Alex Eaves

Ever since Alex Eaves was a child, he's been a solutions guy for problems he faced. He had an early love for math and jigsaw puzzles, but it was when he started skateboarding that he began implementing many reuse solutions for problems. Growing up in Massachusetts, Alex created an indoor skatepark out of miscellaneous obstacles and materials found in his basement.

While studying journalism and advertising at Northeastern University in the late 90s, Alex co-created a promotions company for bands and record labels with his college roommate. And it was during his decade long career in the music industry where Alex saw the problem that would change his careeer path and life: the waste in the T-Shirt industry.

In 2003, Alex created STAY VOCAL as a positive change themed skateboard and apparel brand. To raise the money for his first line of skateboards, Eaves cut costs by printing shirts on thrifted garments. The light bulb didn't go off for a few years, though. But in 2008, when faced with a struggling business and not understanding why people were so focused on recycling and not reusing, Alex reconfigured the brand to the now green-certified reuse apparel brand. Since then, Alex has also been leading a passionate “reuse life," as he couldn't sell shirts with a message on them and not be living that message.

In 2014, Alex became a certified Master Reuser by the Reuse Institute. He's also the director of the award winning documentaries, REUSE! Because You Can't Recycle The Planet. (2015) and The Box Truck Film: Building A Reuseful Home (2022). He's also the co-builder of The REUSE! Box Truck, a moving truck that was converted into a 98-square foot tiny house and mobile reuse education center.

Most recently, Alex realized that what he loves most is also what he's best at: being a connecter. He wanted to create a network of reuse solutions to help people reuse and avoid wasted resources, time, and money. And so, Escape The Waste was born.

(Fun Fact: Alex drinks multiple coffees every day and he hasn't used a single disposable coffee cup since 2007!)

Gallery

Experience

1997 - managed a street promotions company for the music industry and became involved in mass marketing of products around the United States
2000 – began working for Anti-Racist Action; traveling around the country selling merchandise and making some of it
2000-2007 - toured around the world selling merchandise for rock bands focused on positive change and activism
2003 - started STAY VOCAL as a skateboard company, but the first fundraising items were reuse T-Shirts
2008 - changed STAY VOCAL to a strictly reuse apparel brand and won a $20,000 best small business award for his idea
2008 - began living "the reuse life"; finding reuse solutions for his needs and wants
2013 - after a successful crowdfunding campaign, he traveled to all 48 contiguous states, filming people who reuse in different ways
2015 – released his first film, REUSE! Because You Can’t Recycle The Planet.
2016 - toured around the United States, screening his film and leading talks
2017 – 2020 - co-built the REUSE! Box Truck tiny house and traveled to 25 states with it
2020 - 2022 - cleaned out a 17-room house, finding reuse solutions for thousands of items
2022 – released his second film, The Box Truck Film: Building A Reuseful Home
2024 – launched the Escape The Waste network

PRESS

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Testimonials

"Alex was amazing to have at the University of Michigan! He was an engaging speaker and his presence elevated the REUSE! film experience. My friends in the audience raved about Alex and the film for a week after the event. Alex's humor, humility, and passion for REUSE inspired me to think creatively about reusing materials and he left me eager to continue the conversation with my peers."

- Ari M. Weil
Graham Sustainability Institute, University of Michigan