At Bold Reuse, we’ve always believed the future of sustainability isn’t just about replacing disposables with reusables; it’s about building systems that make reuse seamless, scalable, and smart. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce a new pilot with global materials science leader Avery Dennison to deploy RFID technology across our reuse operations.

Launched this month in Portland, the two-month pilot is live at our local wash-hub and two of the city’s largest venues: the Moda Center and Providence Park. Together, they reach more than 2 million people annually. By adding RFID tags onto each reusable cup, we can now track the full journey of every item: from distribution and return, through wash cycles, and ultimately to end-of-life.

While tracking inventory, this unlocks a new level of operational intelligence that makes reuse easier, more efficient, and more cost-effective.

Why RFID? Why Now?

As the reuse economy grows, the systems behind it must grow smarter. RFID enables item-level visibility that helps answer critical questions:

• Where do losses occur?

• How many wash cycles can a cup withstand?

• What’s sitting idle and what’s in heavy rotation?

Through a combination of fixed readers at our service center and handheld devices at venues, we’re now collecting real-time data across the full lifecycle of our reusables, including:

• Return vs. loss rates

• Average number of wash cycles per cup

• Inventory dwell times

• % of cups retired, rewashed, or damaged

And that data opens the door to major gains in inventory management:

1. Easily monitor and manage inventory levels

2. Reduce overspend on excess inventory

3. Inform smarter purchasing decisions

4. Track usage and movement by item

5. Automatically control inventory by location

6. Perform faster cycle counts and audits

In short, RFID lets us bring precision to a system that’s long relied on estimates and assumptions. It’s about moving from "we think" to "we know."

Leading the Way in Reuse Intelligence

This pilot is certainly a tech upgrade, but it’s also a proof of concept for the next phase of reuse. By collecting and analyzing item-level data, we’re empowering our partners to reduce waste, improve return rates, and enhance the fan experience. And we’re making reuse more transparent, predictable, and scalable.

What Our Partners Are Saying

Moda Center’s Brittany Saulsbury:

“We’ve already eliminated nearly 1 million single-use cups. With RFID, we can optimize our system even further and gather insights that enhance the fan experience.”

Providence Park’s Ashley Highsmith:

“This is about more than waste reduction — it’s about embracing innovation. The data we gain here helps us scale our impact and raise the bar on sustainability.”

Looking Ahead

We believe RFID will soon become a cornerstone of reuse infrastructure, enabling not just more sustainable systems, but smarter, more efficient ones. The results from this pilot will help shape the next evolution of Bold Reuse programs nationwide, across venues, campuses, and corporations.

Reuse is no longer a guess. It’s measurable. It’s traceable. And now, it’s smarter than ever.

Want to learn more or bring data-driven reuse to your organization? Get in touch with us.