PRESS RELEASE- Gear Hut awarded Prestigious Golden Pinecone Award
Contact:
Leah Wzientek
775-219-4612
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Gear Hut Receives Nevada's Golden Pinecone Sustainability Award for Innovation, Reuse, and Community Impact
RENO, Nev. - Gear Hut has been recognized with the Tier 3 Innovator Award at the 2026 Golden Pinecone Sustainability Awards, a statewide program honoring businesses, organizations, educators, and individuals working to create a more sustainable and environmentally healthy Nevada. The awards have recognized sustainability leadership since 1988, making them one of Nevada's longest-running environmental recognition programs.
Presented through a partnership between the Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce, greenUP!, and Western Nevada College, the awards celebrate organizations and individuals advancing meaningful environmental solutions throughout the state.
Gear Hut was honored alongside an impressive group of Nevada sustainability leaders, including Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, ImpactNV, the Nevada Museum of Art, Sol-Up, the Washoe County Climate Action Plan, and numerous educators, nonprofits, businesses, and community advocates working to build a more sustainable Nevada.
Sustainability Beyond Resale
While Gear Hut is best known as Nevada's only dedicated outdoor consignment store, its impact on the community extends far beyond existing as a resale business.
Since opening its doors, Gear Hut has helped raise more than $100,000 for local nonprofit organizations, supporting causes that strengthen environmental stewardship, youth programs, outdoor access, and community well-being throughout Northern Nevada.
For the past two years, the company has partnered with Scout Troop 1847 to create an alternative pathway for usable gear and materials following Burning Man. By recovering outdoor equipment and useful items that might otherwise be discarded, the partnership helps reduce waste while returning valuable resources back into the community.
Gear Hut also champions practical waste-reduction solutions through its refillable and exchangeable one-pound camping propane program, supports bike-friendly commuting by rewarding staff for every 300 green miles logged, and has adopted a local park through KTMB, hosting more than 35 public cleanups of Reno parks and urban spaces.
Many of Gear Hut's sustainability efforts happen quietly behind the scenes. Its reusable tagging system has prevented an estimated 300 pounds of microplastic tagging waste from entering the waste stream, while digital receipts and reduced bag use further minimize unnecessary waste.
Responsible Consumerism
At its core, Gear Hut's business model is built around responsible consumerism. Every item accepted on consignment is selected because it has a strong likelihood of finding a new home, helping keep thousands of pieces of outdoor gear and apparel in active use each month.
This approach stands in contrast to "wishcycling," the well-intentioned practice of donating items with the hope they'll be reused. Industry estimates suggest that nearly 70% of donated clothing ultimately ends up landfilled or otherwise discarded.
Co owner Leah Wzientek explains, "The most sustainable piece of gear is the one that's already been made. Every time we help rehome gear or apparel, we're extending its life, reducing the demand to manufacture something new, and creating affordable access for the community to get outside."
Taking Responsibility for an Industry Issue
Over the past several years, Gear Hut has helped divert more than 6,000 pounds of skis, snowboards, and poles from local landfills, providing community members with a responsible end-of-life option for equipment that can no longer be safely used or resold.
As equipment standards evolve, otherwise functional gear can lose value or become obsolete, creating a growing stream of hard-to-recycle equipment. Gear Hut's ski recycling collection program provides Reno recreators with a responsible alternative to the landfill.
While the environmental impact is substantial, the costs of recycling are real and as a small business, they’re taking on a responsibility that the overall industry isn't. Collecting, sorting, storing, transporting, and processing retired skis and snowboards requires staff time, storage space, and transportation, which add up quickly for small businesses with small margins.
To help offset a portion of those expenses, Gear Hut asks for a small donation when community members drop off skis, snowboards, or poles for recycling. These contributions do not fully cover the cost of the program, but they help ensure the service remains viable and available to the community.
A Community-Powered Model for Sustainability
While Gear Hut is honored to receive the Golden Pinecone Sustainability Award, the company views the recognition as encouragement to continue building practical, local solutions to waste.
This year’s award recognizes a business model rooted in circularity and community: helping gear stay in use longer, supporting local nonprofits, and creating affordable access to outdoor recreation.
As Gear Hut celebrates this recognition, the company encourages community members and local businesses to think beyond recycling and towards creating a sustainable community by supporting partnerships and taking advantage of initiatives like NV Green Business Certification.
The Golden Pinecone Sustainability Award may recognize Gear Hut, but ultimately the achievement belongs to a community of consignors, shoppers, nonprofit partners, volunteers, and outdoor enthusiasts who continue to prove that gear doesn't need to be new to create new adventures.
About Gear Hut
Gear Hut is Nevada's only dedicated outdoor consignment store, specializing in used outdoor gear, apparel, and equipment. Through resale, reuse, recycling initiatives, nonprofit partnerships, and community-focused sustainability programs, Gear Hut helps extend the life of outdoor gear while making outdoor recreation more accessible and affordable.
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