Cardboard boxes and paper wrap are the recyclable packaging most UK households can deal with at home: most councils collect cardboard and paper at the kerbside, though you should check your council. Soft plastics such as polythene bags and bubble wrap are often not collected at the kerbside. Many larger supermarkets have soft plastic collection points, so check locally.
This guide goes through each packing material in a typical parcel and says where it usually ends up. It then covers how to pack so your customer can sort the parcel quickly, what to write on a packing slip, and what the paper-based options cost from us.
In This Guide
- Quick picks for a parcel that is easy to recycle
- Which parcel packaging can UK households usually recycle?
- How do you recycle cardboard boxes at home?
- Can paper wrap and paper tape go in with the cardboard?
- Can bubble wrap and polythene mailing bags be recycled?
- Are packing peanuts recyclable?
- How do you pack a parcel so the customer can recycle it easily?
- What should you tell customers on a packing slip?
- How much does paper-based packaging cost and how do you buy it?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick picks for a parcel that is easy to recycle
These three are all cardboard or paper, the two materials most councils collect at the kerbside.
Best for the outer box
Single Wall Cardboard Boxes
Lightweight single wall corrugated boxes for everyday online orders.
- Sizes from 5 x 5 x 5" (127 x 127 x 127mm) to 24 x 18 x 18" (610 x 457 x 457mm)
- Sold per box, minimum 5 per size
- Supplied flat packed
From £0.35 ex VAT (£0.42 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for wrapping in paper
Honeycomb Paper Rolls (80gsm)
80gsm paper that stretches open into a cushioning honeycomb pattern.
- Made of paper
- 250m rolls, 500mm or 395mm wide
- Single rolls available
From £28.00 ex VAT (£33.60 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for sealing the box
Kraft Paper Tape
Brown paper packing tape, a paper based option in place of plastic tape.
- 48mm x 50m hotmelt or 75mm x 50m
- Packs of 6 rolls
- Kraft paper backing that matches brown boxes
From £14.00 ex VAT (£16.80 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productWhich parcel packaging can UK households usually recycle?
Cardboard and paper are the parcel materials UK households can usually recycle from home, because most councils collect cardboard and paper at the kerbside. Soft plastics such as polythene bags and bubble wrap are often not collected at the kerbside, and the usual route is a soft plastic collection point at a larger supermarket.
| Packing material | Where it usually goes | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Cardboard boxes | Kerbside paper and card collection in most council areas | Whether boxes must be flattened and tape removed |
| Kraft paper and honeycomb paper | With paper and card in most council areas | That the paper is clean and dry |
| Paper tape | Often left on the box | Your council's guidance on tape |
| Polythene mailing bags and bubble wrap | Soft plastic collection point at many larger supermarkets | Often not collected at the kerbside. Check locally |
| Foam packing peanuts | Not usually taken with household recycling | Your council's guidance |
| EcoFlo packing peanuts | Reuse them. We make no recycling claim for EcoFlo | Your council's guidance on disposal |
Check your council. Everything in this guide is general guidance. Your council's website has the current list of what goes in which bin.
How do you recycle cardboard boxes at home?
To recycle a cardboard box at home, empty the box, flatten it and put it out with the paper and card collection. Most councils collect cardboard at the kerbside, so check your council for the bin or bag it uses and for any size limit.
- Empty the box. Take out bubble wrap, air cushions, peanuts and plastic bags.
- Deal with the tape. Pull off plastic tape where it comes away easily, and check your council's guidance on tape and labels.
- Flatten it. Cut the bottom seam and fold the box flat.
- Keep it dry. Many councils ask for paper and card to be clean and dry.
- Ask about large loads. After a house move, check whether your council collects extra cardboard or wants it taken to the household recycling centre.
If you want recyclable boxes for your own orders, start with a plain corrugated box, because cardboard is what most councils collect. Our single wall cardboard boxes are single wall corrugated cardboard, supplied flat, in sizes from 5 x 5 x 5" (127 x 127 x 127mm) to 24 x 18 x 18" (610 x 457 x 457mm). They cost from £0.35 ex VAT (£0.42 inc VAT) a box. For heavier items see the double wall boxes, or browse all cardboard boxes.
Can paper wrap and paper tape go in with the cardboard?
Paper wrap usually goes in the same collection as cardboard, because most councils collect both at the kerbside. Guidance on tape varies by council, so check yours.
We stock two kinds of paper wrap. Honeycomb paper rolls are 80gsm paper that opens into a honeycomb pattern when you stretch it, on 250m rolls that are 500mm or 395mm wide, from £28.00 ex VAT (£33.60 inc VAT). Kraft paper rolls are strong brown paper for wrapping and for filling gaps: a 500mm x 200m standard roll in 90gsm, plus 70gsm centre-feed rolls in dispenser boxes at 200mm x 250m and 375mm x 300m, from £25.00 ex VAT (£30.00 inc VAT).
When the wrap is paper and the box is cardboard, your customer has one kind of material to sort. Our guide to honeycomb paper vs bubble wrap covers which products each wrap suits.
For the seal, kraft paper tape has a brown kraft paper backing in place of plastic film. It comes as 48mm x 50m with hotmelt adhesive or 75mm x 50m, in packs of 6 rolls, from £14.00 ex VAT (£16.80 inc VAT). The types of paper tape are compared in our paper tape guide.
Best for paper void fill
Kraft Paper Rolls
Strong brown paper for wrapping products and filling empty space in boxes.
- 500mm x 200m standard roll, 90gsm
- Centre-feed rolls in dispenser boxes, 70gsm
- Sold as single rolls
From £25.00 ex VAT (£30.00 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productCan bubble wrap and polythene mailing bags be recycled?
Bubble wrap and polythene mailing bags are soft plastics, and soft plastics are often not collected at the kerbside. Many larger supermarkets have soft plastic collection points, so check locally.
Some buyers look for recycled bubble wrap, meaning bubble wrap made from recycled plastic. We do not sell recycled bubble wrap. Our small bubble wrap is standard plastic bubble wrap, and we make no recycled content or recyclability claim for it. The same goes for our polythene grey mailing bags.
The paper option is honeycomb paper, which your customer can usually put out with the cardboard. It does the cushioning job in paper, which is why people call it paper bubble wrap.
Bubble wrap still suits some products, and it can be reused. If you use it, say so on the packing slip. All of our wraps are in the protective packaging range.
Are packing peanuts recyclable?
Households cannot usually put packing peanuts in kerbside recycling. Foam peanuts are not normally taken with household recycling, so check your council before you bin them. The most useful thing a customer can do with loose fill is reuse it in their own parcels.
The only loose fill we stock is EcoFlo packing peanuts. The manufacturer describes EcoFlo as biodegradable. Biodegradable does not mean recyclable, and we do not make a recycling claim for EcoFlo, so do not tell customers to put the peanuts in the paper or card bin. EcoFlo comes in 5 cubic feet bags in White EcoFlo, Blue EcoFlo Ultra or Mixed Colour EcoFlo, from £13.00 ex VAT (£15.60 inc VAT) a bag.
The two kinds of peanut are compared in foam peanuts vs EcoFlo loose fill. For void fill that can usually go out with the cardboard, use scrunched kraft paper. Our void fill comparison sets paper against peanuts and air cushions.
How do you pack a parcel so the customer can recycle it easily?
Pack with as few different materials as you can, and keep them easy to pull apart. A cardboard box with paper inside and paper tape outside is the simplest parcel for a customer to sort.
- Pick a box close to the size of the item. A closer fit needs less fill.
- Wrap in paper where the product allows. Stretch honeycomb paper fully so every cell opens.
- Fill the gaps with scrunched kraft paper. Nothing should move when you give the closed box a gentle shake.
- Seal with paper tape. Use the 48mm roll on standard postal boxes and the 75mm roll on larger boxes.
- Keep plastic separate. Leave any polythene bag or bubble wrap loose round the product so it lifts out in one piece.
- Add a packing slip. Say what each material is and where it usually goes.
Protection comes first. A broken item means a second parcel. If a product needs bubble wrap to arrive in one piece, use it and tell the customer how to dispose of it.
What should you tell customers on a packing slip?
Tell customers what each piece of packaging is made of and where that material usually goes, one line per material. Councils differ, so each line should prompt the customer to check locally. Wording you can adapt:
- Box and paper wrap: "The box is cardboard and the wrap is paper. Most councils collect cardboard and paper at the kerbside. Check your council."
- Bubble wrap or mailing bag: "This is soft plastic, which is often not collected at the kerbside. Many larger supermarkets have soft plastic collection points. Check locally."
- Packing peanuts: "Please keep the loose fill and reuse it. Check your council for disposal."
Leave out claims you cannot back up. Do not print "100% recyclable" on a slip unless the maker of that packaging states it.
We sell plain stock packaging and do not print custom packaging or slips. Print the note yourself on A4 printing paper.
How much does paper-based packaging cost and how do you buy it?
The paper-based packaging in this guide starts from £0.35 ex VAT (£0.42 inc VAT) for a box. Boxes have a minimum of 5 per size, and the rolls and bags can be bought one at a time, so you can test a paper pack on a week of orders first.
| Product | Sold as | Price from |
|---|---|---|
| Single wall cardboard boxes | Per box, minimum 5 per size | £0.35 ex VAT (£0.42 inc VAT) |
| Kraft paper tape | Pack of 6 rolls, 50m each | £14.00 ex VAT (£16.80 inc VAT) |
| Honeycomb paper rolls (80gsm) | Single 250m roll | £28.00 ex VAT (£33.60 inc VAT) |
| Kraft paper rolls | Single roll, 200m to 300m | £25.00 ex VAT (£30.00 inc VAT) |
| EcoFlo packing peanuts | 5 cubic feet bag | £13.00 ex VAT (£15.60 inc VAT) |
All five have volume pricing: the price falls as you buy more, and the tiers are shown on each product page. Paper tape sits in the packing tapes range alongside our plastic tapes.
Royal Mail Tracked 48 delivery is free on every order with no minimum, and orders placed by 2pm Monday to Friday leave our Manchester unit the same working day. Click and collect in Manchester is free and usually ready within 2 hours, and there is same-day van delivery within 10 miles of Cheetham Hill. Regular buyers can open a trade account. For help choosing sizes, call 0161 706 1246 or use the contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What packaging can be recycled at home in the UK?
Cardboard boxes and paper wrap are the packaging most UK households can recycle at home, because most councils collect cardboard and paper at the kerbside. Soft plastics such as polythene bags and bubble wrap are often not collected at the kerbside. Collection rules differ by council, so check your council for the current list.
Are cardboard boxes recyclable?
Cardboard boxes are collected for recycling at the kerbside by most councils. Empty the box, remove plastic packing, flatten the box and keep it dry until collection day. Check your council for its rules on tape, labels and box size.
Can bubble wrap go in the recycling bin?
Bubble wrap is a soft plastic, and soft plastics are often not collected at the kerbside. Many larger supermarkets have soft plastic collection points, so check locally. Bubble wrap can also be kept and reused for your own parcels.
Do you sell recycled bubble wrap?
Pack Solution does not sell recycled bubble wrap, and we make no recycled content claim for the bubble wrap we stock. The paper option we sell is honeycomb paper, an 80gsm paper wrap on 250m rolls that opens into a cushioning honeycomb pattern. Honeycomb paper rolls cost from £28.00 ex VAT (£33.60 inc VAT).
Are packing peanuts recyclable?
Packing peanuts are not usually taken with household kerbside recycling, so check your council before putting packing peanuts in any bin. The manufacturer describes the EcoFlo packing peanuts we sell as biodegradable, which is a different thing from recyclable. The simplest thing to do with packing peanuts is to keep them and reuse them.
