Originally founded in 1999 in Seattle Washington, USAgain started with a mission to create a better world where PEOPLE and PLANET are given the value and priority they deserve.
We live in a world of fast fashion and overall, clothing is getting cheaper. According to the U.S. EPA, a whopping 85% of all discarded textiles - 11 million tons - are sent to U.S. landfills every year. While there is an abundance of clothes in wealthier countries, seventy percent of the world's population continues to depend on secondhand clothing to clothe themselves and their children.USAgain is connecting those who have surplus clothing to those who need the clothing.
With our TreeMachine, we provide communities with a convenient and eco-friendly option to rid themselves of excess clothing, which is diverted from landfills. By exporting clothes and shoes to struggling countries we generate revenue, create green jobs here in the US and abroad and help to improve the well-being of people around the world. By putting clothes back in the use cycle we conserve precious natural resources and limit the emission of greenhouse gases to fight Global Warming and the Climate Crisis. What's more, we plant a tree every time the TreeMachine is full.
Today, USAgain:
- Consists of 130+ team members that are committed to take responsibility for planning and carrying out the activities in our ten divisions
- Operates in 15 states
- Manages over 8,000 TreeMachines (clothing collection bins)
- Has a strong environmental profile
- Keeps clothing out of landfills
- Plants a tree every time a TreeMachine is filled with clothes
- 120,000 trees planted in 2018
- More than 1,000,000 trees planted so far!
We hold our heads high with the awareness that there is an enormous and growing need for collecting used clothes in the world, for PEOPLE and for PLANET.
Our Leadership:
Mattias Wallander CEO
Born and raised in Sweden, Mattias Wallander embarked on a journey into humanitarian work at 19. To finance his travels and pursue his passion, he accepted a position collecting secondhand in Sweden. While in Namibia, he helped establish secondhand shops to fund and start a reforestation project there. Over the next seven years, Mattias trained and led US American volunteers to development work in Central America and Africa and learned the importance of a collective approach.
As CEO at USAgain since 2000, Mattias has played a pivotal role in fostering a robust vision. Under his leadership, the company has expanded into 12 states, implementing effective strategies to enhance textile diversion. Mattias is passionate about the increasing knowledge and understanding of the important choices that our generation, the Change Generation, must make for life to prevail on a livable planet.
In 2013, USAgain forged a partnership with Tree for the Future, sponsoring millions of tree plantings. Grounded in core values, Mattias now focuses propelling USAgain into an Open Future by growing its impacts for People and Planet, creating jobs domestically and internationally, and instilling hope for a better future.
On a personal level, Mattias spends his free time getting out in nature. Cycling, hiking, kayaking, camping, and spending time with his family.
Thomas Gregersen COO
Born in Norway, Thomas Gregersen harbored numerous aspirations. He embarked on his academic journey by pursuing a degree in Psychology at the University of Osio at the age of 21. He then decided to take a sabbatical and immersed himself in humanitarian work, constructing elementary schools in the rural areas of Guinea Bissau in West Africa. This transformative experience led him to forsake a return to the University in favor of a dedicated pursuit of humanitarian endeavors.
For two decades, Thomas contributed to Development Aid with People to People, initially in Norway and later in Sweden, ultimately serving as the CEO/Chairman of the organization in Sweden. This role focused on clothing collection, sorting centers, and secondhand stores. In 2002, he joined USAgain, initially overseeing collections in NY and PA, later expanding his responsibilities to include Atlanta, GA, Denver, CO, and San Diego, CA. Since 2016, Thomas has held the position of COO at the company, headquartered in West Chicago.
Thomas is passionate about USAgain's mission and vision, aiming to amplify its impact by expanding the company. His objective is to grow clothing collections nationwide, establish thrift stores, and extend the reach of USAgain to other countries worldwide.
