How can I reuse or recycle plastic/synthetic wine corks?

Back in the day, way back in the day, we featured reuses and recycling ideas for wine corks – and there are lots of great suggestions on there. But they nearly all are for real corks, not the synthetic alternatives so I thought it might be interesting to focus on those now instead.

Like with cork corks, plastic wine corks are sometimes just spongy tubes and other times they’re a little mushrooms, with a cap firmly attached to the end like the one in the picture. (You can also get designed-to-be-reusable plastic screw-in corks, but they’re less of an issue here since they’re purposefully bought for homebrewing and will typically be reused for as long as possible).

I imagine some wine cork crafts – such as noticeboards – can just as easily be made from straight plastic corks as cork-corks — but should some things be avoided? (Trivets for hot pots maybe? I’m unsure how heat resistant the plastic will be.)

And what about for reuses/recycling ideas for those with a cap attached/integrated?

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5 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle plastic/synthetic wine corks?”


  1. Hi everyone,

    On of my colleagues is looking for wine corks (real or synthetic) to use for her wedding. Have a look at her blog post here: http://adessi1010.blogspot.com/2010/09/what-corker.html and if you’re interested in sending some of your corks please feel free to contact me via the comments or on email laura.coyne@adessi.co.uk

    Thanks!

    Laura

  2. I use the synthetic corks as easily as the real cork. In fact they grip better to hold pins and sharp exacto knives on my art table.

    Here is a little tool holder I made with them:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanwoodswalker/4544179648/
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanwoodswalker/4543547205/

    All my spare craft knives …even in drawers, or backpack- always have a synthetic cork protective “cap” It really holds on and never gets lost.

  3. Olia says:

    Make furniture handles.

  4. Uncle Ralph says:

    I just learned these make great DIY washers, small gaskets and cabinet door bumpers. Although dense, they cut easily to almost any thickness with just a sharp kitchen knife. Unlike rubber or silicone, they hold their shape as they are cut.

  5. Olia says:

    Hello… can you help? I am drinking the wine for 10 years. i have also lot of wine robber corks. i have collect all the corks in a box. If you have best idea to reuse, please share us…



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