Upcycled packaging from disposable bags

by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

Instead of using a shipping envelope or other new packaging materials why not reuse an empty potato chip bag? Some small green companies do just that. Don't you fret, though. Stuff you'll put into there or that shippers put in there won't end up covered in grease and salt. But some work is required to make sure it doesn't.

  • Turn empty bag of chips inside out

  • Wash the grease and crumbs away

  • Dry it thoroughly

  • and bingo, ready is the envelope.

You could probably wash a big batch at once in a sink full of hot, soapy water and hang them to dry in the shower to save yourself some time, if you wanted to upcycle your own chip bag packaging.

Other things too can be upcycled, such as cereal pack, and, obviously, previously used envelopes.

I tend to reuse those that are for A5 stuff, if opened at the narrow side, into envelopes for ordinary letters folded twice and those that are for A4 paper into use for A5 materials. It is very simple, as long as they don't have the windows often used.

With an A4 envelope to go down to A5 that works OK but not with an A5 into use as ordinary letter envelope. Those ones I then turn into notepaper. Waster not, want not.

© 2012