Have Amazon boxes piling up? Here are some ideas for putting that cardboard to good use. Feeling overwhelmed by the growing pile of boxes at your feet? Don’t worry. Amazon has a few ideas for what you can do with your Amazon boxes after unpacking your goodies.
- Pack a Give Back Box.
Make room for all the gifts you'll receive by using a Give Back Box. This global initiative allows you to donate items in Amazon boxes.
Just print a shipping label from the Give Back Box website, pack your Amazon boxes with items in good condition, and send them off as donations. It's a three-for-one deal—you’re putting your boxes to good use, donating items to those in need, and making space in your home.
- Get crafty.
If you enjoy crafting, Amazon boxes can be upcycled into fun projects like bookcases, wall art, or planters. Kids can also use them for art projects or playtime activities.
When you’re done with your projects, you can use Amazon boxes to store your craft supplies. Amazon boxes are sturdy and well-built, making them great for storing books, toys, and even clothing.
- Give boxes new life by giving them away.
Ask friends, family, or neighbors if they need boxes. If you know anyone who is moving, they might appreciate the offer.
- Save them and ship them.
Save the boxes for your own shipping. Many boxes will stack inside others, so you can store them until you need to send your own gifts to loved ones far away.
- Recycle them.
Amazon boxes are 100% recyclable—just ensure you remove any plastic packaging or bubble wrap before putting them in the recycling bin. Recycling Amazon boxes is a responsible way to help reduce environmental waste.
Globally, Amazon continues to find new and innovative ways to reduce packaging and make it easier to recycle. Here’s a look at how they do it and their progress so far. Amazon spends a lot of time thinking about the best way to deliver products to their customers. When it comes to packaging, they start with protecting the product—ensuring your order arrives without damage. From there, Amazon finds ways to use less packaging and prioritize recyclable materials. They use a science-based approach that includes continuous materials and technology innovation to find solutions that benefit both customers and the planet. This year, they’ve improved their process by expanding on what works and creating and testing innovations to solve for what doesn’t. Since 2015, they’ve reduced per-shipment packaging weight by 41% on average, avoiding more than 2 million tons of packaging—the equivalent weight of more than 173 of Seattle’s iconic Space Needle. In 2022, Amazon decreased single-use plastic delivery packaging by 11.6% across their global operations. In 2022, they shipped 11% of their orders globally without any additional Amazon packaging. In Europe, they replaced their single-use plastic delivery packaging with 100% recyclable paper and cardboard packaging in their fulfillment network. In India, they eliminated single-use, thin-film plastic packaging from the country’s fulfilment network. Let’s take a closer look at how Amazon’s scientists, engineers, and teams have achieved these numbers and milestones. Reducing unnecessary packaging. Sometimes the best solution is to use what already exists. Their Ships in Product Packaging program qualifies products that have been thoroughly tested to ship in their original packaging, without any added Amazon packaging. In 2022, Amazon shipped 11% of their orders without any added Amazon packaging. They use machine learning to identify products that allow for safe shipping without Amazon packaging. Amazon also works directly with selling partners to redesign their packaging, creating innovative solutions that allow their products to ship safely without added packaging from them. They’re continuing to expand this program globally. Since 2021, the number of products shipped without additional Amazon packaging grew by more than 50% in Japan and more than tripled in Australia. In 2022, Amazon grew that number by more than 50% in Europe. Expanding paper-based packaging. When additional Amazon packaging is required to ship a product, they create paper-based packaging solutions. This packaging can often be recycled at home, while single-use plastic needs to be taken to drop-off centers to be recycled. In Europe, they have replaced our single-use plastic delivery bags and air pillows with 100% recyclable paper and cardboard packaging in their fulfillment network. Amazon’s also started using automated packaging technology, which cuts made-to-fit paper packaging for individual items, allowing them to avoid using more than 1 billion single-use plastic delivery bags across Europe. In India, they’ve eliminated single-use, thin-film plastic packaging originating from Amazon’s fulfillment network in the country since 2020. Plus, they’re a founding member of the Indian Plastics Pact, which unites businesses, governments, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to shift from a linear to a circular plastics economy. In the U.S., Amazon announced their first automated U.S. fulfillment center to fully eliminate single-use plastic delivery packaging. Their engineers reimagined machinery that previously used plastic, and rebuilt the machines to use a new type of more durable, weather-resistant paper with heat-sealing technology. They also invented new machines with improved made-to-fit technology. At the Ohio automated fulfillment center, they also transitioned from plastic air pillows to paper filler made from 100% recycled content. This was the first step in a multi-year effort to transition more U.S. fulfillment centers to paper. They’re also using similar machines that create curbside-recyclable, made-to-fit packaging in Japan and Australia. These machines measure a product’s dimensions and then create correctly sized packaging at the time of packing, reducing waste by minimizing the amount of material they ship per package. Correct-sized packaging. When an item needs additional Amazon packaging to ensure a damage-free delivery, they aim to use as little packaging as possible. Amazon uses machine learning algorithms to examine the qualities of a product and determine the protective packaging it needs. Over the past five years, these algorithms have helped reduce the use of corrugate boxes by over 35% in North America and Europe. For example, they often opt to use mailers and bags for delivery, which are up to 90% lighter than a similar-sized box. In addition to helping us identify what products can be sent in mailers or bags, machine learning helps them determine the correctly sized cardboard box. In North America, this has resulted in an annual reduction in cardboard waste of 7% to 10%, saving roughly 60,000 tons of cardboard annually. Continued progress. Looking ahead, they will continue to find ways to reduce packaging and increase the use of materials that can be easily recycled. Amazon is committed to improving how orders are shipped, for the good of customers and the planet, and they will continue to share these progress updates with the customers.