We’re great fans of bubble wrap and loose fill packing peanuts, but there’s no getting away from the fact that they’re very bulky items. Bulky to transport and bulky to store. And when you think about what they’re mostly made up of, between us we’re committing a lot of lorry space and warehouse space to nothing but air.

And moving and storing that air costs money!

But there is an alternative…well, in fact there are three!

Alternative 1: Air Cushion Packaging
We talked in some detail in an earlier blog (click here to see it in full) about the substantial cash savings you could make switching from bubble wrap or packing peanuts to air cushion packing. Those calculations were based on packing space per pound – but let’s go into more depth about just how much room we’re wasting storing that air.

One bag of loose fill has a volume of 15 cubic feet. A pack of bubble wrap is about the same.

One air cushion machine plus one box of air cushion film have a combined volume of about 1.76 cubic feet.

So, storing the bubble or peanuts uses over 88% more of your air (aka storage space) than the machine and single box of film (which, once inflated, will give you more packing space than either!).

Alternative 2: Dubblebubble
If you’re committed to using bubble wrap for your protective packaging (after all, if it ain’t broke…), then have you tried using our space saving 200-metre rolls of Dubblebubble?

These have been cleverly designed so that, when rolled up for storage, all the bubbles interlock. That makes the roll more compact – in fact, it takes up the same amount of space as a standard 100-metre roll. A quick play on the calculator tells me that’s using 50% less of your storage space!

And if that weren’t enough reason to consider switching, it costs about 20% less per metre as well!

Alternative 3: Get outer packaging better suited to your product
Even better than either of the above is trying to reduce your need for protective packaging by sourcing cardboard boxes that leave you with less space to fill with the stuff in the first place.

That could either mean letting us help you find a more suitable option from our range of over 1000 in-stock choices or making use of our quick and cost effective custom box service.

My Plan to Cut Air

So convinced are we that these ideas could save you filling up huge amounts of your valuable storage space with unnecessary air, that we’re going to give you the opportunity to try them out and save even more money in the process.

All you have to do is call us on 01332 821200 by 5pm on Friday 31 January and tell us about ‘My Plan To Cut Air’, and we’ll give you 10% OFF any product new to you that we recommend or £100 free film for every Air Cushion Machine bought*.

So why not stop paying for excess air and cut out the bloating effect on your storage and shipping costs? Our phones are open 8.30am till 5pm Monday-Friday.

*10% OFF products we recommend to reduce air in your packaging and not previously purchased. Includes first orders on stock or custom packaging we recommend under this offer. Maximum discount £100. Offer ends 31.01.14

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Rick Stanford

Rick has been a salesman in the packaging supplies business for more than thirty years. Now semi-retired, he divides his time between tending his allotment in north Devon, getting depressed at the continuing travails of his home-town football club Macclesfield Town, and sharing his considerable experience and knowledge with the readers of the Davpack blog. Davpack

Latest posts by Rick Stanford (see all)

• Davpack’s Top Tips for Secure Strapping - 7th September 2022
• The Paper vs Plastic Bubble Wrap Debate - 10th August 2022
• Save Money with Royal Mail Sized Packaging - 8th July 2022