# Packaging Materials



## lillybella (Jun 7, 2015)

Has anyone taken the packaging material from BB & heated it to re-use it again? Can this be done?


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## IrishLass (Jun 7, 2015)

Lilly- what kind of packaging material (i.e., bottles, tubes, canisters? Glass, plastic)?


IrishLass


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## lillybella (Jun 7, 2015)

I don't know what it's called. It's something Brambleberry uses. Their glass bottles sit in it & it is molded around them. The packaging takes the shape of what it is wrapped around. It is maybe a type of foam ... maybe. It is encased in plastic. It is NOT flexible by the time the product is delivered. If anyone has shopped with BB, you know what I am talking about. I have never seen it used by anyone else - just BB.
I have a large glass container of decorative soaps. This type of packaging would be perfect to ship this container without fear of breaking. I have saved some of it, wondering if I can heat it & re-mold it.


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## IrishLass (Jun 7, 2015)

Ah, I see, now.  I thought you were asking about product packaging as opposed to shipping packaging. I know the type of packaging you are talking about, but unfortunately, I don't have any experience re-heating it. Hopefully others who have done so will chime in soon.


IrishLass


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## Dorymae (Jun 7, 2015)

The only way to re use it is if you are shipping a canister the same size.  It is foam and I would NOT try to heat it.

You can make something similar with a large baggie using spray foam insulation.  It expands as it hits air and will form itself around an object.  The object must be placed before the foam is sprayed in.  Once sprayed the foam hardens.


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## Lynusann (Jun 25, 2015)

I know I'm a little late on this thread but I've received shipments from BB and I'm positive that they use a similar system to SealedAir's "Instapak" (or maybe the same one): http://www.sealedair.com/product-care/product-care-products/instapak-simple   (My master's class was just studying this company last fall...only reason I even knew it existed!)

You can't however re-heat the product unfortunately. You'll end up with a terrible mess if you try.


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## DeeAnna (Jun 25, 2015)

It's a low density urethane foam, if I'm correctly understanding what you're talking about. Lynusann is talking about the same thing. This kind of packaging is a one time deal -- you can't reheat and reshape. It is sometimes used to package delicate electronics -- computers and the like.


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## snappyllama (Jun 25, 2015)

I just an order from BB with peanuts for the first time.  Maybe they are changing how they package things.


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## Lynusann (Jun 29, 2015)

I've had stuff from BB before with peanuts...I have to honestly say I hate it when companies send me anything filled with packing peanuts. Hardly eco friendly at that.


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## snappyllama (Jun 29, 2015)

I'm with you on the hatred of peanuts.  In the winter we have really bad static electricity here, and they make a huge mess.  I do save them to reuse/inflict them on others.

I think that the molded spray foamy stuff that BB uses is worse though.  It really cannot be reused.


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## Lynusann (Jun 29, 2015)

snappyllama said:


> I'm with you on the hatred of peanuts.  In the winter we have really bad static electricity here, and they make a huge mess.  I do save them to reuse/inflict them on others.
> 
> I think that the molded spray foamy stuff that BB uses is worse though.  It really cannot be reused.



I try to recycle my shipping materials too (dual purpose...saves me money, and is a form of recycling). It would be nice is people were going to use packing peanuts though if they would use the water soluble kind - dump them in your front lawn, hose them down and they're gone. I think they're made of corn starch or the likes??


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