Sustainable Void Fill

Sustainable Void Fill

Void fill is an invaluable commodity in the packaging sector. It can act as an added barrier to keep products safe in transit, whilst we should always endeavour to use the correct size box. Traditional forms of void fill include polystyrene foam peanuts and plastic bubble wrap. However, both of these materials have their drawbacks. Polystyrene foam is not biodegradable, so it is not environmentally friendly. Plastic bubble wrap is also not biodegradable, and it can be difficult to recycle.

Whilst Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is 100% recyclable, it is not always accepted by councils for recycling due to its difficult nature.

Air Pillows

Void fill air pillows are becoming increasingly popular for their sustainability. Using less plastic material and covering a larger surface area means that they require fewer resources to transport the equivalent amount of loose fill. A recent study found that 5 fully loaded artic lorries are required to transport the equivalent loose fill compared to just 1 pallet of the Pacplan Nano Film.

Shredded Carboard

A cardboard shredder can help you reuse your cardboard waste as void fill, eliminating the need to purchase void fill materials and dispose of waste. Reusing cardboard waste can reduce both the chemical and logistic costs associated with waste disposal.

Kraft Paper

Kraft paper is stronger than other types of paper, making it a good choice for many applications. The manufacturing process for kraft paper is also more environmentally friendly, as it uses less lignin and bleaching.

There are a range of paper dispensers from the X-wrap for small businesses to the X-PAD and X-FILL for larger industrial packing.