Thousands of Royal Mail trolley sleeves have been repurposed into handmade bags by a Cornish business. Royal Mail and The Postal Museum have teamed up with Flotsam Flo to upcycle a selection of Royal Mail’s old trolley sleeves. Flotsam Flo, founded by Kate Doran, is based in Cornwall and reuses unrecyclable items such as wetsuits and turns them into chic accessories such as bags and purses.
The sleeves were previously used to line the 850,000 wheeled cages that transport parcels through Royal Mail's network. Royal Mail has now replaced its trolley sleeves with more durable alternatives, designed by its own in-house engineers, that can be used up to 3,000 times over an expected lifespan of four years. This isn't the first time Flotsam Flo has created unique items out of things that would otherwise have ended up in landfill.
The business has been going from strength to strength over the past three years with the support of sustainable waste management company Biffa. Biffa has provided Kate with office space, mentoring and guidance, as well as raw waste materials collected from its customers, including Royal Mail. Kate said: “It’s been an incredible experience collaborating with Royal Mail to give its trolley sleeves a second life as beautiful handmade bags.
At Flotsam Flo, we are all about reducing waste and finding beauty in sustainability. "I still can’t quite believe I am working with Royal Mail and the fact my items are on sale through the Postal Museum in London �.
