How can I reuse or recycle puree tubes?

tomato puree tubeWe’ve been going through a lot of tomato puree recently and I’ve been cutting open, cleaning and keeping the metal tubes when I’m done with them. Once the top section is cut off, they open up to be a square of thin, flexible (but easily punctured) metal that’s a bright brassy gold colour on the inside.

But what can I do with them?

I got into the habit of keeping them after attending a great recycling workshop last year – Alison Bailey Smith, who ran the class, uses them as part of her wonderful wire work.

I like the idea of some tin work with them – perhaps making little tiny boxes like Atomic Shrimp – but any other suggestions? Any practical ideas for how the little sheets of metal?

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11 Responses to “How can I reuse or recycle puree tubes?”


  1. melissa says:

    Can they be manipulated into jewellery somehow?

  2. Lyndall says:

    hi
    i know that there are companies that make such things into toiletry bags.
    i first saw this when i was visiting my home town of Adelaide last.
    it was at a Womadelaide market stall; except they were done by toothpaste tubes.
    have been trying to find out how to make them myself since – so am looking forward to any tips!

  3. Janet says:

    I noticed on the latest ” Cloth, Paper,
    Scissors” tubes like paint, toothpaste and the such having heads added to the stem from paperclay ( airdry) added and families framed for a portrait.

  4. Renee says:

    You could use them as a garden plant marker. Cut out shape you like, emboss the plant name and paint the back. Hang on a coiled wire with maybe some pretty baubles.

  5. Anonymous says:

    use them to store more paste i guess

  6. Anonymous says:

    I use the metal to make ‘toppers’ for hand made greetings cards.
    You can impress designs using a pen on the painted side, it then impresses the design as a relief on the metal side, cut to shape and place onto the front of a card with other craft bits.

  7. anna says:

    Cut the metal to a big sheet, and use it for anything you’d use metal for – collect a lot of them and use them for the roof of a bird house or a dog house, or anything you’ll find use for scrap metal.

  8. Roger says:

    would it be possible to cut the top off, do some hardcore cleaning of the innards and use then for piping icing on cakes and other things? Any good tips for getting rid off the tomato oil/taste?

  9. Maggie says:

    I’ve been saving tubes to make into embossed metal bookmarks! They are the perfect size.



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