The idea for the Give Back Box was born in the summer of 2012: “In June 2012, Monika Wiela was walking along Michigan Avenue in Chicago when she saw a homeless man holding a sign that said I need shoes. As the co-owner of styleupgirl.com along with Biz, an online shoe store, Monika desperately wanted to help him. Not having a pair of man shoes she decided to go back later on with a pair of shoes but the homeless man was no longer there.” This experience so affected her that soon after she came up with the idea for the Give Back Box.

From their website we read that “the purpose of Give Back Box® is to provide an effortless and convenient method of donating used household items. Give Back Box not only provides a convenient way to donate, it also gives cardboard boxes a second life by recycling them and keeping them away from landfills to help improve our environment. With its motto of No Box Left Behind, Give Back Box aims to perpetuate a paradigm shift in the shopping arena, particularly online, by providing a mechanism for retailers and charities that enables people to reuse their shipping box to generate charitable donations. Now giving becomes a normal part of your shopping experience.”

Levi Strauss and Co. is just one of the many companies utilizing the Give Back Box to support job training and educational programs at Goodwill. Of that partnership, Marc Rosen, head of global ecommerce at Levi Strauss & Co. stated, “[This] is a company guided by a strong tradition of giving back, and this holiday season we want to give our fans an opportunity to support their local community when they shop on Levi.com and Dockers.com. Our partnership with Goodwill gives consumers a chance to reuse the boxes they receive from us, fill them with clothing they no longer need and support the important work of Goodwill in the process — it’s a win for online shoppers, the community and the planet.” Levi’s has pledged to give $5 to Goodwill, up to $50,000 (with a guaranteed minimum of $25,000), for every box of donated clothing shipping. Not only that, but on Giving Tuesday (December 1), LS & Co. will double its donation amount and give $10 for every shipping label printed (and ultimately shipped) in support of the Global Day of Giving.

So how does the program work? The process is super simple and convenient:

Step 1: To support specifically Goodwill, place an online order with any of the retailers that have partnered with Goodwill: Levi Strauss & Co, Ann, Inc, Asics, Ann Taylor Loft, Overstock, Dockers, or Style Up Girl. For a complete list of Give Back Box partners, please visit their website.

Step 2: After your shipment arrives, unload your order but don’t throw away your box! Fill the box with gently-used items you no longer need. Used shoes and clothing are always in demand!

Step 3: Visit givebackbox.org to generate and print a free shipping label. Affix the label to your box.

Step 4: You can either drop the labeled box off at the post office, or go to the USPS website and schedule a pickup.

That’s it! Easy as pie. What are you waiting for? Get online and get shopping!