What is void fill packaging?
Void fill is any material used to fill the empty space between your product and the walls of the box it ships in. Without it, products shift during transit, collide with the sides of the box, and arrive damaged. The right void fill keeps everything snug, absorbs shocks and prevents movement — so your customers open their parcels to find exactly what they ordered, in perfect condition.
The concept is simple, but choosing the right type of void fill for your business is where it gets interesting. Different materials suit different products, different volumes and different budgets. A gift company shipping fragile ceramics has very different needs from an electronics retailer shipping headphones, even though both need void fill.
Types of void fill packaging
There are five main categories of void fill packaging, each with distinct advantages and trade-offs. Here's an honest breakdown.
1. Air cushion packaging (air pillows, inflatable cushions)
Air cushion packaging uses a small machine to inflate rolls of lightweight film into air-filled pillows, quilts or tubes. These inflated cushions fill the voids in your boxes, absorbing impact and preventing products from moving. The film is stored flat on compact rolls and inflated on demand, which means minimal storage space compared to pre-made packaging materials.
Forever Green's air cushion films are made from 50% recycled content and are 100% recyclable. When inflated, the cushion is 99% air and just 1% material — making it one of the most resource-efficient packaging options available.
Best for: E-commerce businesses, fragile items, operations that need speed and consistency, businesses with limited storage space.
Cost: Low per-parcel cost after initial machine investment (see our shop for current pricing). One 500m roll replaces approximately 6 bags of loose fill.
View our air cushion machines and film →
2. Paper void fill
Paper void fill systems use dispensers to convert rolls of kraft or recycled paper into crumpled, padded or fan-folded protective material. Manual dispensers require no power — just pull the paper through and tear off what you need. Automatic dispensers use a foot pedal or button for faster output, and padded paper systems create 3D cushioned pads for superior protection of fragile items.
Paper void fill is 100% recyclable and biodegradable, making it a popular choice for businesses whose customers prioritise plastic-free packaging. It's also extremely versatile — you can scrunch it loosely for general void fill or wrap it tightly around products for cushioning.
Best for: Businesses wanting completely plastic-free packaging, gift and premium brands where presentation matters, fragile items that need wrapping.
Cost: Moderate per-parcel cost. See our shop for current dispenser pricing.
View our paper void fill systems →
3. Loose fill (packing peanuts, chips)
Loose fill — those familiar packing peanuts — is poured into a box to fill the gaps around your product. Modern versions are typically made from biodegradable starch rather than polystyrene, which is an improvement on the environmental front. However, loose fill has some well-known practical drawbacks: it's messy, it creates static, it requires significant storage space, it settles during transit (meaning the product can shift), and customers generally dislike dealing with it at the other end.
Best for: Irregularly shaped items where other void fill is impractical, very low-volume operations where a machine investment doesn't make sense.
Cost: Moderate, but storage costs and waste make the true cost higher than it appears.
4. Bubble wrap
Traditional bubble wrap provides good cushioning for fragile items. However, it's bulky to store, typically made from virgin plastic, and increasingly viewed negatively by environmentally conscious consumers. Paper-based bubble wrap alternatives are now available, offering similar cushioning from recyclable materials.
Best for: Surface wrapping of fragile items, though air cushion bubble film or paper alternatives now offer equivalent protection with better environmental credentials.
See our guide to bubble wrap alternatives →
5. Foam packaging
Foam-in-place and pre-cut foam inserts offer premium protection for high-value or extremely fragile items. However, they're expensive, not recyclable in most cases, and only practical for businesses shipping the same product repeatedly (since inserts are custom-shaped).
Best for: High-value electronics, medical devices, precision instruments — items where the cost of damage far exceeds the cost of premium packaging.
Quick material comparison summary
Air cushion Plastic-free: no (50% recycled). Storage space needed: very low (inflated on demand). Best for: typically high volume but Forever Green offer affordable machines and no minimum order quantities, good for fragile items, and a variety of packing needs.
Paper void fill Plastic-free: yes. Storage space needed: low to medium, can be bulky and heavy. Best for: plastic-free, premium presentation.
Loose fill Plastic-free: no (biodegradable options exist). Storage space needed: high. Best for: irregular shapes, low volume. Moderate to poor cushioning.
Bubble wrap Plastic-free: no. Storage space needed: high. Best for: surface wrapping only.
Foam packaging Plastic-free: no. Storage space needed: low (custom inserts). Best for: high-value, repeat-shape items
Here's a quick decision framework. Rather than picking a void fill type first, start with four questions about your operation:
1. How fragile are your products?
- Low fragility (clothing, soft goods, books): loose fill or minimal void fill is often enough — you're mainly preventing shifting, not absorbing shock.
- Moderate fragility (cosmetics, homewares, boxed goods): air cushions or paper void fill both work well, giving cushioning without excessive material.
- High fragility (ceramics, glass, electronics): air cushion bubble/quilt film or foam packaging, since these give the most consistent impact protection.
2. What's your parcel volume?
- Low volume (a handful to a few dozen a day): a manual paper dispenser or even pre-made loose fill can make sense — a machine investment may not pay back quickly enough.
- Medium to high volume (dozens to hundreds a day): air cushion or automatic paper systems earn their keep here, since on-demand production scales with speed and consistency that manual methods can't match.
- Very high volume: air cushions typically win on speed and cost per parcel; foam is rarely practical at this scale unless every parcel is the same product.
3. How much storage space do you have?
- Limited space (small unit, spare room, garage): air cushion film is the clear winner — a roll that fits in a shoebox inflates into the equivalent of several bulky bags of loose fill or rolls of bubble wrap.
- Reasonable space available: paper void fill and loose fill become realistic, though both still need more storage per parcel than air cushion film.
4. How varied are your products and order types?
- Highly varied (different shapes, sizes, and fragility levels in the same operation): air cushions are the most flexible — the same machine produces pillows, quilts, or tubes depending on what's needed, without switching material types.
- Fairly consistent (similar products shipped repeatedly): foam inserts become viable here, since the upfront cost of custom shaping pays off when it's reused for the same product line, and paper systems are easier to standardise into a repeatable process.
Putting it together
Most businesses land in one of a few common patterns:
- High volume, varied products, limited space → air cushions, used flexibly across product lines.
- Lower volume, plastic-free priority, presentation matters → paper void fill, especially for gift or premium brands.
- High volume, single consistent product, high value → foam inserts, despite the higher upfront cost.
- Low volume, irregular shapes, no rush to invest in a machine → loose fill, as a practical stopgap.
Still not sure? That's exactly what we're here for. Our free "try before you buy" service lets you send us a typical order — we'll repack it using the best materials and methods, and send it back with a full comparison report. No obligation, no sales pressure. Request your free sample pack →
Common questions
Can I use more than one type of void fill in the same operation? Yes — many businesses use air cushions for general high-volume void fill and reserve paper or foam for specific product lines that need extra care or a plastic-free finish. A Forever Green air cushion machine can produce different shaped and sized materials.
What's the cheapest void fill option overall? Cheapest per-unit isn't always cheapest overall. Loose fill looks inexpensive but costs more in storage space and waste than the price suggests, and gets used quickly, while air cushions are typically the lowest true cost per parcel, plus lower storage cost and material efficiency.
How much void fill do I actually need per box? Enough that the product can't move when the box is shaken gently. Overfilling wastes material; underfilling risks damage — our Try Before You Buy and comparison service is designed to get this right without guesswork.