Ideal for anything that needs to be soft, grippy, or flexible: phone case bumpers, tool handles, gaskets and seals, protective feet, cable strain reliefs, and toy parts. TPE bends and stretches without cracking, grips well in the hand, and dampens vibration.

Store sealed in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. TPE can pick up light surface moisture, which shows as streaks or bubbles in parts. If you see that, leave the pellets somewhere warm and dry for a few hours before molding.

Pellets are non-hazardous and safe to handle. Molten TPE is the risk: it's sticky when hot and clings to skin. Wear safety glasses and insulated gloves around a hot machine. If molten material contacts skin, cool under running water and immediately get medical attention.

Ventilate your workspace. Sharp smell or smoke can mean the barrel is too hot.

TPE is fully thermoplastic, which means it re-melts cleanly. Sprues, runners, and failed shots can be shredded and run through the machine again with minimal loss in quality, so very little has to be thrown away. This is a real advantage over thermoset rubber, which cannot be reprocessed at all once cured.

TPE has no standard recycling code and most municipal programs will not accept it, so plan on reusing your own scrap rather than putting it in curbside recycling. Whatever can't be reused goes to regular landfill. Check local rules before disposing of larger quantities.