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When we wrote about Columbia Sportswear’s reusable shipping boxes late last year, we wondered whether they might set a new standard in the world of e-commerce. As if on cue, none other than eBay just launched a pilot project to test out a like-minded idea. Like Columbia’s boxes, the new eBay Box is a durable cardboard box designed to withstand the rigors of repeated use. It also features a way for users to keep track of its journey so far: a specially designated space on the box lets each sender write a personal message to the next person in the chain, and that history can be tracked through a virtual community as well. Once the boxes have reached the end of their useful lives, their 100% recycled, FSC-certified corrugated cardboard is fully recyclable. eBay is printing 100,000 of the new, eco-iconic boxes in three sizes for its pilot test beginning next month among participants in the eBay Green Team. In addition to environmental benefits, the eBay brand stands to gain from increased consumer engagement through the story elements that the box introduces. Keep the reusable-box innovations coming! (Related: Boxes made of cardboard laden with seeds — Matching buyers and sellers of cardboard boxes.) Spotted by: Design Taxi via Raymond Kollau