[SK] What filling material to put in the boxes and what to choose?

When packing items in cardboard and other boxes, it is essential to use filler material that provides protection against mechanical damage. There are several types, which vary in price, size and characteristics. What are their pluses and minuses and by what criteria should you choose them?

What to look for when choosing?

• The price of the filler material – the price also varies by type and the differences can be large.
• Weight, fragility and shape of the object – the more fragile the object, the better quality the filler material must be.
• Recyclability.
• Mouldability and softness.
• Storage size (some materials do not take up space, others are more difficult to store).

What are the types of filling materials?

A variety of filling materials are used to ensure the safe delivery of goods in a cardboard box, such as air-filled film, polystyrene, cardboard staple and many others. They vary in price and size, so you need to choose the right material for your specific type of goods.

1. Bubble wrap

• High level of protection, also suitable for fragile items ( e.g. porcelain).
• Easy to shape. It is incredibly flexible.
• Very versatile.
• Higher price.

If you’re shipping glass, china or other fragile goods, it’s definitely worth investing in bubble wrap. You can even choose ones that are 100% recyclable. There are films with small or large bubbles. Bubble wrap in a dispensing box is very handy and can be easily and neatly separated without the use of a cutter.

2. Paper filling

• Environmentally friendly and easily recyclable
• Good shock absorption.
• Easy to work with.
• Cheaper solution.
• Not suitable for very fragile objects.

For example, you can choose shrink fixing paper, which saves you money and is also eco-friendly and 100% recyclable. Paper filler is more suitable for less fragile goods that are not at high risk of damage.

3. Foam balls

• Lightweight
• Absorb shock well and keep items in one place.
• They take up a lot of space in storage.
• Higher cost.

But there is a solution here too – the filling material Flo-pak natural is eco-friendly and very durable (it is made from starch). The individual granules fit well together and thus form a very functional protection. In addition, the price of this material is also more favourable.

4. Air pads

• Lightweight and absorb shock well.
• Do not take up much space before inflating. However, they must be inflated before use, for which you need an inflating device.
• Well recyclable.
• This solution is not very effective for heavy objects.
• Higher cost.

To save time, you can use airbags that are already filled with air but require more space for storage.

How to decide?

Bubble wrap or Flo-pak provide the best protection. For packing less susceptible goods, paper padding is sufficient. If you need to save on box weight, choose air cushions, which weigh virtually nothing.

In general, there must be enough padding in a cardboard or cardboard box to hold the product in place and provide sufficient impact protection.