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Bold Reuse, a distributor in reusable packaging systems for venues and campuses, is launching a two-month pilot program deploying radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology in partnership with Avery Dennison, a materials science and digital identification solutions company. The initiative will bring real-time visibility and smart tracking to monitor the entire lifecycle of reusable cups—from distribution and return to wash cycles and end-of-life.
The pilot will be deployed at Bold Reuse’s Portland-based wash-hub and two of Portland’s major league sports venues: The Moda Center, home of the Portland Trail Blazers, and Providence Park, home of the Portland Timbers and Thorns, with the combined locations reaching over 2 million people a year.
This pilot goes beyond basic inventory tracking—it represents a step forward in advancing smarter, data-informed reuse systems. With RFID technology, Bold Reuse and its partners are unlocking item-level metrics that reveal how cups move through the system, where losses occur, and how user behavior impacts return rates. These insights are key to driving operational efficiency, reducing waste and enhancing the fan experience. Ultimately, the data gathered through this pilot will shape more effective reuse strategies and support broader sustainability goals across sports and entertainment venues.
“This pilot is about unlocking operational intelligence at scale,” says Jocelyn Quarrell, CEO of Bold Reuse. “With RFID, we can track every single cup throughout its journey, giving our partners transparency and performance metrics to make reuse as seamless and scalable as possible.”
Through fixed RFID readers installed at key points within the service center, and handheld devices used at partner venues, the pilot will passively collect key data, including:
- Cup return vs. loss rates
- Average number of wash cycles per cup
- Inventory dwell times
- % of cups retired, rewashed or damaged
Data is crucial for the success of reusable products and underpins the reuse economy. The data will allow Bold Reuse to optimize its service center operations, reduce waste, and extend the life of its products—ultimately making reuse more cost-effective and sustainable for its customers.
“Bold Reuse is paving the way for smarter reuse systems,” says Michael Colarossi, head of enterprise sustainability, Avery Dennison. “Together, we’re delivering a scalable, item-level traceability solution that enables real-time accountability and transparency in reuse. This is made possible through our unique combination of materials science expertise - specifically in performance adhesives - and our deep knowledge of RFID technology. We ensure items can withstand repeated wash cycles without compromising RFID functionality, empowering consumers to reuse items again and again.”
