Is Bubble Wrap the Right Packaging Material for Your Needs?

28 September 2020
 Categories: Business, Blog

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Bubble wrap is one of the most common types of packaging materials, but is it the right type of material for your own packaging needs? Here are some of the arguments for and against using this material.

The pros

Firstly, bubble wrap is a very cheap option and can be bought in large quantities. It is also very versatile — it can be cut into whichever size and shape you like and can also be bought with different sized bubbles. This means it is useful both for smaller items which can be packed in a wrap with smaller bubbles and larger items which can have a larger bubble wrap.

As well as this versatility, bubble wrap is highly effective. The bubbles protect fragile items from all sides and therefore provide a cushioning effect that prevents damage, even if the items are moved about. It will hold the goods in place within the larger container and ensure that everything arrives intact.

It is also worth remembering that bubble wrap is reusable; provided it has not been badly damaged in transit, it can be used by the consumer to keep the items securely stored or to wrap other items.

The cons

The main disadvantage of bubble wrap is that it is made of plastic, which can be difficult to dispose of. In fact, many kinds of bubble wrap are made from biodegradable materials and will break down over a few months. Some cities also provide recycling schemes for used bubble wrap. However, if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, you should check with your supplier that the wrap you are buying is indeed a green option or think about using more natural materials for packaging, such as cardboard.

A second problem is that unused bubble wrap takes up quite a lot of space. As the bubbles can be quite thick and the packaging usually comes wrapped around a cardboard spool, you will find that most of what you are trying to store is merely air. If you do not have much room to store your packaging materials, you may want to look for a less bulky solution.

As long as you have the space for it though, bubble wrap is a cheap and highly effective way of packaging items for transit, and it can be supplied in environmentally-friendly forms if required. Just talk to your packaging materials supplier about your needs.