What can foam packaging peanuts be used for?

If you are storing or transporting breakable items, it is always a good idea to use some foam packaging to keep the items safe. This is a well-known fact and it is no surprise why so many manufacturers use foam for packaging. However, there are other more unusual things that you can use foam packaging for and in this blog, we will mention some of the more interesting ones.

For starters, you can use foam packaging peanuts to apply wood glue and other similar materials. Once you are done, you can simply throw the foam peanuts away and it certainly saves time on having to clean brushes!

If you happen to be hanging a mirror, you can cut small pieces of foam and use glue to stick them on the corners of the frame in order to keep the painted walls safe. You can use this technique on picture frames too.

There are many people who own beanbag chairs and over time these chairs lose tend to lose their properties. If you have saggy beanbag chairs, simply open the cover and put as many foam peanuts as you need to restore the filling. These peanuts will cover the loss and make the sitting more comfortable.

Even your kids can find foam packaging peanuts useful. If you want to make their craft and play area more exciting, you can glue peanuts in the form of castles, mountains and create other interesting forms. This is a cheap and innovative way of creating a fun play area for your children.

Individuals who are fond of gardening will be glad to hear that foam is useful for this activity too. People usually put some peanuts in large pots and pour soil to increase drainage and make the large pots lightweight.

If you need to put a screw into a larger hole, you can fill the space by adding a foam peanut. Simply put the screw into the peanut and start screwing. The additional material is easy to remove and the screw will fit perfectly.

Finally, if you have dried flowers that should be placed in a slightly larger vase, add some foam peanuts to give them stability and increase their height.

Who would have though that foam packaging peanuts could be so useful?

The Benefits Of Using Foam Packaging

Most people are well-aware of the fact that good packaging is necessary for proper transportation of goods or if goods need to be stored for weeks or even months on end. The packaging is there to protect the product from external influences like adverse weather conditions and damage done by rats and other pests.
The reality is that there are an increasing number of people who acknowledge the fact that the product is strongly affected by the packaging materials. That’s why the companies that work in this industry are introducing eco-friendly solutions. The most successful companies are providing packaging products that will not only keep the product inside safe, but will also keep the environment safe. Waste disposal and waste processing is becoming a huge problem all over the world and a great way to reduce this problem is to design eco-friendly packaging products.

Packaging Material

Those who want to be confident that the goods that they have stored or transported will be protected all the time should definitely try foam packaging. One of the main benefits of using this type of packaging is the fact that it can be used for securing many different products. To put it simply, foam is essentially plastic filled with air, which means that it is very lightweight. This also means that it is quite simple to load and unload goods in foam packaging. But, what is even more important, is that this packaging won’t increase the weight of the product during transportation and, as we all know, the heavier the goods are, the more you will have to pay for transportation.

Furthermore, foam packaging can be produced in any shape you want. Foam packaging can be tailor-made to fit the form of the product. In addition, the party that will receive the product doesn’t have to worry about unpacking because it is quite easy to unpack foam-packaged products. This packaging also doesn’t create any mess after unpacking.

Foam packaging is available in two forms – hard and soft. Soft foam packaging is perfect for fragile items whereas hard foam packaging is suitable for more sturdy items.

To find out more about foam packaging and how it can benefit you, please contact us now.

What Is Polystyrene Insulation And How Can It Help

Proper insulation is a must for every modern home. There are many different materials and products on the market used for this purpose. Of course, each of them comes with specific advantages and disadvantages. According to many experts, using natural and/or recycled materials is the best way to insulate any home. One of the most popular products of this kind is polystyrene.

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How to Pack Delicate Items For Shipping

Shipping products has never been easier because the infrastructure around the world has significantly improved in the last decade. However, during this activity many items are damaged because of the inadequate packing. The following is a list of tips that will help you pack delicate items for shipping and keep them safe and sound.

To start with, if you are shipping hollow items you should use Styrofoam peanuts in them. Take some bubble wrap and wrap the item for extra protection. Just make sure that the bubbles are not popped. In case you are shipping items like soup bowls, saucers and different types of plates, you should pack them in the inner box right on their edges. Never arrange them at the top of one another. If you use the same box for these items, make sure to tape them well because without good tape they will move around while they are being shipped. Every side of the item must be cushioned well.

Another good tip is to wrap the box with bubble wrap after you pack the item/s securely in a box. After that, you should place the package in another box. The second box should be bigger by about 3 inches (on each side) compared to the first box. The rest of the space should be filled with paper or some other material that can be used as cushion.

Many postal services require the use of Styrofoam that is at least 4 inches thick (between the boxes)

Keep in mind that newspapers weigh more compared to Styrofoam which ultimately means higher shipping costs. In addition, generally speaking, Styrofoam provides better protection than newspapers.

Don’t forget that as a seller/sender, it is your responsibility to cover the cost of damage or completely replace the item in case it was damaged if it was shipped in an inappropriate way.

For more advice about the best packaging to use for shipping delicate items, please contact us now.

Trends in Polystyrene Foam Packaging

The global market for polystyrene and styrene is constantly growing. There are big business opportunities in the polystyrene market, due to the implementation of different innovations and the general public’s acceptance of this material. Polystyrene is used in almost all of the daily products we use, starting from our kitchen products to cars, and from packing different products to various applications in industry.

Rising demands of polystyrene in the developing countries are contributing to the global growth of the polystyrene market. Car tyres of higher performance are also made with polystyrene & styrene, so there is a large base and demand for the product in the most developed countries as well. With this in mind, we should expect the polystyrene business to certainly grow and expand in the following years. The demands for polystyrene are especially high in Asian countries like South Korea and China, as well as in the Middle East and North America.

However, this business brings some challenges and obstacles as well. Concerns about the pollution of the environment, reduction in car sales throughout Europe, currency conversion risks, as well as replacement of polystyrene with some other materials pose a big threat to this type of business. Trends in polystyrene foam packaging include increased urbanization and higher GDP, rationalization of capacities and usage of polystyrene in advanced technologies.

At Vertapak we are experts in all types of polystyrene foam packaging, so for more advice, please contact us now.

5 Advantages Of Temperature Controlled Polystyrene Boxes

Polystyrene is an aromatic polymer made from the styrene monomer and represents one of the most used plastic materials in the world. This is a thermoplastic material without a colour and is a solid and durable plastic with a certain level of flexibility. It can be recycled which means that it is eco-friendly. There are many ways in which manufacturers use polystyrene, but they can also be used for some more unusual reasons. We look at some of these below:

  1. Storing Frozen and Chilled Foods
    This is probably the most frequent way in which people use polystyrene boxes of this kind. They just put the frozen/chilled foods they purchase from the local store in the boxes and maintain their temperature.
  2. Boxes for Hens
    Of course, this doesn’t mean that polystyrene boxes are used only for this purpose. For instance, there are many people who use them as special nest boxes for their hens. Simply lay the box on the side and the hens will start using them as their nest. They provide ideal conditions for good nesting.
  3. Decoration
    Another great thing about these boxes is the fact that they can be used as decoration too. For instance, you can paint them with acrylic paint and place them in any room you want. Unleash your creativity and experiment with the boxes you have.
  4. Hot Box
    This is another advantage of polystyrene boxes related to meals. This time, you can use them to finish the cooking of your meal. Just put a straw in it and place your part cooked meal inside. This is a great way to finish the cooking in a natural way.
  5. Storing Biscuits
    If you don’t want the biscuits to fill the room with their scent, you can store them in these boxes. Of course, you can store other scented/aromatic foods too.

Of course, from a commercial packaging point of view, temperature controlled polystyrene boxes are incredibly useful. Contact Vertapak now for more information.

How To Pack Irregular Shaped Items For Delivery

Sending a package through the post is fairly simple, right? Wrap up a book or a box, and send it via a courier service or taking it to your local post office – easy!

But what about packing an oddly-shaped item? Suddenly it seems more complicated than it really is – read on to find out how to pack irregular shaped items for delivery.

Sending a Round Item

Packing a round item such as a ball, bottle, or poster (something that can potentially roll around in a van during transit) should be placed inside a sturdy cardboard box. The box should be large enough to fit both the item and cushioning, so that there is no free space for the item to move around in the packaging during delivery.

Wrap the item in a protective material such as bubble wrap. This will ensure the item will not become damaged before being delivered to the recipient.

Sending a Long Item

Longer items such as pool cues and fishing rods have to be handled and packaged differently to other items. This is because damage and breakage are more likely to occur in a longer item.

Packaging a long item works much in the same way as any other; it should be wrapped first in bubble wrap, making sure to wrap the ends and middle with additional packaging for extra stability. It should then be placed into a suitable box ready for delivering.

Sending a Fragile Item

All fragile items (whether big, small, or irregularly-shaped) should have a “fragile” stamp on the packaging – this won’t always ensure that the item will be safe during transit, as accidents can happen. Make sure any fragile item you send has as much packaging protection as possible – wrapped in protective packaging materials, such as bubble wrap and secured in a suitable box surrounded by additional cushioning materials. Extra care needed when sending any fragile item.

For more advice about packaging please contact Vertapak now.

How to Pack Fragile Items When Moving?

At Vertapak we know a lot about packaging products for industry but we also know a thing or two about packaging for domestic moves as well. Just for a change we thought we would share a few tips about how to pack your fragile items. When you decide to move from one place to another, the most tiring and time taking job is packing! And it gets even more time consuming when you have to pack delicate and fragile items. You should know the art of packing crystal and china porcelain items in the best way you can to avoid breakage. Here are a few points you need to know when you need to pack safe before moving.

Things you need

There a few things you need before you decide to wrap the items. These things include; newspapers, plastic bags, plastic boxes or cartons, shredded paper etc.

How To Do It?

  1. Try getting cartons or boxes that are durable and strong. Most fragile items are heavy and they require a solid box to pack them up in a safe way.
  2. Use shredded paper to put it all over in the box to pack the fragile item tight leaving no space for the item to move.
  3. Wrap the items with a newspaper. Avoid using a newspaper with China porcelain as it might leave an impression after you unwrap it. Instead use plain paper on such items.
  4. Start placing the flat items first. Align them in such a manner that they all fit well in the box. Avoid over filling the box or carton. This might make the box too weak and it might break being unable to withstand the weight of the items.
  5. Wrap smaller items in plastic and try fitting them in with the bigger ones.
  6. Crystal items need to be packed separately piece by piece to avoid the shredding of the edges and corners of these items.
  7. Secure the box by closing the lid properly and by taping it appropriately. Use markers to write ‘fragile’ on the boxes so that you know which box contains what.

We hope this has helped. For all your commercial packaging needs please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Creative Things You Can Do With Polystyrene Beads

Polystyrene beads are one of our most popular packaging materials but as well as being a fantastic packaging product its versatility doesn’t end there. There are also quite a few creative things you can do with polystyrene beads so for a bit of fun, we thought we would share some ideas with you:

Polystyrene Beads InsulationYou can use polystyrene beads at the bottom of a vase to display dried or artificial flowers. The beads will keep the stems steady and raise them to the height you want them to be at.

Use them as spacers to glue on to the back of wall mirrors or picture frames. This will help to protect painted walls.

Ever caught your hand on a sharp tool when rummaging around in your tool box? Most of us have. You can use polystyrene beads to cover the tips of sharp tools such as screwdrivers and Stanley blades when they are not being used so that they can be stored safely.

Polystyrene beads can be really good for spreading glue and other adhesives rather than using a brush. You can simply discard the beads after using them rather than having to clean the brush.

You know how easy it is to bash your fingers when you’re trying to drive home a nail with a tiny head into the wall? Well, polystyrene beads can help to protect your fingers. Simply push the tip of the nail through the polystyrene bead to steady it against the wall. Take a few hammer taps, remove the bead, and finish driving the nail into the wall.

If you have bean bag chairs that have lost their shape then you can use polystyrene beads to refill them.

You can use polystyrene beads to help fill up planters. This works well with shallow rooted plants, is good for drainage and also helps large pots to be lighter and easier to move around.

The next time you’ve got some polystyrene packaging material left over, why not get creative?

What Are Polystyrene Balls And How Are They Used?

To make polystyrene balls, tiny polymer molecules are infused with air to increase their size. These polymers are derived from petroleum by-products through a distillation and refining process. After they have been infused with air, the balls can either be joined together to form larger beads or moulded into different products such as foam building insulation or food packaging.

Polystyrene BallsThe polymers start off as molecules measuring only 0.02 inches (0.5 mm) in diameter. They are then put through a steam process that infuses air into the molecule and turns it into a larger polystyrene bead. If the beads are then placed into a mould or extruded through a die, they can be formed together to make much larger products.

The Advantages of Polystyrene Balls

A big advantage of polystyrene balls is that they are very lightweight, strong and durable. The most popular applications they are used for include acting as filler for pillows, cushions, beanbag chairs, pet beds, stuffed toys and animals.

They can also be moulded or extruded to make product packaging such as the hard foam casing that is often used to protect electronic equipment.

Other popular uses include disposable cups and plates, fast food containers for takeaway restaurants and when they are formed into dense sheets of foam they can also be used to insulate buildings.

Polystyrene balls acts as very effective wall cavity insulation in buildings. They provide excellent insulation and make the building more energy efficient. This helps to keep energy costs down and is an eco-friendly choice because it saves on fossil fuels.

In addition to being lightweight, strong and durable, polystyrene balls are also well known for being moisture resistant, compression resistance, shock absorbency and its thermal properties.

Polystyrene balls are very versatile so to find out more about how they can be used as a packaging solution please contact Vertapak now and speak to one of our specialist team.