Sustainable foam packaging options available to your business

Sustainability is one of the biggest challenges facing not only the packaging industry but businesses of all sizes and in virtually all market sectors.

With growing awareness of the harm human activity is causing the planet and climate, more and more consumers demand that brands and businesses provide sustainable products and services. This expectation extends to the packaging that your company uses.

Whilst this has seen increasing adoption of new materials – or switching to paper-based options such as corrugated packaging – there is one area that has, until recently, been lagging behind. Foam packaging.

Sustainable foam packaging has long been a desire of many brands, manufacturers and packaging buyers.

Traditional foams use virgin plastics in their production and are inherently difficult to recycle. This is particularly true of one of the worst offenders, Expanded Polystyrene (EPS, or Styrofoam). Many businesses have long sought to find viable polystyrene alternatives.

The launch of the UK Plastic Packaging Tax, which levies additional charges on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content, has also accelerated the need for more eco-friendly options.

In essence, there has been a considerable demand for options that allow businesses to move away from traditional foam packaging materials.

Still in development (and another product of Stora Enso), Papira® is similar to Fibrease but with the added benefit that it is also biodegradable. It uses cellulose fibres, resulting in a lightweight shock-absorbent packaging foam. All raw material is also from sustainable sources.

As the material is still in development, it is difficult to comment on its strengths and weaknesses. Still, it promises to be another step forward regarding eco-friendly foams.

Stratocell R is closed-cell polyethylene foam. While this is polymer (plastic) based, it contains at least 65% recycled content.

Besides being exempt from the plastic packaging tax, another crucial benefit is that it provides excellent cushioning protection. This performance makes Stratocell perfect for producing end caps or foam lining to protect electronics, tools, equipment, consumer goods or any fragile or expensive items.

This high performance also means you can use less material, reducing pack sizes and, in turn, minimising transport requirements and emissions.

However, the material is still plastic. And whilst Polyethylene is recyclable, Stratocell is not currently collected in kerbside recycling boxes. Its perception amongst consumers can also be negative (particularly if they are unaware that it contains recycled content).

Ethafoam HRC (high recycled content) and MRC (max recycled content) contain at least 65% and 100% recycled content, respectively.

Similar to Straocell R, it provides excellent performance in transit packaging applications. The sustainability benefits it allows your business to achieve – particularly in terms of material reduction, pack size reduction (minimising emissions) and preventing transit damage – can be significant.

However, the same issues that apply to Stratcell R also apply to Ethafoam HRC/MRC. Namely, it is difficult for consumers to recycle, and many see plastic as inherently unsustainable.

Ecozote is effectively recycled Plastazote, containing at least 30% recycled content.

This material is popular for high-performance applications (such as custom foam inserts for protective cases) rather than single-trip packaging.

It is ideal for long-term (i.e. reusable) storage and transport of high-value or fragile tools, products and equipment. In fact, Ecozote provides the highest level of protection of any sustainable foam packaging option. It is even possible to calculate the precise amount of foam required to protect specific products or items of equipment.

The issues associated with other recycled foam packaging – that it is difficult to recycle and has a poor reputation – apply here, too, but less so. As Plastazote is generally used over multiple trips/uses, the reusability minimises the environmental impact.

Ecozote is more expensive than Stratocell or Ethafoam in the short term. Still, over time, it becomes more cost-effective due to its reusability. The only other consideration is that Ecozote is not currently available in the same range of colours and densities/grades as non-recycled Plastazote.

So, with more sustainable foam materials available, are there applications where it would make sense for your business to change? And if so, which foam should you use for a specific type of packaging?

If your brand uses gift packs or presentation boxes for your products – such as for cosmetics, homeware, jewellery or other luxury products – your primary consideration is likely to be aesthetics.

As such, switching to a wood-based foam such as Fibrease can differentiate you from your competitors.

This benefit is particularly important when positioning your brand as a natural, organic or sustainable business.

Besides the ease of recycling (in kerbside collections for cardboard), Fibrease also offers enough longevity to be suited to value-added packaging your customers retain for longer-term storage.

The type of products that your business sells online determines the best kind of sustainable foam packaging for your packaging.

For gift-type products (cosmetics, jewellery, etc.), a wood foam insert can be ideal. For products that are not particularly fragile, foam-lined boxes using Fibrease are also a great option.

If, however, you are shipping higher-value items or those prone to damage, then the recycled foams are a better choice. Stratocell R and Ethfoam HRC are both well suited to shipping electronics such as phones, TVs, laptops, etc., as well as items such as glass, framed artwork and so on.

For industrial packaging applications, Stratcell or Ethfoam, even in recycled formats, provide suitable protection for shipping parts, assemblies and finished products/equipment.

Used to create end caps, oversized cuffs and collars, foam dunnage or even custom pallet collars, recycled foams can help to improve the sustainability of your transit packaging.

Suppose you are using a protective case to store or transport your equipment. In that case, Ecozote is your only real option in terms of sustainable foam options.

Perfect for enhancing waterproof cases, carry cases, aluminium containers and even sample cases for salespeople, Ecozote provides excellent cushioning protection. It is possible to cut the recesses to the precise shape of your equipment, further aiding protection whilst also making retrieving tools or parts much easier.

We have finally reached a point where there are several viable, sustainable foam packaging materials available.

However, the new materials can display subtle (and not-so-subtle) differences from their predecessors. As such, it is essential to assess all factors when considering switching to a new foam. Protection, costs, aesthetics, ease of recycling and how sustainable a material are all important points that must be considered.

With over 30 years of experience in foam conversion, including being at the forefront of new materials available, GWP can provide you with honest, impartial advice on whether switching would make sense for your business and how to handle this process.

If you would like help or advice on switching to sustainable foam packaging, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

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