Reimagining the cycle of plastic.
OUR STORY
Refusion® was born out of a shared passion for creating positive change and finding solutions to the plastic waste crisis. Founded by Julie Rais Ellis in 2018, and later joined by Christine Devitt Stoliker in 2020, we set out to transform the way we handle plastic waste, turning it into something beautiful and durable.
It all began with a simple but powerful idea: Could we take used plastic and turn it into a fabric that’s not only functional but also helps keep plastic out of our natural environment? Inspired by the staggering facts from the 2018 Planet or Plastic National Geographic issue, Julie was moved to take action. The reality is, 32% of the 78 million tons of plastic produced each year ends up in our oceans—equivalent to one garbage truck of plastic dumped into the ocean every minute.
Motivated to find a solution, Julie and her team at Rais Case started experimenting with spent plastics, ultimately developing the first version of Refusion® fabric. When Christine joined the mission, our vision expanded. Together, we’ve honed the process of transforming plastic bags into fabric and are committed to collaborating with like-minded businesses who are just as determined to tackle their plastic waste.
Today, Refusion® is a 501c3 organization dedicated to keeping plastic waste out of our natural environment and educating and inspiring others to rethink their own interactions with plastic. We believe in the power of design, creativity, and innovation to make a difference. One piece of plastic at a time, we’re crafting a better future.
Let’s stop the cycle of plastic ending up in our natural environment.
Why we do it.
Globally, only 2% of plastic packaging is coming from recycled sources, while the rest is produced from “virgin stocks” (crude oil).
Annually 32% of the 78 million tons of plastic packaging produced is left to flow into our oceans. This is the equivalent of pouring one garbage truck of plastic into the ocean every minute.
Plastic bags are currently one of least recycled plastics. Many residential recycling collections do not accept plastic bags.
Through dedicated efforts of reducing our plastic consumption and creating clever solutions to divert existing plastics, together we can make a huge impact!
MEET THE TEAM
We believe we are larger than the sum of our parts and together we can make radical changes for the good of our planet.
Julie Rais Ellis
FOUNDERJulie Rais Ellis is a craftswoman, recycling advocate, and entrepreneur driven by a passion for community and sustainability. As the founder of Rais Case, Rising Co., and Refusion, Julie has dedicated her career to fostering well-being and environmental responsibility through creative business models.
In 2018, inspired by National Geographic’s "Planet or Plastic" issue, Julie committed to addressing the plastic waste crisis. Through Refusion, her team transforms single-use plastics into durable materials for artistic and functional uses, preventing waste from polluting oceans and landfills while empowering artists and businesses to rethink how we use and repurpose resources.
Christine Devitt Stoliker
CO-FOUNDERChristine Devitt Stoliker joined forces with Julie in 2020 after discovering Refusion pouches at Julie’s Rais Case store and being fascinated by the potential for this innovative and limitless material. In her prior role as a designer for Reebok, Christine spent 10 years working on sustainability initiatives for Reebok and the broader adidas Group. Her drive to look for new solutions to growing issues motivated her to channel this energy into R&D for Refusion and further develop this material and company alongside Julie.
Together we can divert plastic from landfills and turn single-use plastic into a long lasting material.
Re•fusion:
the act of pouring back
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