Bramble Berry boxes come with material that keeps your supplies safe and clean during transit. Don't throw it away! You can upcycle it in creative ways so it doesn't end up in the landfill.
Most of our packaging can be recycled. That includes paper pags, amber bottles, and some of our plastic containers. Just check the packaging to see how - this article from Good Housekeeping goes over each recycling symbol and what they mean.
For those that can't be recycled or if you want to reuse them instead, keep reading!
Shop DIY bath and body supplies
Shipping materials
A few years ago, we stopped using packing peanuts. Now our boxes come with recycled paper to keep things secure.
You can easily reuse this material for your shipments! The paper is especially useful for filling any gaps so your products don't shift around in the delivery truck. You can also use it to cover your counters to prevent messes. We especially love it for candles, anything made with powder colorants like micas, and body butters.
The styrofoam is a little trickier because it's molded to the shape of our glass bottles. However, you can use it to fill space in bigger boxes or act as extra cushion for fragile items.
Fragrance and essential oil bottles
There are so many ways to reuse our amber glass bottles.
First, let's go over how to remove labels. Screw the cap on tightly and soak the bottle in hot soapy water. When the labels are softened, peel off as much as you can. If necessary, wipe the bottles with 99% isopropyl alcohol to get any leftovers. You can also use a scrubby sponge or a razor blade (carefully of course!)
Bath salts
This one is great because you can get the last drops of the fragrance and reuse the bottle. Just place a funnel in and add your favorite salts, as well as other goodies like oils or extracts. It's hard to tell exactly how much fragrance you have left, so add a good amount of salt to ensure it's skin safe.
Then, just shake well and enjoy! You can pour the salts right out of the bottle and into your tub.
Reed diffusers
This is another good way to use leftovers. You'll need DPG, 99% isopropyl alcohol, and reeds to distribute the scent throughout the room. The ratio is about 3 parts DPG, 2 parts fragrance or essential oil, and 1 part alcohol. Again, because it's difficult to know exactly how much you have left, you can just use your best guess.
Once all the liquids are in the bottle, shake well and add the reeds. Then, just place it anywhere you want to freshen up.
Vases
The amber bottles can also double as home decor. They're perfect for flowers. A little dried lavender on an end table or bookcase? Lovely! Another option is a thin taper candle. Just make sure to put a plate underneath to catch any melted wax.
First, wash the bottles in warm soapy water. Even with thorough scrubbing, they'll probably always smell like the fragrance or essential oil. To make it less strong, you can leave them uncapped outside for a few days or add a little baking soda and water to the bottle. Shake well and let it sit for 30 minutes or so, then rinse and try again as needed.
Plastic bags, jars, and bottles
You can wash these in warm soapy water and remove the labels the same way we described above.
Reuse for future batches
Our packaging is really helpful for DIY bath and body products. If you buy bulk sizes, you can portion it off into the jars or heat-proof bags to make it easier to handle.
You can also make one large batch of a recipe, then pour it into the individual containers to save for later. This is called master batching. It works for more than just soap too. Make one large batch of lotion, then pour into smaller containers and add different colors and scents.
You can also just keep the containers around for any leftovers! It's always nice to have something ready when your recipe is a bit too big for the mold.
The smaller bottles we use for extracts can be used for samples. Just pop your own label on and hand them out at markets or fairs.
Storage
Think about all the little things around your house - cotton swabs, thumbtacks, toothpicks. Our plastic jars are perfect for storing those. They work for your bath and body supplies too! Try botanicals, exfoliants, additives, etc.
The ideas are just scratching the surface! We'd love to hear how you upcycle our packaging - share with #BrambleOn.