TCB: Taking care of the circular economy

Taking Care of Business (TCB) is one of the most successful contributors to the circular economy in South Africa. Formerly known as The Clothing Bank, TCB’s Resell, Repair and Remake programmes use retail waste items donated by leading retailers to help unemployed South Africans build small, informal trading businesses. Most of this retail waste would otherwise have been sent to landfill.

Since TCB was established in 2010, 20,9 million items have been diverted from landfill and more than R500m in profits have been generated by small businesses using these ‘waste’ items.

TCB’s holistic two-year programmes effectively train unemployed South Africans to become self-employed. During the intense programme, participants are taught business, life, computer and financial skills. They receive counselling and mentorship to improve their personal lives and businesses. Every participant starts their business within a month of joining the programme and starts earning an income, explains Tracey Gilmore, TCB co-founder.

Gilmore says, “On 14 October, National eWaste Day, we celebrate our Repair programme. In this programme, participants (mostly men) are taught how to repair damaged appliances for resale. They also resell cell phones and other mechanical items that would have been thrown away. This year, TCB’s Repair programme has already processed 104 tons of potential eWaste. The majority of these items have been repaired and repurposed, preventing them from ending up in landfill. A victory for eWaste management!”

The Resell and Remake programmes also contribute tremendously to the circular economy. Gilmore explains, “In the Resell programme unemployed mothers debrand and resell donated clothing and homeware, preventing these unsold or returned items from ending up on landfill. In the Remake programme, seamstresses are trained to run viable businesses using donated fabric and cloth. Globally, fast fashion has become a huge challenge for landfills. There are 100 billion new garments manufactured every year, vast numbers of these never sold and sent straight to landfill or incinerated,” she says.

Josiah - Repair graduate

“TCB is actively adding value by reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and repurposing supply chain waste. What we absolutely can’t use, is recycled. It is a mutually beneficial situation since waste is being turned into economic value while reducing the burden on scarce natural resources. TCB collects, debrands and redistributes this excess merchandise and retail waste without additional costs to the supply partner. These donated items have a social impact by supporting unemployed South Africans on their journey to self-employment and social and financial independence. It’s a win-win,” she says.

Some stats from the past financial year (1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024):

- 2,276,542 ‘waste’ items donated to TCB programmes
- 905 unemployed people recruited into these programmes
- 1188 participants are active in the two-year programmes
- 986 programme graduates still access and sell the stock
- R71,8million is the estimated profits made by participants and graduates
- 86,3 tons of e-waste has been received

“Please consider donating your old appliances, old clothes and any material or fabric you are not using to TCB, we have offices in Cape Town, Paarl, Midrand, East London and Durban.”