Donate Packaging Materials

    • Businesses and individuals reuse the donated materials. Items must be clean and reusable.

    • Donations should be in paper bags. No plastic or boxes please.

    • Due to demand, we may pause collection on certain items or collect items for a limited time. Always check the list before donating materials.

    • Remove all receipts and personal items from donations. Personal items found will be kept for 7 days before donation or disposal.

    • Torn

    • Covered in Tape

    • Sticky residue

    • Dirty

    • Holes

    • Deflated bubbles

    • Ink stains

  • When removing personal information.

    • Do not cut a hole into the product, holes make items NOT reusable

    • When covering with marker, allow the ink to dry to avoid ink stains. Ink stains make items NOT reusable

    • Do not remove labels as it leaves a sticky residue. Sticky Residue makes items NOT reusable

  • If you have more than 2 grocery bags worth of materials, drop off at our storage unit or a collection event. Collection points will become overwhelmed with large drop offs. Learn more here.

  • Due to the large amount of donations that we receive, we cannot be held responsible for lost items. Any items found will be held in our lost and found for 7 days before they are donated.

Items Accepted - New and Used

  • Styrofoam

    ACCEPTED AT OUR STORAGE UNIT FOR A FEE ONLY.

    Please do not drop off Styrofoam at any of our other drop-off locations. It causes a huge mess and they cannot collect fees on our behalf. Wishcycling will harm our operation and cause us to have to shut down all drop-off sites.

    At the moment, we can only accept Styrofoam for a fee - $5 for a paper grocery-sized bag or $8 for a 13-gallon trash bag. The fee helps pay for storage space and a rental vehicle needed to drop off the Styrofoam at a recycling facility.

    All Styrofoam must have the recycling #6 on it and all food containers must be clean. We appreciate your support and cooperation.

    Interested in sponsoring our Styrofoam recycling program so that we can offer it for free? Email us at ecoshipchicago@gmail.com.

  • Plastic Bubble Mailers

    All sizes and colors are accepted. Must have bubble padding.

    Free from holes, tears, dirt, sticky residue, ink stains.

    Do not cut label out.

    No UPS, USPS, or FedEx mailers.

    We are NOT accepting fully recyclable padded mailers (like the ones from Amazon) or Kraft mailers (paper on the outside, bubble wrap on the inside).

  • Poly Bags

    All sizes and colors are accepted.

    • Free from holes, tears, dirt, sticky residue, ink stains

    • No USPS, UPS, or FedEx

    • Do not cut label out

  • Clear Poly Bags

    All sizes and brands are accepted, as long as they are clean.

    • Free from holes, tears, dirt, sticky residue, ink stains

    • No Food bags or Ziploc bags

    • Any bags that have been in contact with food, oils, or dirt will not be accepted by us.

    • Remove any receipts and garbage.

  • Bubble Wrap

    Small and large bubbles of any color are accepted. Bubbles must be inflated.

    • No deflated bubbles

    • No Air Pillows

    • Remove all tape

    • Free from holes, tears, dirt, sticky residue, ink stains

  • Packing Peanuts

    All colors and types (foam and starch) are accepted.

    • Place in secure packaging and keep separate from all other items. Do not mix with other items.

  • Packing Paper

    All colors accepted. Please fold the paper before dropping off. Balled up paper will not be accepted.

    • No used Tissue paper (unless brand new)

    • No wadded paper from shoes

    • Free from holes, tears, dirt, sticky residue, ink stains

  • Honeycomb Packing Paper

    Leave any tissue paper that comes with it - it’s part of the packaging.

    • Free from holes, tears, dirt, sticky residue, ink stains

  • Corrugated Bubble Wrap

    This item will be thick and upcycled from cardboard boxes.

    • Free from holes, tears, dirt, sticky residue, ink stains

  • Paper Shred

    All colors are accepted.

    • No private documents and personal mail shred

    • Place in secure packaging and keep separate from all other items.

  • Foam Packing Sheets

    Only thin and flexible sheets will be accepted.

    NO thick (>1/4”) pieces of foam. We do not have the capacity for those pieces.

    Styrofoam can be dropped off at our storage unit ONLY, for a small fee.

  • Thermal Insulated Bags

    Clean, dry and free from debris

    Reminder, these will be reused by others.

    No ice packs. Ice packs are accepted by Katherine Anne Confections at both of their locations.

  • Vinyl Record Mailers

    Accepted at all drop-off sites, our storage unit, and collection events.

  • Organza Bags

    All sizes of unbranded organza bagsaccepted

    Designs are okay (e.g. stars, polka dots, etc).

    No branded bags, no velvet or cloth bags.

  • Packing Tape

    Clear or tan accepted. Used rolls accepted if there is an acceptable amount of tape left

    • No duct tape, electrical tape, craft tape, painter’s tape, or double sided tape.

  • Stretch and Shrink Wrap

    Can be used, but there must be an acceptable amount left on the roll.

    Only accepted at the Storage Unit or Collection Events

  • Paper Grocery Bags

    Standard size paper grocery bags, with or without handles.

    Only accepted at our Storage Unit or at Collection Events

    Bags are only accepted at collection points if you’re dropping off materials in them.

  • Poster Tubes

    Both cylindrical and triangular poster tuber are accepted. Lids must be intact for both ends.

Items Accepted - New

  • Tissue Paper

    Only NEW tissue paper accepted

    • No used

  • Kraft Bubble Mailers

    Only NEW Kraft padded mailers accepted

    • No used

  • Recyclable Padded Mailers

    Only NEW recyclable padded mailers accepted

    • No used

Items Accepted - Limited Time

  • Boxes

    !!! CURRENTLY NOT BEING ACCEPTED !!!

    Check back for updates.

  • Thermal Reusable Bags

    Thermal insulated bags are accepted at all drop-off sites, our storage unit, and collection events.

    Please make sure that there are no holes and that the inside is clean.

    Extra small bags are not accepted. These must be large enough for food deliveried.

  • Holiday Wrapping

    Gift wrap, gift bags, ribbons, bows, stickers, and "To & From" labels will be accepted until the end of January 2025.

  • ClimaCell Liners

    Accepted at all drop-off points, our storage unit, and events.

  • Renew Liners

    Accepted at all drop-off points, our storage unit, and events.

  • Rigid Mailers

    Between now and November 30th, we’ll accept all rigid mailers that do not have any padding, including USPS, UPS, and FedEx.

    *Rigid mailers are typically used to send out photos, documents, etc. They have more structure than a Manila envelope.

No Longer Accepted

  • Used Kraft Bubble Mailers

    **Currently NOT Accepting due to no demand.

  • Used Recyclable Mailers

    **Currently NOT Accepting due to no demand.

Items Not Accepted

  • USPS Mailers & Boxes

    USPS Mailers and boxes are shipped a different way. We currently do not have the capacity to store these items or the demand for them from any of our customers.

  • UPS Mailers & Boxes

    UPS Mailers and boxes are shipped a different way. We currently do not have the capacity to store these items or the demand for them from any of our customers.

  • FedEx Mailers & Boxes

    FedEx Mailers and boxes are shipped a different way. We currently do not have the capacity to store these items or the demand for them from any of our customers.Description goes here

  • Plastic Grocery Bags

    Please do not drop off your items in plastic grocery bags - use paper bags instead! All plastic garbage bags can be dropped off at your local grocery store’s plastic film recycling bin.

  • Ziploc Bags

    Ziploc bags are not accepted by us. They are difficult to recycle and we do not have the capacity to store or handle them.

  • Manila Envelopes

    If brand new, they can be dropped off at the WasteShed. If used, they can be placed in your recycling bin.

  • Personal Paper Shred

    Check your local alderperson’s upcoming shred event. Your personal shredded documents cannot be reused by small businesses, therefore we cannot accept them.

  • Newspapers

    Newspapers leave behind ink residues. Therefore, our customers cannot reuse it. Please recycle or post in your local Buy Nothing Facebook group.

  • Cardboard Dividers

    These are too specific. We don’t have any customers that could reuse these.

  • Foam Blocks

    These are too specific. We don’t have any customers that could reuse these.

  • Air Pillows

    We are currently at capacity. These can be deflated and dropped off at your local grocery store.

If you don’t see an item on our list of accepted items, we do not accept it.

We encourage you to recycle or donate these items to organizations that accept them.

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