If you’ve made a purchase from tentree, you likely know that we plant 10 trees for each item purchased. You may also have noticed a small round token attached to your product’s tag. That item is our tree code token – on it is printed a 100% unique to that garment code that you can input into our tree registration page to learn more about where your trees are being planted and what impact they’re having.
But what happens when you’ve finished registering your trees and you still have that little tree code token? You can definitely upcyle it – our ambassadors shared with us some creative ideas for upcycling your old tentree tree code tokens. But if you find yourself in a spot where you can’t repurpose them and just want to get rid of them, there are some eco friendly ways to dispose of them.
Currently, we have two types of tree code token, one made of metal and another made of corozo.
Metal tree code tokens
Our tree tokens from our 2018 (and previous) collections are made of a recyclable bi-metal. These metal tokens are a little bit tricky to dispose of in a green way. They’re made of Zamak 3 alloy, which is a conflict-free alloy comprised of 97% zinc and 3% other materials. These metal tokens can be recycled, but not easily. Some recycling companies won’t take them, as they are small enough to fall through grid-style conveyor belts during sorting.
In order to guarantee that it’s recycled, you’ll need to contact your curbside recycling company to ask. If they can’t take it, they can likely point you in the direction of a metal recycler that can. It may take a bit of research, but you can avoid having to throw your metal tree code token in the garbage.
Corozo tree code tokens
Beginning in fall of 2019, we began phasing a tree code token made of an entirely new material called Corozo.
The Corozo tokens are made from the tagua nut, also known as “vegetable ivory”, which is sustainably produced from the seeds of palm trees and is biodegradable. These tokens are made by a family-owned business located in Panama. These new tokens weigh about half as much as the old ones and are fully biodegradable, with no harmful dyes or substances that would cause damage to the Earth as they break down.
Disposing of your Corozo tree code token could be as simple as throwing it in your compost heap with your food scraps and yard waste or digging a hole and burying it. Over time, the token will break down and be turned into soil.
What about the tentree tags?
The tags attached to each tentree product are made of paperboard and can be recycled in your regular curbside recycling. No special care is needed.
