We’ve already covered photocopier paper and printer paper in general – and there are some great suggestions over there but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on what I can do with a stack of paper which has been printed on both sides.

I usually make scrap paper notebooks with any waste paper I get my hands on – the back of drafts, printing mistakes, junk mail, envelopes etc – but since these have been printed on both sides (a photocopying mistake by someone at work), they can’t go into my usual notebook/reuse pile.

They’re just regularly black and white copies so I don’t think they’ll be quite pretty enough for turning into beads or photo frames, and we don’t have a shredder so I can’t shred them for use as packaging/animal bedding either.

Anyone got any ideas or should I just send them for normal paper recycling?

Next up in How Can I Recycle This’s Stationery Week theme, we’ve had an email from Agata:

Hi there! I’m still in High School and we use loads and loads of photocopies, mostly black&white.

I want to use them in some crafty way, like jewellery or house ornaments & decos, not just put them in paper savings bin.

Any ideas?

We’ve kinda already covered this before but because Agata wants crafty ideas, I thought I’d post it again to spark that sort of thing.

In the previous comments, ott suggestions papier mache, carrie “hobo notebooks” and Estelle gets her printshop to make stronger bound ones for her. I’ve also made beads from scrap paper in the past – I’ve used coloured paper but I bet the monotone print could make quite interesting beads too.

Any other crafty suggestions?

(Photo by float)

Other stationery items

• How can I make a notebook out of recycled materials?
• How can I reuse or recycle used envelopes?
• How can I reuse or recycle the spiral of a spiral bound notebook?
• How can I reuse or recycle hanging files?
• How can I reuse or recycle glue stick tubes?
• How can I reuse or recycle printer cartridges?