Six standout companies, organizations and agencies were honored this year by the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) for their innovative strategies in addressing some of California’s most challenging waste stream issues. The prestigious 2025 Arrow Awards were unveiled with pride at the state’s largest and most influential gathering for waste and recycling professionals: the California Resource Recovery Association’s 49th Annual Conference and Tradeshow. CPSC has been recognizing business leaders in California for over 18 years, and this year, several winners are from the San Francisco greater Bay Area.
Crazy Puppy Company is the winner of the 2025 Green Arrow Award for system and design innovations. The Green Arrow Award is given to an organization demonstrating an innovative systems approach that removes or reduces toxic or other problematic attributes present in products. Crazy Puppy Company demonstrates these principles with their innovative approach of turning recycled ocean plastic into stylish, high quality, handcrafted dog collars and leashes. Every stage of the product is focused on reducing waste and using sustainable materials as seen through their compostable and recycled packaging. Crazy Puppy Company is committed to sustainability and with their vegetable-based inks and water-activated packaging tape, they are keeping toxins out of our oceans and waste streams.
Reuse Alliance is the winner of the 2025 Bow & Arrow Award for coalition building and creative partnerships. Bow & Arrow Award recipients demonstrate synergistic relationships between producers, distributors, retailers, public agencies and other stakeholders. Through their outreach, education, and advocacy work, Reuse Alliance draws attention to the benefits of reuse in preventing waste and recirculating resources. Reuse Alliance runs a Repair Fair program through Sonoma and Marin Counties and will open a Reuse Hub in September 2025. CPSC partnered with Reuse Alliance for a solar panel reuse pilot project in Marin County. Through this collaboration, they published a case study on how to create a small micro-grid, using reused solar panels.
SCRAP is the winner of the 2025 Infinity Arrow Award for service and take-back. The Infinity Award is given to an organization to recognize efforts to initiate an outstanding Take Back program for one or more products as an additional convenience and service to their customers. SCRAP accomplishes this by collecting donated old arts and crafts supplies such as textiles, buttons, paper and even wood and plastic, to reuse for educational art programs within the community. Through collection and reuse, SCRAP has been able to reduce waste by diverting over 200 tons of materials heading to landfill every year. This organization takes donated reusable materials, sorts them and makes them available to teachers, parents, artists and organizations, to give back to the community, continue to foster creativity and bolster environmental awareness.
Last Chance Mercantile is the recipient of the 2025 Golden Arrow Award for overall excellence in product stewardship. The Golden Arrow Award is given to an organization that exemplifies all the characteristics of the Green, Bow & Arrow, and Infinity Awards. Last Chance Mercantile has established themselves as a resource to their community. By providing education about waste and reuse and as well as providing jobs to veterans, Last Chance Mercantile emphasizes the importance of fostering relationships between public agencies and non-profits while protecting the environment. For instance, in 2024, Last Chance Mercantile diverted over 1.1M pounds of goods away from landfills.
Published September 2025
