The eternal war in every packaging warehouse is the choice between the two dominant methods of securing products: old bubble wrap and ecological paper shavings.
1. Physics of impacts on courier sorting belts
To understand what protects better, we need to know what is happening at sorting centers. Parcels fall from height onto conveyor belts. When a heavy, e.g. ceramic vase is wrapped only in bubble foil with a thin air bubble, the impact of the collision causes a powerful impact (the air bubbles burst like a balloon - no longer returning to their original, shock-absorbing shape). Another shock in the courier bus is the collision of bare ceramics with a cardboard wall.
If the vase is filled with thick, elastic strips of paper shavings, we obtain the so-called "shock absorber socket". Paper zigzag weaves interlock to form a mattress. Upon impact, the paper compresses gently downward, dissipating the energy all around but leaving thick blocking walls.
2. Warehouse operating costs and process speed (Time-is-Money)
Time is the key in e-commerce warehouses. Traditional foil handling involves: unwinding it from a large bale, precisely cutting a segment with a sharp knife, time-consuming wrapping the detail on all sides and sealing it with transparent acrylic tape.
Meanwhile, using loose chips for packaging literally comes down to three gestures:
- Cover the bottom of the box with a layer of cardboard with shavings.
- Put the product in the middle.
- With a quick movement of your hands, you sprinkle the rest of the cardboard on top so that the product sinks into the material and close the package.
On a larger scale, it is worth considering a professional packaging station that integrates dispensers and tools in one workplace.
3. Visual effect (Unboxing)
The foil resembles cheap bulk goods, packages purchased on a budget. Thick weaves of black, pink or natural kraftpremium paper shavings used by the best brands make opening the package a luxurious and desirable experience on social media, where your customers share their purchases with friends (so-calledfree reference marketing on Instagram or TikTok - unboxing experience).