D’Addario and TerraCycle Celebrate a Decade-Long, Industry-First Recycling Program

D’Addario and TerraCycle, the international recycling leader, are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the D’Addario Playback Free String Recycling Program — the first large-scale initiative of its kind to recycle instrument strings of any brand. Over the past decade, the partnership has kept more than 16 million strings out of landfills and incinerators, engaging musicians, retailers, and schools nationwide to make sustainability part of their sound.

“At D’Addario, sustainability is woven into everything we do,” said John D’Addario III, CEO of D’Addario & Company, Inc. “Partnering with TerraCycle has allowed us to engage our entire community — from local music shops to global touring artists. This milestone celebrates both progress and possibility as we work toward a more sustainable future for music.”

Since its launch in 2015, the D’Addario Playback Free String Recycling Program has provided a simple, free way for musicians to recycle instrument strings, which are not typically accepted through municipal recycling services. Through the partnership, participants can sign up online, download a free shipping label, and mail in used strings and clippings from any brand or instrument type — from guitar and bass to orchestral strings. Once received, the collected strings are smelted and formed into metal ingots, which are then used by manufacturers to create new products.

“The D’Addario Free Recycling Program was one of our earliest initiatives to bring sustainability directly into the hands of consumers,” said Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle. “A decade and 16 million strings later, this partnership continues to strike the right chord — showing how creative industries can help eliminate waste.”

Today, the D’Addario Playback Free String Recycling Program continues to make it easy for musicians, schools, and retailers to recycle used instrument strings of any brand. The program remains free to join and open to participants nationwide through TerraCycle’s online platform.

To learn more about the D’Addario Free Recycling Program, visit terracycle.com/daddario-playback.