

“At Trex, we believe the best memories are made outdoors, so it made perfect sense to partner with a company like REI whose entire brand is built around the outdoor experience,” explained Leslie Adkins, group vice president of marketing and ESG development for Trex. “It’s been especially rewarding to work with one of our dedicated recycling partners to demonstrate the circularity of Trex decking in such a unique and tangible way.”

Through its NexTrex Recycling Program, Trex partners with thousands of organizations and retailers in the U.S. to responsibly dispose of polyethylene (PE) plastic film, a key ingredient in the company’s wood-alternative decking, made from up to 95 percent recycled and reclaimed materials. 

One of North America’s largest recyclers of plastic film, Trex reported it has upcycled more than 5 billion pounds of PE waste in making its outdoor living products over the past three decades.

REI joined the NexTrex commercial recycling program in 2020 and, in that time, has contributed nearly two million pounds of plastic film to the program through collections across its stores along with contributions from its fulfillment centers, furthering the company’s goal of achieving zero waste in its operations, which requires diverting at least 90 percent of waste from landfill or waste-to-energy.

Bringing these efforts full circle to REI’s campsite, the company worked with Trex to build 10 elevated decking platforms at its Signature Camp near Bryce Canyon. The deck boards used in these platforms contain the equivalent of more than 700,000 pieces of plastic film diverted from landfills.

“Creating access to the outdoors for all is core to who we are and how we design guided adventure experiences at REI,” said Justin Wood, REI experiences director. “Our relationship with Trex helps us reduce our footprint by diverting plastic waste from landfills and providing durable and attractive recycled materials for constructing our private REI Signature Camps. That’s meaningful and important to REI and to our customers.”

Trex Transcend Lineage decking proved a natural choice due to its authentic wood look and unique composition. This collection delivers the aesthetic and feel of wood. The light honey-brown Biscayne compliments the Bryce Canyon setting. Lineage decking is engineered with heat-mitigating technology in the shell to reflect the sun and keep boards cooler.

Another reason REI chose Trex decking for its Bryce Canyon campsite is practicality. Engineered to endure the snow and sun, the boards feature a proprietary, high-traffic formulation and durable integrated shell that resists stains, scratches and mold. They won’t rot, warp, crack, or splinter will, retain color and finish for decades, and come with a 50-year limited warranty.

Additionally, unlike wood, maintaining Trex composite decking requires no sanding, staining or painting. Spills wash off easily with soap and water, equating to less maintenance at the start of the season and throughout the guiding season.

For more information about the Trex/REI collaboration, go here.