Month: June 2017

What on earth is lumpy mail we hear you cry? And why should how humpy it is have anything to do with me?

Lumpy mail is often used to describe something of a shaped curiosity that travels by mail. Frequently used as a marketing ploy by organisations who send branded merchandise to prospects or as part of a customer loyalty scheme.

Eagerness to open the unknown

The one element that all lumpy mail is characterised by is its rather knobbly or uneven shape and hence the reference to it being humpy.

Lumpy mail poses a problem for the sender in terms of how best to package the novelty item so that it doesn’t get damaged. Their nature sets them aside from a standard piece of mail in an envelope or a brightly printed postcard. Inquisitiveness will get the better of anyone, despite what some may argue, so lumpy mail always gets opened. The last thing any receiver wants to experience is the unveiling of a squashed or smashed trinket. Deflated disappointment will be felt and potential resentment towards the sender.

Vertapak packaging to the rescue

Some lumpy mail products could take the form of a less than uniquely branded gift such as a stress ball, mug or phone accessory. These items will already have specific packaging and protection in the form of polystyrene sheets or beads.

But if you have something truly special and extra lumpy then you may require tailored packaging to ensure safe arrival to a zealous beneficiary.

Polystyrene is lightweight and versatile. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) can be moulded to exact requirements to snugly secure even the humpiest of lumpy mail.

Through scientific calculation

It’s not rocket science but the process is rather ingenious. Using scanned images or product drawings, 3D polystyrene shapes can be designed using precise dimensions to contour any object.

The result is a perfectly formed protective layer or impact-absorbing cushion that is both lightweight and robust.

So when you next consider a marketing campaign or new product development that has the characteristic of lumpy mail – complete with hump or nodule – get in touch and we’ll develop a tailored packaging material to ensure the safe passage of your item.

Contact us on 01384 457730 for more details.

It’s probably safe to say that when you hear the word ‘polystyrene’ the last picture you imagine would be one of green fingers and anything to do with nature.

Polystyrene is not a material necessarily linked with the environment or the garden and when you think about its benefits you’d be more inclined to favour its protective qualities in providing a cushion for your latest Amazon purchase.

Polystyrene – your plants’ next best friend

We kid you not. Polystyrene is actually a cost effective alternative to pebbles and gravel for plant pot drainage.

We wouldn’t recommend using it when growing potted peppers or mint, or anything edible for that matter, just in case.

Before you pot a plant for the first time or when repotting, place a layer of small polystyrene chunks at the bottom of the pot, fill with soil and plant your flora as normal. Be careful not to use too much because there still needs to be some level of equilibrium – a top-heavy plant is no good to anyone when it starts to lean.

This method is particularly useful if your plants are large or the pots are bulky because the difference in weight between pebbles and polystyrene is actually quite a lot. Think of your back and practice positive weight-lifting techniques.

A hidden friend in the flowerbed

Moulded polystyrene trays or deep food packaging containers can be repurposed for DIY raised flowerbeds in your back garden.

Depending on the size of the trays or where you want your flowers to bloom you may need to devise some way of concealing the colour of the polystyrene by painting or covering it in some way. Carefully choosing a tumbling variety of flower will allow them to grow and cascade over the edges of the polystyrene.

Some trays will come prepared with their own ‘mini drainage’ system in the form of manufactured precision holes, especially if its original purpose was to package something that needed aerating. Failing that, use a small sharp object to prick a few holes at the bottom.

More surprising uses of polystyrene

We hope this short article has made for an interesting five-minute read. Please stay tuned for more surprising uses of polystyrene over the next few weeks.