You Can Recycle Plastic Grocery Bags Into Packing Material

If your collection of single-use plastic bags is overflowing, here's a way to give them a second life.

I’m always looking for ways to pad boxes with trash. I do this for two reasons: I refuse to spend the money to buy fresh boxes and new packing material, and I believe in sustainability, so I try to find ways to box and pack with excess materials that already exist in my home. Reusable totes are usually how I like to fill in the gaps, but my gaze has shifted to the latest bane of my existence: the shitty plastic bag.

Although New York City implemented a plastic bag ban back in 2020 for grocery stores and shops, you’d be surprised how many stores still use them. My partner and I bring totes out to shop 90% of the time, but the plastic collection still grows. I hate those bags to my core. So now I use the bags to make what I call "bag bubbles." 

How to pack boxes with plastic bag bubbles

If you have an ungodly amount of plastic bags, you could just cram them in around shipping items and call it a day. However, if you’re trying to maximize their buffering potential, trap some air inside.

I’ll hold the bag by the handles and give it a quick shake or snap, so it opens up. Then gently gather the entire top edge, handles and all, twist it to see if you’ve trapped enough air, and tie a knot to keep it there. This is also a good way to check if there’s a rip in the bag. Now you have a packing bag bubble. 

Continue to pack bag bubbles in the box until it's full and secure. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Nestle the bubble into the box you intend to ship. They’re completely shapeless so you can squish them flat or bend them around a weird corner. One of the best parts is that you can make them any size you like. So if your box is mostly secure but you just need a small bit of padding, trap less air in the bag. 

It’s slightly risky, as the plastic is vulnerable to sharp objects, but so are the packing bubbles you get from other companies and those seem to work well enough. Obviously if you’re shipping something particularly delicate or expensive, you might want to consider another packing option. But for everyday returns or snacks to your college kids, this plastic bag bubble is a great way to provide some extra cushion and give your crappy plastic trash a second life.