1. What Makes Packaging Eco Friendly

Eco friendly packaging focuses on three main principles: using recyclable materials, prioritising renewable or recycled content, and reducing long term environmental impact through design. On the Big Red Packaging site, the Eco Friendly Products category groups options that are either biodegradable, recyclable, paper based, or designed to break down faster than traditional plastics.

Within this range you will find:

• Padded Mailers made from unbleached paper fibres and recycled paper padding.
• Bio Fill void fill that breaks down when exposed to water.
• EnviroBubble bubble wrap designed to degrade more quickly in landfill.
• Corrugated cardboard rolls made from recyclable materials.
• Honeycomb mailers that use paper based honeycomb padding instead of plastic bubbles.
• Kraft paper rolls as a recyclable alternative to plastic wraps and void fills.

Together these products let you reduce or replace conventional plastics in key parts of the packing process without sacrificing protection.

2. Eco Friendly Void Fill and Cushioning

Void fill is often where the most visible plastic waste appears. Traditional polystyrene packing peanuts and non degradable foam create a long term landfill burden. Big Red’s eco range offers more sustainable alternatives that still protect products in transit.

2.1 Biodegradable Bio Fill

Bio Fill is a biodegradable packing peanut used to fill excess space in cartons. According to Big Red Packaging, this void fill breaks down when exposed to water, so it does not behave like traditional polystyrene that can persist for decades. It still performs the key jobs of a void fill product: locking items in place, absorbing shocks, and spreading impact across the carton.

Practical uses for Bio Fill include:

• Protecting fragile items such as ceramics or glassware.
• Filling air gaps around boxed electronics or accessories.
• Supporting corners and edges of heavier products inside a carton.

From a process perspective, cartons can be loaded and topped up with Bio Fill using the same workflow as standard packing peanuts, so the switch to a greener option is simple for warehouse teams.

2.2 Degradable EnviroBubble Bubble Wrap

Some products need continuous cushioning rather than loose fill. Big Red stocks EnviroBubble bubble wrap in the Eco Friendly Products section. EnviroBubble is described as a degradable bubble wrap that has been designed to break down more quickly in landfill while avoiding harmful residues. That gives businesses a way to keep the familiar protection benefits of bubble wrap while reducing long term plastic impact.

EnviroBubble is suited to:

• Wrapping individual items before placing them into cartons.
• Creating protective layers between stacked products.
• Wrapping sharp edged items that might otherwise pierce thin packaging.

3. Paper Based Wraps and Rolls

Paper based protection is highly attractive from a sustainability perspective because it usually comes from renewable pulp and is widely accepted in kerbside recycling streams across Australia.

3.1 Corrugated Cardboard Rolls

Corrugated cardboard rolls are made from recyclable materials and are themselves fully recyclable. These rolls provide a flexible alternative to single use plastic films. The fluted structure cushions surfaces, which makes them useful for wrapping furniture, protecting metal parts, or lining cartons.

Because the material is supplied on a roll, staff can cut only what they need for each item, which reduces waste and helps control costs.

3.2 Kraft Paper Rolls

Kraft paper rolls are one of the oldest and simplest forms of packaging still in use. Big Red notes that brown paper packaging is commonly used for parcel wrapping, masking vehicles for spray painting, and as a low cost void fill. Rolls are available in a wide range of widths and GSM weights, so you can match strength to your application.

In an eco friendly packaging strategy, kraft paper rolls are particularly useful because:

• They are paper based and recyclable through standard paper recycling streams.
• They can replace some uses of plastic films for wrapping and interior cushioning.
• They can be crumpled or honeycomb cut to provide extra shock absorption as void fill.

4. Eco Friendly Mailers and Envelopes

Mailers are often the first part of your packaging that customers see. Swapping plastic heavy bags for paper based, recyclable options is a high visibility sustainability win.

4.1 Paper Padded Mailers

Big Red’s Padded Mailers are constructed primarily from unbleached paper fibres and recycled paper padding. The design includes double folded corners and a double glued bottom flap to improve strength, plus a peel and seal closure for quick packing. Because these mailers use paper based padding rather than plastic bubbles, they help businesses cut their use of plastic while still offering strong impact protection for heavier items.

Typical contents for paper padded mailers include:

• Books and catalogues.
• Cosmetics and personal care products.
• Small boxed electronics or accessories.
• Food items and gifts that need a sturdy outer mailer.

4.2 Honeycomb Mailers

Honeycomb mailers use a paper based honeycomb padding instead of plastic bubbles. The honeycomb structure creates air pockets that cushion the contents, much like bubble wrap, but the entire mailer remains paper based and recyclable. Product descriptions for individual sizes make clear that these mailers are intended as a plastic free, eco conscious option while still providing strong protection for books, documents, and accessories.

This style of mailer is ideal if your brand emphasises plastic reduction or if you want packaging that feels premium and sustainable when opened by the customer.

5. Matching Eco Friendly Products To Your Use Cases

The most effective sustainable packaging setups do not use a single product in every situation. Instead they match the product to the job, while staying inside eco friendly materials wherever practical.

5.1 For Light to Medium Items

For items that are not extremely fragile, such as books, clothing, and boxed accessories:

• Use paper padded mailers or honeycomb mailers as your primary outer packaging.
• Use kraft paper rolls or offcut paper as minimal internal padding.

5.2 For Fragile or High Value Products

• Wrap individual products with EnviroBubble to provide full surface cushioning.
• Fill remaining carton space with Bio Fill so items cannot move during transit.
• For very heavy or oddly shaped items, use corrugated cardboard rolls as an outer wrap or shock absorbing liner.

5.3 For Oversized or Bulky Items

When shipping furniture, large components, or industrial items, plastic pallet wrap and foams are often standard. As you look to reduce plastic, corrugated rolls and heavy duty kraft paper can replace part of that plastic, especially for surface protection, layering, and edge cushioning.

6. Steps To Transition Your Warehouse To Eco Friendly Packaging

Moving to greener packaging does not have to be disruptive. You can phase changes in while using up existing stock.

1. Audit what you use today. List current void fills, wraps, and mailers, along with average monthly consumption and applications.
2. Identify quick swaps. Start with products that are easy to replace, such as switching from traditional packing peanuts to Bio Fill or from plastic bubble mailers to paper padded mailers.
3. Standardise paper based options. Introduce kraft paper rolls and corrugated cardboard rolls wherever you currently rely on plastic film for wrapping or surface protection.
4. Offer sustainable choices to customers. If you have a checkout or order form, you can highlight that your standard packaging uses products from the Eco Friendly Products range, or allow customers to opt in to the eco option explicitly.
5. Monitor feedback and damage rates. Track any changes in transit damage or customer comments. Products like honeycomb mailers and EnviroBubble are designed to provide robust protection, so you should be able to maintain or improve performance compared to conventional materials.