Many of us are looking to source more sustainable packaging and trying to find a suitable product that is both cost effective and ticks the sustainability box.
At makkipak we try to offer you a full range of products that help you make a decision best suited for your product. After all, the product must be well protected and if a more sustainable packaging product is costly and causing breakages then it’s clearly not fit for purpose.
makkipak now supplies honeycomb packing paper which is a clever alternative to bubble wrap and foam if you are looking to achieve a higher level of sustainability to your packaging. It can also be used with bubble wrap to lessen the amount of plastic you use, after all, bubble wrap is still one of the best and most cost effective cushioning products on the market. Bubbles of air are incredibly affective at protecting products. Obviously, we cannot put air bubbles into cardboard, that would simply be impossible but the honeycomb structure in these paper rolls interlocks enabling the paper to cling to itself when stretched. It also forms a matrix of paper which offers good protection. We have tested the paper and found that a 500 mm piece will stretch to 700 mm. It is a versatile packaging product as it can be used as a wrap or void fill, ideal for glass and fragile items. It is also a great product when space is an issue in your packing room or office. Bubble wrap rolls do take up alot of space in small packing areas, the honeycomb rolls are effectively flat paper rolls that expand when stretched.
We are not saying that honeycomb rolls will fully replace bubble wrap, don’t forget that bubble wrap is made from at least 30% recycled material and can be recycled multiple times.Cardboard cannot be recycled as many times as plastics but the source of cardboard is more sustainable. If plastic is recycled responsibly then it still has a very valuable use. The honeycomb paper is ideal for smaller fragile items such as glass bottles and jars. It will provide your product with a less messy appearance than being wrapped in bubble wrap.
There are pros and cons for both bubble wrap and honeycomb packing paper, the answer is to not over pack your product and limit the amount of packaging you use. Unfortunately this can be a high risk strategy when it comes to sending items in the dreaded courier network. Our boxes are not well looked after in the courier network, this is due to the pressure of delivering vast volumes of packages the couriers are faced with every day.
The makkipak bespoke box service offers a possible solution as it can reduce the amount of void fill and reduce breakages. We’ve all seen products arrive from the courier in oversized boxes filled with vast amounts of paper. It makes you wonder if it would not be more environmentally friendly to send the item in a much smaller box with bubble wrap ? At makkipak we have been making bespoke boxes for over 25 years so we have become rather good at it, they are also cheaper than you think and for non printed work there are no minimum order quantities. Bespoke boxes also save packing time and use up less space. Again, there are pros and cons for all packaging solutions but at makkipak the options are there and with our wealth of knowledge we can help you make the right choice. As the cost of living increases and businesses find their margins decreasing, it’s sometimes best to keep things simple. As always, if you need any packaging advice the makkipak sales team is ready to help with your enquiry.
