After 9.43 Billion Parcels: Why Eco-Friendly Paper Cushioning Is the New Choice for E-Commerce Packaging

China handled 9.43 billion express parcels in August 2022, a 4.9% rise year on year.

E-commerce has expanded so fast that online shopping is now part of everyday life. Shoppers routinely ask sellers to pack orders carefully so nothing gets damaged — yet once the parcel is opened, that packaging is thrown away almost instantly.

More and more cushioning material ends up in nature, either because it is disposed of improperly or because it cannot break down, placing a heavy burden on ecosystems. The good news is that cushioning packaging now has new options that are far kinder to the planet.

1. Eco-friendly paper cushioning: a next-generation cushioning packaging

Before plastic restriction orders came into force, foam plastic was the standard cushioning material in logistics and transport, thanks to its strong cushioning and vibration-absorbing performance. But the harm plastic does to ecosystems has drawn worldwide attention, and many countries have escalated their plastic restriction orders into outright plastic bans.

A single straw may look insignificant, yet it can linger in nature for a very long time.

Paper cushioning packaging is made from the long fibres of coniferous trees. As environmental awareness grows, this format has won recognition in many countries and spread quickly across Europe and the United States, emerging as a next-generation cushioning packaging solution after plastic foam.

FSC forest certification

Compared with packaging made from other materials, paper cushioning can be applied in more flexible, free-form ways and suits a wider range of applications. Its recycling rate is higher than plastic, and even when discarded it biodegrades in the soil together with organic, compostable matter — “returning to the earth to nourish new growth.”

1. Safe transport starts with the packaging!

“Of course we want to save on costs, but if a packaging problem damages goods in transit, we may not only get a bad review but also be asked for a refund and a return — the loss would be far greater,” says a merchant running a Taobao store.

On Taobao, neutral and negative reviews caused by logistics problems are commonplace, and sorting operations today are mostly rather rough handling. An outer carton alone can hardly stop items from being crushed or damaged in transit.

Parcel volumes are climbing rapidly, while packaging costs remain far lower than the potential cost of damage — so many merchants wrap products in layer after layer, with the resulting pollution and waste easy to imagine. In fact, paper pads alone are enough to keep express shipments safe.

1. Creative packaging design: good products deserve good packaging!

Still weighing up how to choose express cushioning packaging? The following packaging examples may help.

Multi-coloured honeycomb paper paired with fresh fruit makes courier packaging far more attractive.

The combination of honeycomb paper and fruit is wonderfully springy and bouncy, adding an extra layer of protection in transit.

Beyond stretching honeycomb paper by hand, there is a labour-saving alternative — a dual-function paper pad machine.

It acts as a handy assistant at the packing station.

Take folded paper as an example: once the parameters are set, the machine runs in take-and-supply paper mode.

That delivers highly efficient void-fill packaging, with even paper dispensing and material packaging costs kept firmly under control.

Eco-friendly paper cushioning packaging is the new choice for online shopping packaging — and its applications go far beyond simply preventing breakage!

— This article is reprinted from the China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-379447.html