Recycle and Reuse

Kev and I recycle and reuse whenever possible . We take our reusable shopping bags to the supermarket with us. We have a drawer full of food storage boxes in the kitchen and we stopped using plastic bags in the fridge and freezer a long time ago – although it’s difficult to find a flat wide food box for opened bacon and sliced meat, I’m still searching!! We recycle our food waste in the compost bin on Kev’s allotment. We have reusable water bottles and bamboo coffee cups for when we’re out and about in the caravan and on trips. We are still using plastic straws but I wash them and use them again and of course we haven’t bought any in years – we’re using up what we’ve got in the cupboard (lifetime supply!). We try our best to do our bit, knowing it is a drop in the ocean of what needs to happen to save our planet for the future but doing it anyway because it’s the right thing to do! And we’re trying to do more in the workshop of Making Your Own Candles too!

Firstly we are reusing as many packaging materials as we possibly can. We always have, but we’re shipping more orders in second hand packaging this Autumn than we ever have before. We are Amazon Prime members, which means there’s a good chance that you might receive your order in Amazon packaging! Some of our kits come boxed which we obviously buy in so that they are packaged beautifully, usually with the contents wrapped in tissue paper, making the perfect gift. We try to ship as many kit orders as possible wrapped in brown paper but when we do use mail bags they are made from recycled materials which are biodegradable.

Secondly we’re trying to reduce the amount of plastic that goes into our kits. Currently the ‘bits and bobs’ that go into kits, such as wick and tabs, are contained within plastic grip seal bags. This has long been something we’re unhappy about but we have continued to use plastic for two reasons. Firstly, we buy in bulk so we have quite a lot of stock in the workshop to use up! And secondly, many of the alternatives are prohibitively expensive. We have always prided ourselves on keeping kit costs low and we don’t want to pass on packaging cost increases to our customers. But rest assured, we are hunting for non plastic alternatives to ship wax and bits and bobs in. In the meantime, you might find that there are loose items in your delivery that I previously would have bagged. Scent and dye for example. Not wax. Obvs.

If you have any questions about recycling or reusing, or any suggestions please do get in touch! We love to hear from our candle making community! peta@makingyourowncandles.cop.uk