Paper over Plastic in Packaging

Reducing single-use plastic in packaging doesn’t have to mean doing everything at once. The smartest first step is identifying where plastic is being used, and where it doesn’t need to be.

Consider your use of air pillows, bubbles, or foam. These materials often show up in large volumes across industrial setups and typically go straight to landfill. In situations where the highest protection levels aren’t necessary, recycled kraft paper can be a practical alternative for void-fill and light cushioning, reducing plastic use while still protecting your products.

Other paper-based options are great swaps too. Acid-free options are available for longer-term storage needs where surface preservation matters. Newsprint, meanwhile, is a smooth, recycled material that works well as wrapping, separation layers, or crumpled void fill. And both are budget-friendly ways to ease into a lower-plastic packaging plan.

Recycled kraft paper isn’t just paper, it’s a tough, versatile material that flexes for a range of light-duty protective uses in your packaging line. While kraft paper is most used crumpled as void fill or for wrapping products inside boxes, it can also help reduce plastic by replacing foam or bubble wrap when high protection levels aren’t required.

For heavier-duty applications requiring structure and rigidity, corrugated cardboard is your go-to solution. We’ve helped customers create:

-Die-cut corrugated trays to protect robotics and electronics.

-Corrugated inserts and dividers for added strength and separation in transit.

-Layered corrugated pads to replace rigid plastic bases in palletized loads

-Corrugated cardboard dividers pair seamlessly with kraft paper wraps or void fill to protect parts in multi-item kits or boxed shipments, maintaining separation and reducing shifting.

Cutting single-use plastics in your packaging strategy doesn’t have to be all or nothing. By testing kraft and paper-based alternatives on select lines first, you can reduce plastic waste while maintaining protection and efficiency. Kraft and paper-based solutions can replace many plastics in your packaging while improving circularity and reducing landfill waste.

But it’s also important to recognize its limits: for heavy-duty, moisture-sensitive, or high-value shipments, engineered protective materials may still be necessary.

At Quick Pak Inc, we supply practical, scalable packaging transitions that meet your sustainability goals while keeping your products safe, whether you’re shipping robotics, sensitive equipment, or other high-value components.