What is Packing Peanuts?
Packing peanuts are a form of standard loose-fill packaging and cushioning foam used to ship sensitive items securely. They are also known as popcorn foams, foam peanuts, packing noodles, etc.
Generally, packing peanuts are made up of petroleum based-polystyrene and starch material. However, nowadays, biodegradable packing peanuts are also gaining traction.
Significance of Packing Peanuts in E-commerce Logistics
Packing peanuts serve as a self-correcting packing material when used in bulk because they move and tumble to fill air gaps. This safeguards objects with sharp edges or numerous corners. Here are some important features of packing peanuts:
- Environment-friendly: These days, brands are choosing to opt for environmentally-friendly packing peanuts made out of recyclable material. Hence, this is an eco-friendly option.
- Affordable: All kinds of packing peanuts are affordable. However, biodegradable packing peanuts are a cost-effective alternative to traditional ones.
- Versatile: Packing peanuts can be used to safeguard all kinds of shipments regardless of their size and fragility.
How Packing Peanuts Work
Packing peanuts work in the following way:
- The items to be shipped should be packed and placed in boxes.
- Packaging of the items should be done carefully with bubble wrap.
- The vacant space must be filled with packing peanuts to prevent collision between items.
Use Case With Packing Peanuts
Suppose an electronic manufacturer makes bulk orders of different items and wants to ship to different locations. As electronic items are fragile, manufacturers will use packing peanuts to block the movement between items during transport and shipping.
In this way, the use of packing peanuts is quite affordable, environment friendly, and safer for both manufacturer and customer.
