ReMA Opens Submission for the 2026 Design for Recycling® Award

(WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 10, 2025) - The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) is now accepting applications for the 2026 Design for Recycling® (DFR) Award.opens in a new tab Known as ReMA's highest honor, the DFR Award began more than 30 years ago and encourages manufacturers to account for a product's end-of-life by considering what else it can become, during the design-stage of a product's development.

"The Design for Recycling Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the innovation of product design and manufacturing. This is vital to a sustainable and resilient world," said ReMA President Robin Wiener. "When manufacturers integrate recycling into a product's design, the lifecycle is extended, greater recycling is realized, and waste is reduced. ReMA commends manufacturers who recognize that a product's service does not end because its original use has run its course. We look forward to receiving submissions for the 2026 DFR Award."

Winners from the last 5 years include Samsung Electronics, REMADE Institute, Sonoco Alloyd, Dell Inc., and Lexmark. The full list is available here.opens in a new tab

To be eligible for ReMA's Design for Recycling® Award, a company's product must adhere to the following criteria:

• Contain the maximum amount of materials that are recyclable.
  
• Be easily recycled through current or newly designed recycling processes and procedures.
  
• Be cost effective to recycle, whereby the cost to recycle does not exceed the value of its recycled materials.
  
• Be free of hazardous materials that are not recyclable or impede the recycling process.
  
• Minimizes the time and cost involved to recycle the product.
  
• Reduce the use of raw materials by including recycled materials and/or components.
  
• Have a net gain in the overall recyclability of the product while reducing the overall negative impact on the environment.

Companies can submit their products for 2026 DFR Award consideration using the online form or electronic applicationopens in a new tab on or before the February 9, 2026 deadline. Applicants will be notified by February 27, 2026. The winner will be officially recognized at ReMA2026 - The Showopens in a new tab, Powered by ReMatter to be held April 13-16, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

###

For more information contact: Rachel Bookman, [email protected] in a new tab.

The Recycled Materials Association (ReMA) represents more than 1,700 companies in the U.S. and 40 countries around the globe. Based in Washington, D.C., ReMA provides advocacy, education, safety and compliance training, and promotes public awareness of the vital role recycled materials play in the U.S. economy, global trade, the environment and sustainable development.