We have received some positive comments about the packaging of the parcels we send out and questions about the environmental sustainability of the materials we use, so we are sharing our thinking on this subject.
We want the yarn that we post to be received in perfect condition, and there is a risk of the outermost windings of yarn being knocked off the spool or cone if the parcel doesn’t protect it from rough handling. For this reason we use mailing bags for only mini spools of silk and single spools of yarn – and in the latter case we wrap the spool with a cardboard collar to give it some protection from rough handling.
The rest of our orders are posted carboard cartons sized to take two, four, six or twelve typically sized spools, with some infill material to stop them rattling around.
Environmental sustainability
We want to minimise the environmental impact of the packaging materials we use.
- Our cardboard cartons contain recycled material and can be either be used again, put with your cardboard recycling collection, or composted. We tear up cardboard and use it in our compost bin as “dry” layers between wet materials like kitchen waste and chicken manure.
- We don’t use plastic parcel tape to seal our cartons, and instead use brown paper tape which can be recycled or composted in the same way as the cardboard it is stuck to.
- We use two types of infill material. Brown paper is scrunched up and pushed into gaps around the yarn. It can be recycled or composted in the same way as our cardboard. We also use Greenlight Ecoflo biodegradable packing peanuts which offer a little bit more cushioning for the contents of our parcels. These are made from corn starch and are 100% biodegradable. Ecoflo complies with EN13432, is compostable at home, can be washed away in water, or sent with food waste for composting.
- Our labels and packing slips are paper.
- Our mailing bags are reusable and compostable.