Can You Reuse Amazon Bubble Mailers and Boxes?

In this era of social media and instant gratification, online shopping has never been easier. Everything you want is just a click away and most people are loving it. It’s no wonder that Amazon’s stocks keep soaring higher and higher. They know what we want and they just keep giving it to us.

But this presents one problem – what are we going to do with all the Amazon packaging we now have? Can we reuse Amazon bubble mailers and boxes?

Well, let me give you a few pointers.

Can you reuse Amazon bubble mailers and boxes?

Yes, you can reuse these Amazon packaging materials for a variety of purposes.

How can you reuse Amazon bubble mailers and boxes?

Some of the best ways to reuse these packaging materials include:

Use them for shipping

This is probably the most common way to reuse both the boxes and the bubble mailers.

As long as you black out any bar codes, names, or addresses, you should be able to use them to ship out merchandise or gifts to family, friends, and even customers.

Create a Halloween costume

If you are a creative who is obsessed with DIYs, you could use these boxes and mailers to create a cute Halloween costume for you or your little one.

Just check out a few ideas on Pinterest and you should be good to go.

Make a pet bed

By just cutting off one side of the box, adding a cushion, and draping a towel over it, you can make a pretty cool pet bed.

Add the cardboard parts to your compost

One of the most environmentally friendly ways to get rid of the Amazon cardboard boxes is by composting them.

They are completely biodegradable and take only three months to completely break down.

Just cut them into small pieces and add them to the compost; the bacteria will do the rest.

Use them for storage

You can use Amazon mailers and boxes to store things around your home. They can easily hold books, plants, or even garage tools.

Alternatively, you could cut them up to create drawer organizers. To spruce up our boxes, you can even create a cute fabric cover for them.

Use them for moving

If you, a friend, or a neighbor is moving soon, the Amazon boxes and bubble mailers can help you pack some items here and there, especially the delicate ones.

Use the boxes to create forts and other kids’ toys

If you have a little one, you can easily repurpose your Amazon boxes to serve as forts, coloring boxes, or even cave playsets.

Use the mailers to protect frames and plates

Once cut along their seams, the mailers can be opened up and used as cushioning between plates or as padding for picture frames.

Use the mailers to create an iPad cover

If you love crafting, you can use your mailers to create a cool iPad cover.

With a little bit of needlework and a couple of online tutorials, you can get this done in no time. All you need is some thread, needles, a pair of scissors, a ribbon, two buttons, an adhesive, and a piece of fabric.

Participate in the Give Back Box Program

Give Back Box is a program that lets you donate to charities and get rid of your Amazon cardboard boxes at the same time.

All you have to do is fill a box with clothes and/or household items you wish to donate, print a free shipping label, and drop the box off at your nearest UPS or FedEx station. And if you can’t drop it off in person, you have the option of ordering a pickup online.

Due to the partnership between Amazon and Give Back Box, the package will be shipped off at no cost to you.

Not only will your donation reach a charity, but your box will also be recycled. No matter how you look at it, this is a win-win situation.

Can you recycle Amazon bubble mailers and boxes?

Yes, both Amazon boxes and bubble mailers can be recycled. So if your Amazon boxes are damaged or are just too many to reuse, this is a viable option for you. And since most curbside programs accept these boxes, recycling them is very easy to do.

Just ensure you’re clear on your area’s rules on how to prepare them though. Some districts may require you to flatten them and tie them with twines before laying them out.

Moreover, you may be required to cut up large boxes into rectangles or squares of a specific size (usually at most 2 feet by 2 feet). You will also usually need to remove any staples/tape and ensure that the cardboard is clean and dry.

When it comes to recycling bubble mailers, though, things aren’t as easy as with cardboard boxes.

Depending on where you live, you may be able to recycle these mailers either at your local recycling center or using your curbside bin program.

However, a lot varies from region to region. If worse comes to worst though, you should look for any local facility that recycles plastic film with the How2Recycle program.

Which other Amazon packages are recyclable?

Apart from the cardboard boxes and bubble mailers, Amazon’s paper padded envelope mailers, plastic bags, paper envelopes, packing papers, air pillows, and paper envelopes are recyclable.

While most of them are accepted by curbside recycling programs, some will require you to visit a local facility.

On the other hand, gel packs and fresh dry ice plastic films can’t be recycled. You’ll have to find a way to reuse them or just throw them in the trash.

The Bottom Line

Let’s be honest, online shopping is here to stay. For all we know, we may still be using Amazon fifty years from now. That is why it is integral we find sustainable ways to deal with their packaging materials, especially since they account for a large chunk of municipal solid waste.

And while we hope that at some point companies like Amazon will have their own recycling programs that cater to all their packaging materials, it is up to us to hold the fort until then!