How can I reuse or recycle rubber thimbles?

rubber thimbleWe’ve had an email from Sara:

I am in charge of stationery orders at work, and I have recently been asked to order “rubber thimbles” because we have worn them out. So I looked at all these little rubber thimbles, and thought, do these all have to go to waste? Other than being jaunty little hats for stuffed toys around the office, what else can I do with these things?

Everyone has agreed before I order new ones we have to think of something to do with the current ones!

Hehe, I like the jaunty hat idea – I also love that your colleagues have agreed to holding off on reordering new things until the old ones have been dealt with.

Rubber can be recycled but I don’t know if m/any recycling companies would be interested in such small items. Anyone know?

And any other suggestions?

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17 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle rubber thimbles?”


  1. Paul says:

    It sounds to me like an awful lot of paper is being shuffled. Why not look to preserving a few trees instead and maybe the fingerstalls will last longer?

  2. chez says:

    Cut the narrow end off, to make them into a tube, and slide them onto plastic coat hangers to make them non slip!

  3. Mary says:

    Is enough of the top intact to use as a thimble?

  4. Megan says:

    As an Art teacher, I see them as little finger brushes. Easy to clean and durable. I have something similar and the kids (ages 3-13) LOVE them!

    Donate to schools!

    • twinks says:

      What a SUPER idea. We’re (art teachers) always encouraging kids to use alternative materials and to explore the multitude of objects with which they can paint. This would be condusive to getting HS students to get more intimate with their art, since getting fingers dirty at this age is not cool, and we surely wouldn’t suggest ‘finger painting’ to this level? “Oh Miss, you HAVE to be kidding!”

  5. Anna says:

    It has such a fun texture and shape… Maybe you could cut the lumpy bits off and lay them flat and perhaps glue them to a surface to make it non-slip… perhaps your dashboard? Or perhaps on the bottom of something that tends to slide around a bit… like your chairs in your kitchen?

    On a pretty whimsical side… I think you could stretch the rubber bits around like a bead or something and wire it up to be nifty rubber nubbed balls for necklace/earring wear.

  6. Nika says:

    One of those seven Snow White’s friends can it use as a condon.

  7. kittykat says:

    Put one on each pincer of your pliers and then you won’t scratch whatever you are holding or tightening.

  8. Gulia says:

    Makes nice hat for a mini doll.
    If you scratched or cut your finger, apply an ointment , small bandage and wear thimble for extra protection.
    Use it in place of a lost lid for a thick marker or a pen.
    Hang on a wall and grow tiny house plant in it.

  9. Gulia says:

    You can also wear them over metal thimbles.

  10. Gulia says:

    Stuff it with cotton and use as pincushion.

  11. Gulia says:

    Stuff them with cotton and use to separate toes after the pedicure.

  12. Gulia says:

    Glue inside of them some small artificial flowers and use for decoration.

  13. Gulia says:

    Cut off the top. it will hold together several knitting needles.

  14. Gulia says:

    Use them as lids for small bottles.



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