Void fill — protective packaging material used to fill the space between a product and its outer box — is one of those purchases that often gets standardised on whatever the first supplier recommended and never properly reviewed. Here's a comparison of the main options.
Air Pillows
Air cushion packaging (air pillows or air pouches, inflated on-demand from film rolls using a small machine) is widely used in e-commerce and distribution. It's lightweight, provides good cushioning, and the on-demand inflation means you store rolls of flat film rather than pre-inflated product.
Best for: lightweight to medium-weight goods, products that need cushioning without compression, general e-commerce applications at medium to high volume.
Advantages: low weight (doesn't add significantly to parcel weight), takes up minimal storage space before inflation, adjustable volume per box, relatively low cost per unit at scale.
Disadvantages: the inflation machine is a capital cost (or rental), film rolls are generally plastic and recyclability varies by material, not suitable for very heavy goods or products needing rigid support.
Sustainability note: PE air pillow film is technically recyclable but not accepted in kerbside recycling. It needs to go to carrier bag/flexible film collection points. Some brands offer paper-based alternatives or biodegradable film options at higher cost.
Paper Fill and Crumple Paper
Crumpled kraft paper — either pre-cut sheets or dispensed from a roll — is the most versatile void fill material for most applications. It provides good cushioning, can be shaped around irregular products, and is genuinely kerbside recyclable.
Best for: fragile goods, irregular shapes, products needing cushioning and support, retailers or brands with explicit sustainability commitments.
Advantages: widely accepted as recyclable, works for a broad product range, no equipment needed (for pre-cut sheets), generally perceived positively by consumers opening parcels.
Disadvantages: heavier than air fill (adds to parcel weight and potentially carrier cost), requires more storage space, paper crumple paper machines are a cost if you're dispensing from roll.
Foam and Foam-in-Place
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam and moulded foam inserts provide rigid, protective encapsulation for fragile or high-value products.
Best for: very fragile goods, products with specific geometry that benefits from a custom-moulded fit, high-value items where damage risk justifies higher packaging cost.
Disadvantages: EPS is difficult to recycle (very low density, not accepted kerbside), cost per unit is higher, significant storage volume, not suitable for most e-commerce at scale.
Foam-in-place systems (two-component foam dispensed directly into the box around the product) can be effective for very irregular or fragile items but require expensive equipment and specialist materials.
Tissue Paper and Crêpe Paper
Tissue paper doesn't provide meaningful cushioning but is used for presentation purposes — wrapping products to present them attractively when a box is opened.
Best for: retail or DTC brands where unboxing experience is a brand touchpoint.
This is a customer experience choice, not a product protection choice. It should supplement protective void fill where needed, not replace it.
Making the Right Choice
The right void fill is determined by:
- Product fragility — what drop height or compression can the product survive without packaging?
- Product weight — heavier products need more robust support
- Volume — at high volume, the unit economics of different materials diverge significantly
- Parcel carrier pricing — if your carrier uses dimensional weight pricing, heavy fill materials add direct cost
- Sustainability commitments — if your brand makes recyclable packaging claims, the fill inside the box needs to match
For most standard e-commerce applications, paper fill or air pillows are the right choices. For fragile or high-value goods, foam or custom inserts justify the extra cost. For brands where unboxing matters, tissue supplement for presentation plus paper fill for protection is a common combination.