What to Do With Your Hamper Packaging: Reuse Ideas for Boxes, Baskets & More

Every IMP & MAKER hamper is packed to arrive in perfect condition which means once you've tucked into the contents, you're often left wondering what to do with the box, basket, or liner it came in. The good news: almost every part of your packaging can be reused, recycled, or repurposed. Here's how to get the most out of it.

Reuse Your Cardboard Gift Box

Our cardboard gift boxes are built to protect their contents in transit, which makes them sturdy enough for a second life well beyond the moment they're opened.

Around the home

• Use as storage boxes for stationery, cables, craft supplies, or seasonal decorations, the rigid construction holds its shape perfectly on a shelf or in a cupboard.
• Line with fabric or wrapping paper to turn into a decorative keepsake box for letters, photos, or trinkets.
• Flatten and use as a drawer or shelf liner, or as a base layer under pot plants to protect surfaces from water marks.

Practical ideas

• Great for house moves. Reinforced boxes like ours are sturdier than most standard moving boxes for smaller, heavier items like books or crockery.
• Repurpose as a gift box for someone else. Perfect for hand-delivered presents, especially with a bit of ribbon or tissue paper.
• Use as a parcel box when posting items yourself.

If you can't reuse it: cardboard is widely accepted in household recycling collections, just remove any plastic tape, ribbon, or non-paper inserts first, and flatten before placing in your recycling bin.

Reuse Your Ice Packs

The ice packs used to keep your hamper's chilled contents fresh in transit don't need to be thrown away once they've done their job.

Around the home

• Keep in the freezer for everyday use. Perfect for picnics, packed lunches, or your next cool bag.
• Use as a first-aid cold compress for minor bumps, strains, or headaches (wrap in a cloth before applying to skin).
• Handy for camping or beach trips. Reusable ice packs are more effective, and less messy, than bagged ice.

Practical ideas

• Keep one in your freezer for emergency cooling. For drinks, medication that needs to stay cool, or as a quick compress.
• If you have several, use them together to extend the chill time in a cool box for longer trips.

Reuse Your Woolcool®

There are so many great ways to reuse your Woolcool® liner in and around the home and beyond.

In the home and garden

• The soft, clean and warm nature of the natural wool inspires people to get crafty, creating items to decorate their homes or treat their furry friends.
• Our 100% natural wool has been used to fill soft furnishings such as cushions and pillows, or to reupholster chairs.
• Pets like nothing better than to take a nap on our soft, luscious wool, whether it's lining a hamster's cage, a lucky dog's basket, or a soft pillow for a pampered cat.
• It also makes excellent nesting material for garden birds, or mulch worked into planting beds.

Practical ideas

• Wool is so malleable and flexible that it can be shaped and cut for all kinds of unusual uses.
• Use it to line backpacks and bags to protect laptops and tablets.
• Wrap it around pipes to provide insulation against freezing temperatures.
• Cut it to create cosy insoles for your wellies or boots.
• Use small offcuts as draught excluders for windows and doors, or as padding when posting fragile items yourself.

This advice is based on UK Mainland recycling processes. Rules regarding recycling can vary by location and are constantly evolving, so we would always recommend checking with your local authority if you are not sure which materials they accept, or where best to place them.

*at the moment wool is not widely accepted within normal recycling chains as part of your household collection, however, there are lots of ways that it can be recycled around the house and garden.