The Freecycle Network

{{short description|Nonprofit organization}} {{Infobox organization |name = The Freecycle Network |image = Freecycle logo.jpg |image_border = |image_size = |image_alt = Typeset freecycle.org, surrounded by two arrows |caption = The Freecycle Network logo |abbreviation = TFN |formation = {{Start date|2003|5|01|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wiki.freecycle.org/Background |title=Background - FreecycleFAQ |publisher=Wiki.freecycle.org |access-date=2016-05-04}}</ref> |extinction =  |type =  |status = 501(c)3 |purpose = Reuse |region_served = 121 countries<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.freecycle.org/group/?noautodetect=1 |title=The Freecycle Network |access-date=2011-05-02 |archive-date=2011-04-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110423125839/http://www.freecycle.org/group?noautodetect=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |num_members = 6,880,991<ref name="membership">{{cite web|url=http://www.freecycle.org |title=The Freecycle Network |publisher=Freecycle.org |access-date=2016-05-04}}</ref> |language =  |leader_title = Founder, executive director |leader_name = Deron Beal<ref name="staff">{{cite web|url=http://wiki.freecycle.org/Staff |title=Leadership - FreecycleFAQ |publisher=Wiki.freecycle.org |date=2016-02-04 |access-date=2016-05-04}}</ref> |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = |main_organ =  |parent_organization =  |affiliations =  |num_staff = |num_volunteers = |budget = |website = [http://www.freecycle.org/ www.freecycle.org] |remarks = }}

'''The Freecycle Network''' ('''TFN''') is a private, nonprofit organization<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freecycle.org/about/background|title=The Freecycle Network|access-date=2015-03-18|archive-date=2015-03-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319012813/https://www.freecycle.org/about/background|url-status=dead}}</ref> registered in Arizona, US and is a charity in the United Kingdom.<ref>"Freecycle UK" is registered under charity number [http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?remchar=&chyno=1118148 1118148]{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and its registration refers to [http://uk.freecycle.org uk.freecycle.org] as its official website address.</ref> TFN coordinates a worldwide network of "gifting" groups to divert reusable goods from landfills. The network provides a worldwide online registry, organizing the creation of local groups and forums for individuals and nonprofits to offer (or request) free items for reuse or recycling and to promote a gift economy.<ref name="Shah2007">{{Cite journal |last1=Shah |first1=Dhavan V. |last2=McLeod |first2=Douglas M. |last3=Friedland |first3=Lewis |last4=Nelson |first4=Michelle R. |date=May 2007 |title=The Politics of Consumption/The Consumption of Politics |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0002716207299647 |journal=The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science |language=en |volume=611 |issue=1 |pages=6–15 |doi=10.1177/0002716207299647 |issn=0002-7162 |quote=Nelson, Rademacher, and Paek explore the underpinnings of sharing and civic identity through a case study of consumers in a second-order, online consumption community: Freecycle.org. Results show that these individuals hold downshifting attitudes (favor less work and less consumption). Yet the downshifting does not necessarily mean increased civic engagement in a traditional sense. Rather, political and civic engagement for this group included political consumption and digital forms of political participation. |via=Sage Publishing|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In contrast, although flea markets and swap meets also contribute to the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), they involve mainly buying and selling or bartering rather than gifting.

==History== TFN first began when its founder, Deron Beal, collaborated with RISE, a small nonprofit corporation that offers recycling services in the downtown area of Tucson, Arizona, US.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.freecycle.org/about/background|title=The Freecycle Network|access-date=2015-03-18|archive-date=2015-03-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319012813/https://www.freecycle.org/about/background|url-status=dead}}</ref> The team worked together to find local nonprofits that could potentially use their products, but it was not too successful. Hence, Beal created the first Freecycle email that enabled online users to interact with recycling. In February 2005, TFN accepted $130,000 from Waste Management to help build out the website and the network.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Angel |first=Wendy |title=Free and Fabulous |publisher=WasteAge |date=1 March 2005 |url=http://waste360.com/mag/waste_free_fabulous |access-date=29 December 2007}}</ref>

Over time, the concept has spread to over 110 countries,<ref name="The Freecycle Network - Note of total number of countries">{{cite web|url=https://wiki.freecycle.org/Copyright_and_Trademark_Policy_for_the_United_States#Overview|title=The Freecycle Network - Notation of Total Countries of Activity|publisher=The Freecycle Network|access-date=2016-03-23}}</ref> with thousands of local groups and millions of members.<ref name="The Freecycle Network - History and Background">{{cite web|url=https://www.freecycle.org/about/background|title=The Freecycle Network - History & Background Information|publisher=The Freecycle Network|access-date=2015-03-18|archive-date=2015-03-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319012813/https://www.freecycle.org/about/background|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The organization began as a collection of Yahoo! Groups linked from freecycle.org. It has become a web-community platform on freecycle.org for all groups, which are run by local volunteers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.freecycle.org/browse/US|title=United States|publisher=The Freecycle Network|access-date=2016-03-23}}</ref> TFN encourages the formation of new groups, subject to approval by regional new-group approvers. Groups approved by TFN are listed on the website, can use the TFN name and logo, and are subject to rules which are enforced by a network of global and regional group outreach assistance.<ref name="The Freecycle Network - Required Group Guidelines">{{cite web|url=https://wiki.freecycle.org/Guidelines_and_Disclaimer|title=Guidelines and Disclaime|publisher=The Freecycle Network|access-date=2016-03-23}}</ref> As of March 2009, all new groups had to join freecycle.org's new-group system, which provides Freecycle-specific tools for local volunteer moderators and gives TFN oversight of individual groups. As of 2015, all local groups are listed on freecycle.org.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}

==Membership== Membership is completely free to all members, and everything posted on the website must be completely free, legal, and appropriate for everyone regardless of their age.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.freecycle.org/about/background |title=The Freecycle Network |access-date=2015-03-18 |archive-date=2015-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319012813/https://www.freecycle.org/about/background |url-status=dead }}</ref> Today, TFN is a global organization with over 4,000 local chapters. They passed the two-million-member mark in February 2006.<ref>[http://freecycle.org/pressreleases/06-02-21_2millionMembers.pdf The Freecycle Network Tops Two Million Member Mark Today!]{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}, Press release</ref><ref name=Jeffery2008>{{Cite book |last1=Jeffery |first1=Yvonne |year=2008 |title=Green Living For Dummies |first2=Liz |last2=Barclay |first3=Michael |last3=Grosvenor |publisher=For Dummies |isbn=978-0-470-22742-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IAI2TeUCM4QC |page=329 }}</ref> By February 2014, TFN had 6,880,991 members across 5,120 groups worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freecycle.org/ |title=The Freecycle Network |publisher=Freecycle.org |access-date=2016-05-04}}</ref> In December 2023, TFN had 11,022,137 members across 5,355 groups worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freecycle.org/ |title=The Freecycle Network |publisher=Freecycle.org |access-date=2023-12-19}}</ref>

==Controversies== ===Trademark issues=== A notice of opposition<ref>{{cite news |author=FreecycleSunnyvale |title=Notice of Opposition |url=http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/ttabvue-91168664-OPP-1.pdf |date=18 January 2006 |place=Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, USPTO |publisher=Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, USPTO |id=ESTTA62464 |access-date=29 December 2007}}</ref> was filed in federal court by FreecycleSunnyvale against the Freecycle Network<ref>{{cite court |litigants=FreecycleSunnyvale v. The Freecycle Network |vol=C06-00324CW |reporter= |opinion= |pinpoint= |court=United States District Court for the Northern District of California |date=2006 |url=http://freesharing.org/gr/files/2006-01-18_FreecycleComplaint.pdf |access-date= |quote= |postscript= }}</ref> in January 2006. An injunction was granted against Tim Oey in May 2006 for allegedly disparaging the TFN trademark.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=The Freecycle Network, Inc. v. Oey |vol=CV 06-173 (CV-06-00173-RCC) |reporter= |opinion= |pinpoint='''5''' |court=United States District Court for the District of Arizona |date=May 11, 2006 |url=http://volokh.com/files/freecycleorder.pdf |access-date= |quote= |postscript= }}</ref> The injunction was stayed in July 2006 and dissolved by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in September 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/data2/circs/9th/0616219p.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2007-11-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704142459/https://caselaw.findlaw.com/data2/circs/9th/0616219p.pdf |archive-date=2008-07-04 }}</ref> To defend its trademark in 2006, TFN pursued other free recycling groups who used the word "freecycle" or allegedly had "confusingly similar derivations thereof".<ref>{{cite web |author=Close |url=http://www.chillingeffects.org/trademark/notice.cgi?NoticeID=5022 |title=Good-Doer Attacks a Yahoo Group :: Notices :: Lumen |publisher=Chillingeffects.org |access-date=2016-05-04 |archive-date=2014-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140803201409/http://www.chillingeffects.org/trademark/notice.cgi?NoticeID=5022 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Free-speech advocates, including the Electronic Frontier Foundation and 38 law professors, filed an ''amicus'' brief<ref>{{Cite web |date=2006-07-20 |title=Freecycle Lemley Brief |url=https://volokh.com/files/freecyclelemleybrief.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061017050310/https://volokh.com/files/freecyclelemleybrief.pdf |archive-date=2006-10-17 |access-date=2026-04-08 |website=volokh.com}}</ref> opposing a trademark-infringement lawsuit filed by TFN against Tim Oey. The opposition was based on the position that the lawsuit violated Oey's First Amendment rights. Other law professors, including Lawrence Lessig, and Jimmy Wales filed a second ''amicus'' brief<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frecycle Post Brief |url=http://volokh.com/files/freecyclepostbrief.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061017050022/http://volokh.com/files/freecyclepostbrief.pdf |archive-date=2006-10-17 |access-date=2026-04-08 |website=volokh.com}}</ref> in support of Oey. In 2007, the US 9th Circuit Court affirmed that freecycle may be used as a word.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2007/09/25/0616219.pdf |title=The Freecycle Network v Oey |publisher=UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT |access-date=2023-02-06}}</ref>

On November 24, 2010, TFN lost its trademark claim to "Freecycle" and its logo in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wileyrein.com/publications.cfm?sp%3Darticles%26id%3D6546 |title=With Naked Trademark Licensing, the Freecycle Network is Left Bare - Wiley Rein LLP |access-date=November 30, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726061258/http://www.wileyrein.com/publications.cfm?sp=articles&id=6546 |archive-date=July 26, 2011 }}</ref> Justice Consuelo María Callahan wrote in her opinion, "Beal did not coin the word 'freecycle' and TFN is not the first organization to promote freecycling ... even ... viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to TFN ... [they] engaged in naked licensing and consequently abandoned the trademarks."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/179845/freecyclesunnyvale-v-the-freecycle-network/ |title=FreecycleSunnyvale v. Freecycle Network, 626 F.3d 509 – |publisher=Courtlistener.com |access-date=2024-06-08 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210093133/http://courtlistener.com/ca9/VsM/freecyclesunnyvale-v-the-freecycle-network/ |archive-date=2010-12-10 }}</ref>

On September 25, 2012, TFN gained a registered trademark in the United States for Freecycle.org (registration number 4215094) from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4803:o4aixl.2.4|title=TESS -- Error}}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> TFN also received a registered-collective-membership trademark on that date (registration number 4215095).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4803:o4aixl.2.3|title=TESS -- Error}}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> TFN maintains additional registered trademarks in the European Union, New Zealand, Australia and Canada.{{Citation needed|date=April 2016}}

===UK breakaway=== During 2009, there were conflicts between the UK's independent association of TFN moderators and the organization's founders<ref name="Freecycle nonprofit registration">{{cite web|url=http://ecorp.azcc.gov/Details/Corp?corpId=%2011229014 |title=Arizona Corporation Commission eCorp |publisher=Ecorp.azcc.gov |access-date=2016-05-04}}</ref> over the UK-based TFN groups' lack of freedom to develop local initiatives and features and their treatment of volunteer group owners and moderators.<ref name=guardian1>[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/green-living-blog/2009/sep/10/uk-freecycle-us-network UK Freecycle moderators break away from US network] ''The Guardian'', September 10, 2009</ref> This resulted in the dismissal of at least 20 local group owners and moderators, who were replaced with new local TFN volunteers.<ref name="Mods Must Be Local">{{cite web|url=https://wiki.freecycle.org/Moderator_Manual:Mod_dos |title=Moderator Manual:Mod dos - FreecycleFAQ |publisher=Wiki.freecycle.org |date=2016-03-23 |access-date=2016-05-04}}</ref> Many owners of UK-based TFN groups formed a new independent association, Freegle.<ref>[http://www.ilovefreegle.org/about/history.php http://www.ilovefreegle.org/about/history.php]{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} Freegle History</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Freecycle in bitter split between the majority of UK moderators who remained with Freecycle and those who left to Freegle; Freecycle, the giveaway movement that helps internet users swap things they no longer want, has split with hundreds of thousands of UK members who have joined a rival group.|author=Ian Johnston|date=19 Sep 2009|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/6208589/Freecycle-in-bitter-transatlantic-split.html|publisher=The Telegraph}}</ref><ref name=Jones2009>{{cite news |title=Accusations of very tight control split UK recycling network from US parent: 'Overbearing input' from the States stops British groups making their own decisions, say volunteers |last=Jones |first=Sam |date=12 October 2009 |newspaper=The Observer |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/oct/12/freecycle-freegle-recycling-networks-groups}}</ref> TFN continued in the UK, with both groups present in many areas.<ref>From Freegle and Freecycle websites, posted figures without independent checking or distinction between active and inactive members; for example 23 April 2012, Freegle Camden South (in London NW1), 4,951 members; Freegle Kentish Town (in London NW1), 6,734 members; Freecycle Camden South, 8,663 members; Freecycle Kentish Town, 12,805 members. There is no information on people belonging to both organisations, or long-standing but inactive members of the older organisation.</ref> In February 2015, TFN UK claimed to have 592 groups with 4,345,095 members.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.freecycle.org/ |title=Freecycle.org UK |publisher=Uk.freecycle.org |access-date=2016-05-04}}</ref>

===Payment to Founder === Based on the latest IRS 990s, the Freecycle founder receives an annual payment of £83,569 per year while the other listed officers are not compensated. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/200938414_202306_990_2023111321915428.pdf/full | title=The Freecycle Network, IRS Form 990 Full Filing - Search Result | date=5 August 2025 }}</ref> Current 990 Forms (up to 2023) are available through a search of the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool. <ref>{{Cite web |last=IRS |date=July 24, 2025 |title=Tax Exempt Organization Search (search EIN 20-0938414) |url=https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/ |website=Tax Exempt Organization Search}}</ref>

==See also== {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * Buy Nothing Project * Freecycling * Glocalization * Reciprocal altruism * Regift * Reuse * Sharing economy * Symbiosis * Social software * Waste hierarchy {{div col end}}

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== * {{official website|https://www.freecycle.org/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Freecycle Network}} Category:Waste organizations Category:Recycling organizations Category:American social networking websites Category:DIY culture Category:Freecycling Category:Anti-consumerist groups Category:Charities based in Arizona Category:British social networking websites Category:Organizations established in 2003