OUR HISTORY
Before Green Spring Recycling was a thing, retail furniture was where it all begain. Our roots date back to 2013 when opening a furniture store in the retail industry. Being in the furniture business, we made it a point to advertise “free bedding” for non profits, homeless shelters, and anyone that truly was in dire need. Over time, this made us the “go to” guys for our friends, family, and even organizations to provide bedding for those in need and less fortunate. We definitely loved the idea of giving, yet we were overwhelmed with inquiries to help! Reaching out to various sources of post consumer bedding helped us fulfill this great need. “Like new” mattresses and box springs from “sleep returns”, display models, etc. really went a long way, even though they were limited in stock . We did our best and this was by far the most rewarding experience for us. Needless to say, the spirit of giving was and continues to be the most rewarding aspect of our business model.
Unfortunately in the 2015 the retail market for us took a turn for the worst and our business shuttered. After shutting down the furniture store, we had been left with MANY dozens of unusable stained mattresses and boxsprings. These were the items we refused to donate, as we were particular about giving away only the best to those in need. Disposing of them would have been costly, and we were not about to spend hundreds just to dispose of used bedding! During our search for a cheap disposal alternative, a glaring fact was thrown front and center many times. Americans dispose of an estimated 20 million mattresses and box springs every year and the vast majority end up in landfills or incinerators. That’s roughly 55,000 discarded each and every day. They contribute 450 million pounds of waste and fill more than 100 million cubic feet of landfill space every year!
We recalled so many different times we were approached to take in used bedding over the years (mostly soiled and undesirable), and did some soul searching on how to turn this landfill problem into a potential solution for the EARTH and a means to earn a living at the same time. Hence we found our passion only after realizing the vast numbers of mattresses and boxsprings that were being thrown at us which were considered “garbage” and being tossed out…..so we ventured off and sought advice from experts in the mattress recycling industry.
After months of trial and error, applying those methods to our process, and adding our own proprietary methods, we had succeeded in mastering the process of breaking down and recycling used unwanted beds. Used bedding is broken down by hand and diverted into different categories of raw material. Foam is baled and diverted to carpet padding manufacturing processes. Metal is recycled and diverted to be used for many different processes. Our suppliers are vast and equally important, consisting of residential home owners, commercial and retail distribution centers, hotel/motel & hospitality, university dorms, and even municipalites for local bulk waste programs. We provide a variety of solutions for each unique situation, helping to divert mattresses and boxsprings from ending up in a landfill. By providing employment for locals in the area, and helping divert and recycle used bedding away from landfills, we pride ourselves in helping make a difference in the lives of people and helping keep our blessed earth GREEN.
Companies We Work With
HOURS
Mon-Friday 8am-4pm
Saturday 9am-1pm
info@greenspringrecycling.com
708-653-0414
13611 Thornton Road Blue Island, Illinois 60406