How to Recycle Mailers: Every Type Explained

Different types of mailers require different disposal methods. Paper mailers can usually go in your curbside recycling bin, while plastic poly and bubble mailers must be taken to store drop-off locations that accept plastic film. Compostable mailers, on the other hand, typically need to be processed at an industrial composting facility. Because disposal rules vary by material, certifications, and local recycling programs, it’s important to know exactly what kind of mailer you have before throwing it away. This article explains how to identify the most common mailer types, prepare them for proper disposal, and choose the right recycling or composting option when the labeling is unclear.

The fastest way to recycle any mailer is to identify the material first, then match it to the right disposal route:

• Paper and honeycomb paper mailers: curbside recycling

• Recycled poly mailers and post-consumer bubble mailers: store drop-off for plastic film

• Compostable poly and padded mailers: industrial composting facility (some are also home compostable)

• Standard plastic bubble mailers: check the How2Recycle label, often trash if multi-layer

Quick Reference: How to Recycle Every Mailer Type

How to Recycle Recycled Kraft Paper Mailers

What they are made from: Recycled kraft paper mailers are made from post-consumer recycled paper pulp. Many are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which verifies any virgin fiber content comes from responsibly managed forests.

Disposal pathway: Curbside paper recycling or home compostable. These are handled the same as cardboard and brown paper bags.

How to prepare them:

• Flatten the mailer before placing it in the bin.

• Peel off plastic label backings.

• Paper labels and most paper tape can stay on. Check your local program if unsure.

Where to find a facility: Your existing curbside program accepts these. No drop-off required.

How to Recycle Recycled Honeycomb Paper Padded Mailers

What they are made from: Recycled honeycomb paper padded mailers feature a kraft paper exterior with a die-cut honeycomb paper cushioning layer inside, which means there is no plastic padding. Every component is fiber-based.

Disposal pathway: Curbside paper recycling, intact. You do not need to separate the layers.

How to prepare them:

• Flatten the mailer.

• Confirm no plastic windows, inserts, or bubble wrap were added inside by the sender.

• Leave paper labels on.

Where to find a facility: Standard curbside. No drop-off required.

How to Recycle Compostable Poly Mailers

What they are made from: Plant-based polymers, most often PLA (polylactic acid) and PBAT. They look and feel similar to standard poly mailers, but the chemistry is different. Certified versions carry the BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) seal, which confirms compliance with ASTM D6400, the U.S. standard for industrial compostability. 

Disposal pathway: Many compostable poly mailers are industrial composting only. Some are certified for both home and industrial composting, including EcoPackables compostable poly mailers.

If your compostable poly mailer is industrial-only, do not put it in curbside recycling or a backyard pile. It needs the sustained heat and controlled conditions of a commercial facility to break down reliably.

How to prepare them:

• Confirm the BPI mark or an equivalent third-party compostability certification is present.

• Remove any tape, labels, or inserts that are not certified compostable.

• No rinsing needed.

Where to find a facility: Use findacomposter.com to locate industrial composting facilities in your area that accept certified compostable packaging. Acceptance policies vary by site.

How to Recycle Compostable Padded Bubble Mailers

What they are made from: A compostable poly outer layer bonded to a compostable bubble cushioning layer. Both components are designed to break down together under proper composting conditions.

Disposal pathway: Most compostable padded bubble mailers are industrial composting only. Some are home compostable as well, including EcoPackables compostable padded bubble mailers.

How to prepare them:

• Check for BPI certification on both the outer film and the cushioning layer.

• Remove shipping labels made from non-compostable materials.

• Call your local facility before drop-off. Some composters do not accept padded packaging even when the materials meet ASTM D6400.

Where to find a facility: findacomposter.com

How to Recycle Post-Consumer Recycled Poly Mailers

What they are made from: Post-consumer recycled poly mailers are made from recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE #4). The recycled content typically comes from post-consumer plastic waste.

Disposal pathway: Store drop-off for plastic film, not curbside. Loose film wraps around the sorting screens at single-stream recycling facilities, which is why single-stream haulers send film to landfill even when it is placed in the blue bin.

How to prepare them:

• The mailer must be clean and dry. Food residue contaminates the whole batch.

• Combine with other clean plastic film in a single bag before dropping off. Grocery bags, bread bags, and dry-cleaning bags go in the same collection.

Where to find a facility: Use bagandfilmrecycling.org to find a participating retailer near you. Walmart, Target, and grocery store collection bins are the most common locations.

How to Recycle Post-Consumer Recycled Bubble Mailers

What they are made from: Post-consumer recycled bubble mailers use recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE #4) in both the outer film and the bubble layer. The recycled content typically comes from post-consumer plastic waste.

Disposal pathway: Store drop-off for plastic film only, for the same reasons as post-consumer recycled poly mailers.

How to prepare them:

• Deflate the bubble layer by puncturing and flattening.

• The mailer must be clean and dry. Food residue contaminates the whole batch.

• Combine with other clean plastic film in a single bag before dropping off. Grocery bags, bread bags, and dry-cleaning bags go in the same collection.

Where to find a facility: Use bagandfilmrecycling.org to find a participating retailer near you. Walmart, Target, and grocery store collection bins are the most common locations.

How to Recycle Recycled Ocean-Bound Poly Mailers

What they are made from: Recycled ocean-bound poly mailers are made from polyethylene recovered from coastal areas and waterways before it reaches the open ocean. Legitimate versions are certified under the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), which audits recycled content claims through the full supply chain.

Disposal pathway: Store drop-off for plastic film. Like all post-consumer recycled bubble and poly mailers, these are not accepted through curbside recycling.

How to prepare them:

• Make sure the mailer is clean and dry.

• Bag with other plastic film before drop-off.

Where to find a facility: bagandfilmrecycling.org

How to Dispose of Standard Plastic Bubble Mailers

What they are made from: Virgin LDPE polyethylene with a bubble wrap interior. Some are single-material, which are recyclable as film. Others are multi-layer laminates with mixed polymers, which usually are not. That distinction matters when it comes to proper disposal.

Disposal pathway: Depends on construction. Single-material poly mailers go to plastic film drop-off. Multi-layer or mixed-material mailers go in the trash.

How to prepare them:

• Look for the How2Recycle label. It states whether the mailer is store drop-off eligible or trash-only.

• If eligible: deflate, bag with other film, and drop off.

• If no label is present and you cannot confirm the material, contact the sender or default to the trash rather than contaminating a recycling stream.

Where to find a facility: bagandfilmrecycling.org for eligible mailers only.

How to Tell Which Mailer You Have

Not sure what arrived in the mail? Three quick checks usually settle it.

Check recycling symbols. Paper mailers carry no resin code. Plastic film mailers typically show a #2 (HDPE) or #4 (LDPE) inside the recycling triangle. Compostable mailers often display the BPI seedling logo or a "compostable" callout near the seam.

Look for certification labels. The four you will see most often:

• FSC (Forest Stewardship Council): paper fiber from responsibly managed forests.

• BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute): industrial compostability per ASTM D6400.

• GRS (Global Recycled Standard): audited recycled content percentage.

• How2Recycle: third-party verified, consumer-facing disposal instructions administered by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.

Do a tear test. Paper tears cleanly and does not stretch. Plastic film crinkles, stretches slightly, and resists tearing. Compostable poly feels similar to plastic but is usually more rigid and matte.

If the mailer carries a How2Recycle label with a QR code, scan it. That is the fastest and most accurate answer you will get.

Where to Find Recycling and Composting Facilities

For plastic film (poly and bubble mailers): bagandfilmrecycling.org searches by zip code and returns nearby store drop-off locations. Most major retailers participate, so there is likely one within a few miles.

For compostable mailers: findacomposter.com lists industrial composting facilities by region. Call ahead. Many facilities process food waste but do not yet accept packaging, even if the packaging is certified.

For product-specific guidance: Scan any How2Recycle QR code or search the product at how2recycle.info. This is the most reliable source whenever a label is present on the item itself.

What Happens If You Put the Wrong Mailer in the Wrong Bin

Each mailer has one correct disposal route. Sending it down the wrong one creates real consequences for the recycling stream.

Plastic poly mailers in curbside recycling: Loose plastic film wraps around the rotating screens at material recovery facilities. Workers have to stop the line and manually cut it free, sometimes multiple times per shift. Even when film makes it through the sorters, it is usually landfilled because single-stream systems cannot process it. A single poly mailer will not crash the system, but the cumulative effect is why most municipal programs explicitly ban plastic film from the blue bin.

Compostable mailers in plastic film drop-off: Compostable polymers like PLA contaminate post-consumer LDPE recycling. They have different melting points and chemical structures, so even small amounts can ruin a batch of recycled plastic film destined for composite lumber or new film. Always send compostable mailers to an industrial composter, never to a plastic film bin.

Paper mailers with non-paper additions: Bubble wrap inserts, foam padding, or plastic-laminated cushioning inside a paper outer mean the mailer cannot be pulped cleanly. Either separate the components or discard the whole package.

Standard or uncertified plastic mailers in compost: Conventional plastics do not break down under industrial composting conditions. They contaminate the finished compost, and the facility may reject the entire load. Without BPI certification or an equivalent, default to landfill.

The general rule: when in doubt, throw it out. Contaminating a recycling or composting stream causes more harm than landfilling a single item.

Why Certified Mailers Are Easier to Recycle

Certification is not a marketing badge. It is evidence that a disposal pathway exists for the material.

BPI certification requires third-party testing against ASTM D6400, meaning the mailer has been proven to break down under industrial composting conditions within a defined timeframe. How2Recycle is reviewed by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition against real-world recycling infrastructure. GRS audits recycled content claims through the supply chain. FSC covers the forestry side of paper-based mailers.

Without certification, the terms "eco-friendly" and "biodegradable" are not regulated. The Federal Trade Commission's Green Guides require that biodegradable claims be substantiated, and most uncertified "biodegradable" packaging does not meet any meaningful standard in practice. A mailer that might degrade someday under unspecified conditions is not the same as a mailer with an audited compostable pathway.

The practical result is simple. Certified mailers give the customer a disposal route they can follow. Uncertified mailers often do not, regardless of intent.

Are Sustainable Mailers Worth the Cost?

Sustainable mailers usually cost more per unit than conventional virgin-plastic mailers. Whether the premium is worth it depends on what you are optimizing for, but the gap is narrower than most brands assume.

Recycled kraft paper mailers are typically only marginally more expensive than virgin paper mailers and are now widely available at scale. Recyclability is identical to standard paper, and embodied carbon is meaningfully lower. For most brands shipping non-fragile goods, this is the smallest cost premium for the biggest environmental win.

Post-consumer recycled poly and bubble mailers sit in the middle on price. They reduce demand for virgin plastic without forcing a switch in shipping format, and they typically run 5 to 15 percent above standard poly mailers at production scale.

Compostable poly and padded bubble mailers carry a larger premium, often 20 to 40 percent above conventional plastic mailers, because bio-based feedstocks (corn, sugarcane) are more expensive and production volumes are smaller. The tradeoff is end-of-life: certified compostable mailers break down in 90 to 180 days under industrial conditions, while conventional plastics persist for centuries.

For brands selling to sustainability-conscious customers, the per-unit difference is usually offset by the brand value of giving customers a real disposal pathway, the marketing claim that backs up with certifications, and the reduced packaging footprint over time. For high-volume commodity shipping, the math is tighter, and recycled-content options often win on cost-per-conversion.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can poly mailers go in curbside recycling?

No. Poly mailers are plastic film, and curbside programs do not accept loose film. Film wraps around the screens at single-stream sorting facilities and causes equipment to jam, so most haulers route it to landfill even when it reaches them. Drop them off at a participating retailer using the locator at bagandfilmrecycling.org.

Are compostable mailers the same as biodegradable?

No. "Biodegradable" has no enforced standard in the packaging industry and can apply to materials that take years to break down under uncontrolled conditions. Compostable mailers certified by BPI meet ASTM D6400, which requires breakdown within defined industrial composting conditions in roughly 90 to 180 days. They will not reliably break down in a landfill, backyard pile, or the ocean.

Are Amazon mailers recyclable?

It depends on which Amazon mailer you received. The plain blue-and-white plastic mailers are LDPE plastic film and can be dropped off at store plastic film collection points; most carry a How2Recycle "Store Drop-Off" label. The padded paper mailers Amazon rolled out more broadly starting in 2022 are curbside recyclable as paper, since the padding is recycled paper rather than bubble wrap. Bubble-padded plastic mailers from Amazon are typically store drop-off as well, but always confirm with the How2Recycle label on the back.

Can you recycle padded envelopes with bubble wrap?

Only if the bubble wrap and outer film are made from the same recyclable plastic, usually LDPE #4. Single-material bubble mailers can be deflated and taken to a store drop-off bin for plastic film. Padded envelopes that combine a paper outer with a bubble wrap interior, or that use a different polymer for the cushioning, cannot be recycled through standard channels. Check the How2Recycle label or default to the trash to avoid contaminating a stream.

What is the recycling number on poly mailers?

Most poly mailers are made from LDPE, which carries the #4 resin identification code inside the recycling triangle. A small portion are HDPE (#2). Either way, the #4 or #2 symbol does not mean the mailer goes in your curbside bin. Plastic film with any resin number needs to be dropped off at participating store collection bins, not placed in single-stream recycling.

How long do compostable mailers take to break down?

Certified compostable mailers (BPI seal, ASTM D6400) break down within 90 to 180 days under industrial composting conditions: sustained heat near 140°F, controlled moisture, and active microbial activity. In a backyard pile, breakdown is slower and less complete unless the mailer is specifically certified for home composting. In a landfill, where oxygen is limited, even certified compostable mailers can persist for years. The certification refers to industrial conditions, not any environment.

Are kraft paper mailers actually eco-friendly?

Yes, when made from recycled content and disposed of properly. Recycled kraft paper mailers use post-consumer recycled fiber, which has a lower carbon footprint than virgin paper or any plastic mailer. They are curbside recyclable in every U.S. paper program, biodegrade naturally if they end up in the environment, and break down in home or industrial compost. FSC certification adds assurance that any virgin fiber content comes from responsibly managed forests. The main tradeoff is durability: kraft paper offers less moisture protection than poly mailers, so it suits dry-goods shipping better than products that need a waterproof layer.

Do I need to remove labels before recycling?

For curbside paper recycling, paper shipping labels can stay on, and plastic label backings should be peeled off if they come away easily. For plastic film drop-off, labels generally do not need to be removed. For industrial composting, strip any labels or tape that are not certified compostable, since contamination can cause facilities to reject an entire load.

For Brands Shipping Products

If you ship products and want packaging your customers can actually recycle or compost, the material and the certification matter equally. Explore third-party verified options in our sustainable mailers collection.