Ethical packaging
How to reuse our packaging
Inside the box we use an insulation material called WoolCool in the form of what are termed fleece liners.
These are made from a natural waste wool product that can be returned to us for reuse or put to good use to give back to nature.
UNFORTUNATELY PACKAGING RETURN IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE. THE SERVICE WE WERE USING IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO US. PACKAGING RETURN AND REUSE IS AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY FOR US AND WE ARE LOOKING INTO AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION. WE HOPE TO HAVE THIS SERVICE AVAILABLE AGAIN IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. PLEASE BEAR WITH US, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE.
Giving back to nature
What else can you do with our packaging
Other uses
However, if you don't want to return it to us you can use it in a garden. This wool is completely biodegradable and compostable once removed from the plastic liner and the plastic liner can be recycled.
You can use it to replace the peat element of composts in your garden by increasing water retention and acting as a source of slow-release nitrogen. The separated wool, will compost into soil and as it does so will release nutrients.
All you need to do is to remove the actual wool from the plastic sheeting and recycle the plastic before using the wool.
Sheep’s wool can replace the peat element of composts by increasing water retention and acting as a source of slow-release nitrogen. Peat extraction is problematic for several reasons, peat acts as a significant, natural carbon (C) store and so its removal decreases the land’s C storage capacity whilst increasing the risk of floods, impacting water quality and damaging wildlife habitats. Wool when composted releases a unique spectrum of trace elements including high levels of potassium (K), sodium (Na), iron (Fe) and phosphorus (P).
Nest building?
We've also been told by some customers that they hang it from trees in their gardens for birds to use for nest building and over a matter of weeks the whole sheet is slowly taken away by birds bit by bit, what a lovely thought that this organic waste product that insulated our boxes is helping baby birds to hatch from their eggs.
Images from WoolCool's Facebook page tagged under #lestboxclever
Frost protection
Customers have used the WoolCool to insulate baby plants against late frosts or to protect things such as tree ferns or banana plants throughout the winter
Reuse, recycle or rot
Don't waste
It's a wonderful use of an otherwise waste material and we're really inspired by any uses you can put it to and we're really happy to be using it, the only downside to us is that it is quite expensive compared to alternatives. The cost to us for insulation works out at £3 per box so if you choose to use it in your garden, local park or someone else's garden then great, if not please do consider returning it to us as above.
Putting this in in landfill is such as waste and turns it into a single use product which is such a waste when you think of the potential of reusing it by either returning the material to nature in a beneficial way or sending back to us in a circular economy.