Sendle's compostable mailers are an incredible product and the price is great, too. So great, you might have accidentally ordered too many. If you have some that are expired, don't toss them in the compost bin just yet.
The problem with plastic mailers is that they last basically forever. 1,000 years, give or take! Sendle’s compostable mailers are a great alternative because they’re designed to disappear. Whether customers feed them to wiggly worms or toss them in their municipal compost bin, you’ll feel great knowing they’ll biodegrade completely.
But that also means the clock starts ticking once you get them. Sendle mailers should be kept in a cool, dark place, and in those conditions will last a good six months. If you happen to have some that are a bit older, they don’t have to go directly to the compost bin! There are loads of creative ways to reuse them first.
Still useful for shipping
Just because they’re no longer suitable for shipping in doesn’t mean you can’t ship with your expired mailers. Need some cushy fill for your precious cargo? Shred those mailers and fill that empty space. If you need to double-box, you can even wad up the mailers and stuff them in between for an extra-firm fit. To help you get that perfect ratio of box size and filler for all the items you ship, check out our guide to resizing and reshaping cardboard boxes.
Goes great in the garden
You’ve surely seen plastic bags used in gardens to protect plants from frost, wind, and even passing dogs taking pee breaks. Why should they be plastic? Protect your plants with mailers that can eventually be part of the compost pile you use for the same garden. Just keep in mind that the material is dark, so they’ll trap more heat and light won’t get through. This means they’re not appropriate for every plant in every climate.
Ever make a cardboard weed mat for your garden? Try poking holes through a mailer for the same effect. You can also line pots with mailers to help you move starters to the garden later, and cut them into strips for stake ties.
Fun for kids and adults
If there’s anything kids love, it’s raw materials for crafts and imaginative fun. Just be sure to supervise and join in the fun if they’re young enough that bags are a suffocation risk. Let your collective imagination run wild and help your kiddos make a kite using Sendle mailers and tongue depressors. Make hand puppets or use them as the curtains in your puppet theater. Working on other messy crafts? Cut them along two sides to make placemats to make cleanup a breeze. (Use compostable tape to attach them to one another for a tablecloth for bigger messes. Or messier kids.)
Looking for a better alternative to plastic grass for your kids’ easter baskets? Shred up some mailers instead, and check out our post about more green Easter swaps.
Handy and dandy in the kitchen
You can do the placemat trick in the kitchen so you can knead dough without making such a big mess. Not a fan of the plastic produce bags at the supermarket? Bring your veggies home in Sendle mailers instead. You can also slide dishes of leftovers in for a better-than-plastic food cover, or wrap a sandwich in a mailer to take to work. Or a picnic – it’s probably been far too long since you went on a picnic.
Here’s an obvious one: use a mailer to line your compost bin.
Other uses that defy categorization
Make an outfit or costume out of expired Sendle mailers. Think “unconventional materials challenge” and make a statement about sustainability.
Make your own DIY confetti for a goth wedding, or create spider webs for Halloween.
Cover windows while painting and cover your brush or roller with Sendle mailers when you take a break and curse yourself for deciding not to hire a professional.
Use Sendle mailers for dog poop and cat litter. (Maybe double bag those.)
