Every honeycomb mailer is made from kraft paper and is kerbside recyclable in Australia. Not every honeycomb mailer is compostable, and the two claims are not interchangeable, even though they get used that way in marketing. This page explains the real difference, when a genuine compostable claim matters, and how to check a mailer actually qualifies.
Recyclable vs compostable: what each actually means
- Recyclable means the kerbside paper and cardboard recycling stream can process it. A standard kraft honeycomb mailer, once any plastic window or non-paper adhesive is removed, generally qualifies.
- Compostable means the material breaks down under specific, tested composting conditions, verified against a standard, AS 4736 for industrial composting facilities or AS 5810 for home composting. A mailer is only genuinely compostable if it has been tested and certified to one of these, not simply because it is made of paper.
In practice, a plain, unlaminated kraft honeycomb mailer with a water-based or starch adhesive is usually fine in either stream. Problems arise with mailers that include a plastic viewing window, a plastic-film laminate for extra water resistance, or a synthetic adhesive, any of which can knock it out of both categories despite still looking like plain kraft.
When a certified compostable mailer is worth specifying
- Your customer base actively composts and checks disposal claims, common in food, garden and lifestyle brands.
- You want to make a specific, verifiable sustainability claim on the packaging itself, using the Australasian Recycling Label, which requires the claim to be backed by real testing, not assumed from the material.
- Your product is already positioned on sustainability, where an unverified “eco-friendly” claim on the mailer would undercut the rest of the brand’s credibility.
For most ecommerce shipping, a standard recyclable kraft honeycomb mailer is genuinely sufficient, and forcing a compostable-certified version where it is not needed adds cost without a real customer benefit. The eco-friendly packaging checklist for ecommerce covers this decision across an entire order, not just the mailer.
How to check a compostability claim before you buy
- Ask specifically which standard the material is certified to, AS 4736 or AS 5810, and ask to see the certificate.
- Check whether the certification covers the whole mailer, including any adhesive and print, not just the base paper.
- Confirm whether the claim is for home composting or industrial composting only, the two are not the same and most councils do not provide industrial composting collection.
How Carewell Group helps
Carewell Group is an Australian packaging manufacturer and supplier, certified to ISO 14001:2015 and an APCO member. We supply standard recyclable kraft honeycomb mailers as the default, and can source or specify certified compostable options where the claim genuinely matters to your brand and customer base, rather than defaulting to an unverified label. See the full honeycomb mailer overview.
Carewell can meet all your packaging needs for your business. Talk to our expert and we will work to your required MOQ. Call +61 (02) 8760 1491 or request samples and a packaging review.
Frequently asked questions
Are honeycomb mailers recyclable or compostable?
Standard kraft honeycomb mailers are generally kerbside recyclable. Compostable is a separate, stronger claim that requires certification to AS 4736 (industrial) or AS 5810 (home), and only applies to mailers actually tested and certified to one of those standards.
Does a compostable claim need to be certified?
Yes. A genuine compostable claim, and use of the Australasian Recycling Label, requires testing against AS 4736 or AS 5810, not just being made of paper.
Do I need a certified compostable mailer for ecommerce shipping?
Usually not. A standard recyclable kraft honeycomb mailer is sufficient for most ecommerce use, certified compostable is worth the extra cost mainly where your customer base specifically checks and values that claim.
Sources
- Australasian Recycling Label and PREP: apco.org.au
- Australian Standards AS 4736 (industrial compostability) and AS 5810 (home compostability).
Written by Alif Vasaya, digital and content strategy, Carewell Group. Carewell Group is an Australian packaging, food packaging, tape, industrial safety and 3PL supplier serving all of Australia. Last updated 17 September 2026.