Closing the Loop: How Christchurch Adventure Park Recycled & Reused Uniforms to Keep Gear Out of Landfill
At Christchurch Adventure Park, we’re all about protecting the playground we call home. That doesn’t stop at the trails or treetops—it extends to every part of what we do, including what we wear.
This winter, we tackled a sustainability project: recycling and upcycling our end-of-use staff uniforms. Rather than let them gather dust in storage—or worse, end up in landfill—we found local companies who could help us turn old gear into new possibilities. We partnered with two awesome New Zealand companies that are leading the charge in textile recovery: Little Yellow Bird and Impactex.
The Breakdown
100% Cotton Tees → Upcycled by Little Yellow Bird
We sent 24kgs of cotton tees to the team at Little Yellow Bird, a Wellington-based ethical apparel company. Not only do they make sustainably sourced uniforms, they also run a full textile take-back and upcycling programme. That means they take old natural-fibre garments and turn them into new materials, including yarn for new clothing, homewares, and even insulation. Their mission? To build a closed-loop fashion system that respects both people and planet.
With Little Yellow Bird, our cotton tees get to live another life—less waste, more impact.
Polycotton & Synthetic Uniforms → Reused by Impactex
For everything else—like jackets, pants, and polycotton gear—we turned to Impactex, an innovative textile recovery initiative based in Auckland. We sent 7 boxes of discontinued and end of life uniform, weighing 105kgs and passed them into Impactex’s expert hands. These guys focus on reusing textiles in practical ways, from industrial rags to repurposed materials for construction, automotive, and other sectors that don’t require new fabric.
Their approach is all about diverting textile waste from landfill and pushing toward a circular economy in Aotearoa.
Lost & Found Gets a Second Chance Too
We didn’t stop at uniforms. Our unclaimed Lost & Found bin had its own contribution to the cause:
- 6 hoodies were donated to local charity shops
- 3 pairs of gloves and 1 set of kneepads were given away to keen riders
- Only 5 single gloves, 1 cap, and 2 pairs of badly ripped over-trousers ended up being sent to waste
That means almost every piece of gear was either reused, recycled, or rehomed. More specfically that’s a 95% recovery rate on our leftover clothing. Not bad for a cleanup mission
Why This Matters
In New Zealand, we send nearly 220,000 tonnes of textile waste to landfill each year—most of it synthetic and non-biodegradable. By choosing to upcycle, donate, and reuse, we help:
- Cut down on landfill and microplastic pollution
- Reduce the demand for virgin materials
- Save energy, water, and carbon emissions from producing new garments
For us, this is more than just sorting old uniforms. It’s about living our values. From the trail crew through to the back office team, we’re committed to protecting the environment that makes our park possible. We ride, build, and operate on the land. The least we can do is look after it and take sustainability seriously, across every part of what we do.
A Big Thanks
Huge shoutout to Little Yellow Bird and Impactex for helping us tread lighter on the planet. And to our team for sorting, cleaning, packing, and hauling boxes of fabric with the same energy they bring to trail building!
This is just the start. We’ll keep exploring ways to reduce, reuse, and play sustainably.
