About
The Bunny Bin restores secondhand toys through a careful cleaning and repair process, giving each one a second chance. What sets us apart is this blend of circular economy principles and emotional storytelling. It’s not just extending a toy’s life; it’s prolonging its purpose. By reconnecting families to the joy of caring for something with a history, The Bunny Bin creates lasting value in a space dominated by disposable, mass-produced products.
Mission
The Bunny Bin is redefining consumption by making rescued toys as valued, trusted, and desired as new ones. By intercepting gently-loved toys before they are discarded—keeping them out of landfills, incinerators, and the ocean—we are expanding access to circular, lower-waste alternatives to buying new. We aim to reduce the stigma around used items, bring joy back into reuse, and demonstrate that, as a culture, we already have much of what we need or could possibly want. In terms of our vision, we seek to foster a broader movement rooted in gratitude, responsible consumption, and thoughtful design, while encouraging toy companies to prioritize longevity, repairability, and environmental responsibility from the start.
Who We Are
The Bunny Bin was founded by Kate Niemczyk, a journalist with a background in environmental and social justice storytelling. After years reporting on climate change at national news networks including ABC News, CBS News, and NBC News—and watching the journalism industry fracture around her, both in structure and principle—Kate launched The Bunny Bin in 2025 as a tangible way to push back against the buy-discard-repeat cycle that defines so much of modern consumption.
It was something she’d been questioning in one form or another since first reading Margery Williams’ The Velveteen Rabbitas a child, which you can read for free on our website. Just like the 1922 favorite, The Bunny Bin challenges the notion that newness is synonymous with value, that love is interchangeable, and that replacement is progress—and it rejects a culture that normalizes disposability, even in the objects we once held close.
What began as a small rescue effort quickly grew with the support of Kate’s family, friends, and a close-knit Vermont community, whose generosity and belief in the mission have shaped The Bunny Bin from the start.
The operation is also overseen by Kate’s dog Bernie, the Official Guardian of the Toys. A lifelong enthusiast of all things squishy, Bernie supervises each new arrival, ensuring every rescued friend feels properly welcomed before heading off to its next home.
P.S. Bernie does not actually handle the toys. His role is strictly supervisory.
Kate (and Bernie) are always open to questions, comments, stories, and new connections. You can reach them through the Contact page.
