How can I reuse roller adhesive refill packs (like Stampin Up snail adhesive)?

We’ve had an email from Carmel:

Hello, I’m a paper crafter and was a Stampin Up demonstrator and use the Stampin Up snail adhesives or the tombow roller adhesives.

Anyhow, to refill these things you have to buy another plastic mechanism that has the tape already in it. With all the paper crafters all over the world I’m sure there are lots in landfills. Wondering how they can be recycled for the plastic.

For non-paper crafters like me, the picture is of a snail adhesive refill – as Carmel says, tape already enclosed in a hard plastic shell.

As for actually recycling it, the lovely people at Stampin Up tell me it’s a whole different set of plastics (details below) so I wouldn’t have thought many people will want to pull them apart to recycle as many bits as possible.

Sometimes I’m a bit worried about always suggesting craft projects as reuse ideas because I know not everyone is the crafty sort, but the people who buy these already are crafty or they wouldn’t be buying them so … any fab craft ideas to re-use or repurpose these babies?

Or any other suggestions?

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4 Responses to “How can I reuse roller adhesive refill packs (like Stampin Up snail adhesive)?”


  1. louisa says:

    Here are the details of the plastic make-up for the Stampin Up Snail Adhesive thing, in case anyone is interested in pulling it apart:

    Dispenser: Polystyrene
    Reel: Polypropylene
    Gear & Button: ABS Plastic
    Large Gear: Polyoxymethylene
    Cruch: (core part) ABS Plastic
    Printerhead: (tape head) Polypropylene
    Cap: (tape head cover) Black ASAFLEX

    Gosh!

  2. bookstorebabe says:

    I have a different question. Is there any kind of alternative to a Stampin up, that would eliminate having to buy wasteful refills, yet still do the job?

    Anyway, I would use the gear, either as is or as a stamp or mold, for steampunky stuff. The rest, haven’t a clue!

  3. It is also the same idea for the refills for labellers (like Dymo or Brother).

  4. Olia says:

    If they can be opened then tape can be replaced with thin ribbon to store.



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