You Can Recycle Plastic Grocery Bags Into Packaging Material
I’m always looking for ways to fill boxes with trash. I do this for two reasons: I refuse to waste money on buying fresh boxes and new packaging material, and I believe in going green, so I try to find ways to pack and pack extra materials I already have around my house. I usually like to fill in the gaps with reusable bags , but my eyes have drifted to the latest bane of my existence: the crappy plastic bag.
Although New York City banned plastic bags for grocery stores and convenience stores back in 2020, you’d be surprised how many stores still use them. My partner and I bring bags to the store 90% of the time, but our plastic collection continues to grow. I hate these bags to the core. So now I use bags to make what I call “bag bubbles.”
How to pack boxes with bubble wrap from a plastic bag
If you have an ungodly amount of plastic bags, you can simply cram them into the goods you’re transporting and call it a day. However, if you are trying to maximize their buffering potential, trap some air inside.
I hold the bag by the handles and give it a quick shake or click to open it. Then carefully gather the entire top edge, handles and all, twist it to see if you have enough air, and tie a knot to keep it there. This is also a good way to check if the bag is torn. You now have a bubble from the packaging bag.
Place the bubble in the box you intend to ship. They are completely shapeless, so you can squeeze them or bend them at unusual angles. One advantage is that you can make them any size you like. So if your box is mostly secure but you only need a little padding, trap less air in the bag.
This is a bit risky as the plastic is vulnerable to sharp objects, but the same applies to the bubble packs you get from other companies and they seem to work quite well. Obviously, if you’re shipping something particularly delicate or expensive, you might want to consider a different packaging option. But for an everyday return or snack for your college kids, this plastic bag bubble is a great way to provide an extra cushion and give your crappy plastic trash a second life.