McDonald’s Philippines is redefining sustainability by breathing new life into decommissioned furniture from its renovated stores, converting them into functional classroom equipment for public schools through its ReClassified initiative. The program not only addresses gaps in educational infrastructure but also inspires young designers to create solutions rooted in empathy and innovation.
Annually, around 70 McDonald’s branches undergo reimaging, generating tons of materials like chairs, tables, and steel components. Rather than discarding them, the fast-food giant collaborates with communities to repurpose these items into educational tools, fostering more conducive learning environments.
“At McDonald’s, we’re committed, and driven to make a positive impact by helping solve real-world problems that communities are facing–one of which is education, specifically challenges on the lack of school facilities,” said Adi Hernandez, Assistant Vice President for Corporate Relations & Impact at McDonald’s Philippines. “By repurposing our decommissioned restaurant materials into functional classroom furniture, through ReClassified, we’re reimagining better classrooms for more conducive learning.”
Designing with purpose: A platform for young innovators
In 2023, McDonald’s partnered with De La Salle-College of St. Benilde’s School of Interior Design to launch the ReClassified Student Competition. The challenge tasked students to re-envision discarded materials into classroom furniture, blending creativity with social consciousness. Three standout teams emerged, each offering unique solutions to enhance learning spaces.
Third Place: Team 4Town’s “TWISTIERS”
BS Interior Design students Patricia Malijan, Amara Averion, and Janelle Poblete secured third place with their modular storage units crafted from laminated tabletops. Dubbed “TWISTIERS,” the design emphasizes adaptability and empathy.
“Design starts with empathy. By understanding the users’ needs, functionality follows naturally,” Team 4Town shared. “ReClassified let us create something meaningful—a rare opportunity to impact students directly.”
Second Place: Team ASRA’s collaborative “McShare Chair”
Team ASRA—Pablo Santino So, Abby Lim, Ali Arricivita, and Reese Yulo—earned second place for their stackable “McShare Chair,” which transforms from a single unit into three connected seats. The design mirrors Benilde’s ethos of communal learning.
“We drew inspiration from JunkNot’s ‘Ronald’ chair but prioritized collaboration. Our design reflects how students grow together,” the team explained.
First Place: Team Benilde’t different “McLaboratory”
Champions Ma. Minermila Espeleta, Justin Benedict Osorio, Glenn Laurence Hernandez, and Ralf Dylan Sales reimagined 70% of McDonald’s discarded materials into science lab furniture. Their “McLaboratory” tackles the often-neglected need for functional lab spaces.
“We wanted to spark curiosity through hands-on learning,” the team said. “To future designers: always design with purpose. Turn challenges into opportunities for change.”
Expanding impact across the Philippines
To date, ReClassified has distributed nearly 1,000 chairs to schools in Isabela, Marikina, Cebu, and Sta. Rosa. By year-end, an additional 250 chairs will reach Zamboanga and Agusan del Sur, impacting over 1,500 students.
McDonald’s continues to prove that sustainability and education go hand in hand—one redesigned chair, table, and classroom at a time.
Discover more about ReClassified at https://mcdonalds.com.ph/reclassified.
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