What happens to my books?

 

You’ve done it! You’ve packed up your old books and a friendly DPD driver has dropped by to pick them up. Pretty easy! But have you ever wondered what happens to your books and media after you’ve waved them goodbye? Well, wonder no more! Your books go on quite a journey – and the final destination is always a happy one.
 

New homes

Most of the books we receive will be rehomed and reread. Our Ziffit algorithm is designed so that we accept books that have the most chance of finding your stuff a new home and being enjoyed and loved by somebody else. 
We believe everybody should be able to share in the love of reading; last year, you helped over 7 million people gain access to affordable books and literacy. 
Reselling the books you send us also helped us save an estimated 825 tonnes of books and media from waste. 
Go you! 

 

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Good causes

Books that you don’t want anymore could mean the world to schools and communities in need. The unwanted items you pack up could have a big impact on good causes. 
Last year, our lovely Ziffiters helped us donate over 72,000 books to primary schools in the UK. Through our charity partners, we also donate books to schools and communities in Africa. So next time you pack up a box for us, it could be the beginning of a very long journey indeed! 
Whatever destiny awaits your stuff, you can make sure your books will benefit a charity by choosing to donate your trade value at checkout thanks to our partnership with Virgin Money Giving. Double up on that good!

 

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New purposes

A few light scuffs here and there and we can rehome your books easily. But some books we receive have been loved a little too much and can’t be resold. It’s not all over for these books though – it’s the beginning of a new chapter that makes a big impact. At Ziffit HQ, we make sure they are responsibly recycled. 
Recycling books isn’t as easy as chucking them in the paper recycling bin. The way most books are made can be a bit of a sticking point for recycling centres thanks to the glue that binds the pages together. It means that all-too-often they are rejected at recycling centres and end up in waste. 
Luckily, we work with specialist book recyclers to make sure that even if your old books don’t make the grade, they can be responsibly recycled and still do their bit to help the planet. 
Each year, our warehouses responsibly recycle around 80 million books – the equivalent to half a million trees – to be made into new products like toilet roll and paper towels. 

 

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Now that you know what sort of journey your books may go on, why not start trading with Ziffit today?
If you want a little more convincing, check out our blog post on the top 10 reasons to declutter!

 

Which book journeys would you like to know a little more about? Let us know!