Target recycles old car seats collected during its trade-in events. The materials are broken down and turned into new products such as plastic pallets, buckets, construction materials, and even select Brightroom storage crates made from 30% post-consumer recycled content. In exchange for dropping off an old seat, you get a 20% discount toward baby gear.
How the Recycling Works
When you bring an old car seat to Target during a trade-in event, employees collect it in a designated drop-off area near Guest Services. The seats are then sent to a recycling facility where they’re broken apart. Car seats contain a mix of plastic, metal, and fabric, and those raw materials get separated and processed into usable form. Target has confirmed the recycled output ends up in products like plastic pallets, buckets, and construction materials. Some of it feeds directly back into Target’s own product line: select Brightroom brand storage crates are manufactured with 30% post-consumer recycled material sourced in part from these trade-ins.
Without this program, most old car seats would end up in landfills. Car seats can’t be donated or resold once they’ve expired or been in a crash, and curbside recycling programs almost never accept them because of the mixed materials. Target’s trade-in program is one of the few accessible options for keeping that plastic and metal out of the waste stream.
What the Trade-In Event Gives You
Everyone who drops off an old car seat receives a 20% off Target Circle bonus. That discount applies to a new car seat, car seat base, travel system, stroller, or select baby home gear. The home gear category is broader than you might expect: it covers playards, high chairs, swings, rockers, bouncers, walkers, entertainers, and jumpers.
The bonus can be redeemed twice before it expires, so you could use it on two separate purchases. For the current event cycle, the expiration date is May 16, 2026. The discount does not apply to clearance items or anything sold and shipped by third-party Target Plus sellers.
What You Can Drop Off
Target accepts car seats in any condition during the trade-in event. Expired seats, damaged seats, and seats your child has simply outgrown all qualify. Booster seats and car seat bases are accepted too. You don’t need to clean the seat or remove the cover beforehand. There’s no requirement to show a receipt or prove where you bought it, and it doesn’t need to be a seat originally purchased at Target.
When the Events Happen
Target runs its car seat trade-in events periodically throughout the year, typically a few times annually. Each event lasts about two weeks. The timing shifts from year to year, so the easiest way to check for the next event is to look at Target’s trade-in event page or the Target Circle section of the app. Events are held at all Target store locations that have a baby gear section, and no appointment is needed.
If you’ve been holding onto an old car seat because you didn’t want to throw it in the trash, Target’s program is one of the simplest ways to dispose of it responsibly and get something back in return.