After more than 25 years in the corporate world as a senior IT project manager and business process leader, Elaine Birks-Mitchell realized her true calling was to create meaningful, lasting impact for both people and the planet.

In 2008, Elaine founded The Bra Recyclers with a simple but powerful idea: intimate apparel deserves a better next chapter. What began as a way to reduce landfill waste through textile recycling has grown into a woman-owned social enterprise helping individuals, retailers, brands, textile recyclers, Ambassadors, and nonprofit partners create responsible reuse and recycling pathways for bras and underwear.

Elaine leads with the belief that a company can be profitable and still give back generously, creating circular solutions that honor human dignity, environmental stewardship, and community impact. Through this work, The Bra Recyclers has helped distribute more than 4 million bras to 140+ nonprofits across 29 states and 8 countries.

Elaine continues to expand her impact through The Undie Chest, a nonprofit organization supporting schools and communities facing hygiene poverty. Through The Bra Recyclers, she is also advancing work at the intersection of circularity, reverse logistics, social impact, and post-purchase consumer insight — exploring how recovery programs can reduce waste while helping brands and retailers better understand why products leave use, what consumers do next, and where opportunities may exist to strengthen product decisions, customer engagement, and retention.

Connect with Elaine on LinkedIn.