Some people get really excited about shoes or gadgets or makeup or Charlie Weasley.

I get really excited about recycled packaging materials.

(As many of you know, I also get really excited about Charlie Weasley. But this article isn’t about Charlie, unfortunately. Next time.)

For the last few weeks, I’ve been doing a lot of research into more sustainable packaging options for our boxes. You may already be aware that we made the switch last year to boxes made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials, but up until now, not all components of our boxes were as eco-friendly as they could be. And so, to the internet I went, on a mission to find recycled tissue paper.

Have you ever read If You Give a Mouse a Cookie? This turned out a lot like that:

“If you give Christina recycled tissue paper, she’s going to want some recycled crinkle worms* to go with it. And when she gets recycled crinkle worms, she’s going to realize she also wants to see if compostable shipping labels exist.”

This is all just a really roundabout way of announcing that starting with our November boxes, all of our packaging on the monthly subscription boxes will be made from recycled materials, and it’ll all be compost-friendly! Our branded tape is made with soy ink and a vegetable-based adhesive, and we’re switching our shipping labels to Pure Labels, a company that utilizes biodegradable and certified compostable materials. There are even plant-based cellophane print sleeves in the November box that you can compost, and the backing boards are recycled materials, too!

[short clip of Andy Dwyer from Parks and Rec making a surprised and excited face at the camera]

(^^Actual footage of me, discovering that plant-based cellophane print sleeves exist.)

As of now, not all of our materials for single items from the Etsy shop are quite as eco-friendly yet, but as we run through our stock of branded poly envelopes and plastic bubble wrap in 2019, we will be making the switch to recycled paper mailers and eco-friendly wraps for those, as well.

Committing to cruelty-free and vegan items for all our boxes was definitely a big step for our company in terms of improving our carbon footprint, because the farming of animals contributes more to greenhouse gas emissions than all the fossil fuel-powered transportation in the world combined. (YIKES!) Our Accio! Exclusive tees are made in a US-based factory that runs on solar power and uses high-efficiency dyeing techniques that use seven times less water than other manufacturers. But there’s always more we can do, and we want you to feel good about the fact that we are always looking for ways we can feed your need for fun and unique fandom goodies while being nicer to the planet. There’s only one earth, and there’s no Time Turner we can use to undo the damage we do to this big rock we call home.

*Crinkle worms are what we affectionately call those little crimped pieces of brown shredded paper we put in the boxes to cushion your merch while the owls are transporting it. No actual worms were harmed in the making of your Accio! Box.