For the past four years, Trex Company and REI Co-op have partnered to divert plastic film waste collected at the specialty outdoor retailer’s stores and fulfillment centers for use in the making of Trex’s eco-friendly, long-lasting and beautiful composite decking. When it came time for REI to expand its Signature Camp near Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, it was only natural that the brands work together to highlight the full-circle efforts at REI’s private campsite. Nature lovers can now enjoy the great outdoors from tent set-ups situated on elevated platforms made from Trex composite decking.
“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.”
A Full-circle, Full-cycle Partnership
Through its NexTrex® Recycling Program, Trex partners with thousands of forward-thinking organizations and retailers across the country to responsibly dispose of polyethylene (PE) plastic film, a key ingredient in the company’s high-performance, wood-alternative decking, which is made from up to 95% recycled and reclaimed materials. One of the largest recyclers of plastic film in North America, Trex has upcycled more than 5 billion pounds of PE waste in the making of 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. These efforts further the company’s goal of achieving zero waste in its operations, which requires diverting at least 90% 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 while also providing durable and attractive recycled materials for the construction of our private REI Signature Camps. That’s meaningful and important to REI and to our customers.”
Trex Transcend® Lineage™ Decking: A Natural Choice
Such a special location called for a special product. Trex Transcend® Lineage™ decking proved a natural choice due to its authentic wood look and unique composition. This collection features an elevated aesthetic with subtle, elegant graining that delivers the aesthetic and feel of wood.
The light, honey-brown Biscayne hue offers the perfect complement to the breathtaking Bryce Canyon setting. Further enhancing its appeal and suitability for this particular project, Lineage decking is engineered with heat-mitigating technology in the shell to reflect the sun and keep boards cooler*, making it Trex’s coolest decking to date – literally.
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 ultra-durable integrated shell that resists stains, scratches and mold. They won’t rot, warp, crack or splinter and will retain their color and luxurious finish for decades. For added peace of mind, Lineage decking is backed by a 50-year limited warranty.
Additionally, unlike with wood, maintaining Trex composite decking is completely hassle-free. No sanding, staining or painting is ever needed, and spills wash off easily with just soap and water. This equates to more efficient operations for the Co-op’s adventure travel operator due to less maintenance at the start of the season and throughout the guiding season.
For more information about Trex composite decking and the Trex/REI collaboration, go to trex.com.
