If a (small online) shop asked you to send your packaging bacm - would you?

[KatyMac]

My idea is that if I send an item I have made, in a recycleable plastic envelope and wrapped with cloth inside and an addressed envelope

Then they could return the cloth (& envelope if they want) to me and I would credit £1 back to their account

Then I can re-use the cloth (dispose of the plastic correctly) & they get a refund which will partly cover the postage (£1)

I am thinking that hand woven white dog shit bound with various grasses would be a great eco-encasing for the modern day hipster of tomorrow! It would be so NOW!!

I am thinking...

Bit of an exaggeration there, perhaps?

I do already. I order frozen raw dog food that comes in woolen packaging. I save it and when I have enough I email them, they send me a postage label and return it for a £5 credit. Tbh I don't really do it for the credit, just for environmental reasons

Ay Errol c'mere and say that!!

I’d be fucking delighted. So yes.

Environmental order of preference: reduce, reuse, recycle. Just use the minimal packaging that you can and make sure it is recyclable. Avoid unnecessary miles & washing. Brown wrapping paper seems obvious. Avoid gimmicks and ‘greenwashing’.

But I'd still have to buy brown wrapping new - I will be using old dressmaking patterns as @lwmummy suggested

These are the patterns, will post them next week when back at work. Might be some you can actually use, but all in styles or sizes I won't use.

Thank you so much

You can see some of my makes here

Big launch on FB & instagram on 1st September and I finalised the design of my logo today

I would think the impact of the packaging traveling across the country back to you would probably negate any environmental benefit

I agree and it's a faff.

I really like the little dresses, I just home sew and mainly for my DD. Here are a couple i made in the last few weeks.

Plastic in the uk doesn't get recycled. You may think it's going to the right place but the chances are it gets shipped abroad for dumping or burning.

In the 9% chance of it being recycled even that is pointless as most plastic can only withstand being recycled once or twice.

I'm not saying don't do it and it's great you're trying to make a difference but I think unless you find a way to do it plastic-free it just isn't worth the hassle.

They are lovely Lwmummy - such beautiful fabrics

Sadly @firstimemamma I think you are right

In Suffolk all our 'waste' is incinerated at least no landfull

Sorry to have been negative, I hope you find a way of doing things that makes you happy

I have to keep unfailingly positive:

Solar powered sewing machine
Recycled material, zips, buttons, bias-binding
New thread (no option)
New posting bag (have to look professional)
Recycled tissue paper from dress patterns

& I cycle to the shops and the post office on my electric bike which is also powered by my solar panels