Void Fill: How It Can Boost the Unboxing Experience

One way that your brand can stand out from a crowded field of competitors is to bring the unboxing experience to the next level — and you can do this through void fill. Here’s everything you need to know: 

What Is Void Fill?

Void fill essentially fills the void in a package to prevent items from moving around during transit. However, it does much more than that. Void fill comes in many different types and has many different purposes. 

Why Use Void Fill?

There’s more to void fill than meets the eye — here’s what you need to know: 

Provides Extra Protection

Most importantly, void fill provides extra protection to the products in a package. The shipping process can be rough and can easily result in damaged products. This is especially true if products aren’t properly packaged or protected. 

Thankfully, void fill can be used to provide an extra layer of protection so that your products can reach their destination in one piece. 

Boosts the Unboxing Experience

Void fill can also be used to boost the customer’s unboxing experience — something that’s increasingly important to customers across all industries. Your customers should think of your product as a present that they’re excited to open. 

Digging through the packing peanuts, opening the tissue paper, and popping out the product inserts is a lot of fun. 

Communicates Brand Priorities

Finally, void fill can be used to communicate your brand’s priorities. For example, using void fill shows that you care about your customer experience by ensuring that your products are safe and arrive in one piece. 

Using void fill can also portray the quality of the product when you use high-quality types. Finally, using environmentally-friendly, recyclable void fill communicates that your brand cares about the environment. 

What Are the Different Types of Void Fill to Choose From?

Now that you know a bit more about what void fill is and why it’s important, let’s talk about the seven different types of void fill to choose from:

1. Loose Fill

The first type of void fill is loose fill. Loose-fill can fill the empty spaces in packages with lightweight and non-fragile items that don’t require a ton of extra protection. Loose-fill comes in various forms and materials, including packing peanuts and shredded paper. 

Since this type of void fill is extremely flexible, you can use it in almost any type of packaging with almost any type of product. 

2. Paper

The second type of void fill is paper. Paper void fill has many different functions and forms. For example, you could use sheets of paper to wrap packaging items to provide extra protection during transit effectively. 

You could also crumble up thick pieces of paper to act as cushions for the products. Finally, you could use shredded raw paper as a loose void fill. 

3. Styrofoam

The third type of void fill is styrofoam. Styrofoam void fill comes in two different forms — loose void fill and packaging inserts. For instance, the ubiquitous packing peanuts are an example of loose styrofoam fill. 

Packaging inserts can also be made with styrofoam and are better able to cradle heavier or more fragile items that wouldn’t be well-suited for loose-fill. One downside of styrofoam is that it’s extremely difficult to recycle and, as such, isn’t a “green” void fill solution. 

4. Bubble Wrap

The fourth type of void fill is bubble wrap. Bubble wrap is always a customer favorite when it comes to void fill. After all, who doesn’t love popping the air bubbles on a roll of bubble wrap? 

Bubble wrap comes in long sheets or even pouches that you can use to protect particularly fragile items. However, bubble wrap isn’t very environmentally-friendly and cannot be easily recycled. 

5. Air Pillows

If you like the general idea of styrofoam and bubble wrap but are turned off by environmental concerns, you might want to consider air pillows as a more eco-friendly void-fill solution. Air pillows have become increasingly popular, especially within the eCommerce space. 

They are made of thin sheets of plastic pumped with air and sealed by heat to provide extra cushioning in packages. 

It’s both easy for companies to use air pillows in their packaging and for customers to get rid of them. All the customer needs to do is poke a hole in the air pillow, take the air out, and recycle it just like you would recycle a plastic grocery bag. 

6. Inserts

Another type of environmentally-friendly void fill is a packaging insert. Packaging inserts are made out of recyclable cardboard and customized to fit specific products comfortably. 

Packaging inserts can also improve the presentation of your packaging and boost the unboxing experience. 

7. Dividers

Similar to packaging inserts, use cardboard dividers to section off the space in a box for different products. 

For example, you could use dividers to create three distinct sections in a box and fill the remaining space with a type of loose-fill like shredded paper. 

How to Effectively Use Void Fill in Your Packaging

With all these different types of void fill to choose from, it can be hard to know the best type for your products and brand. However, choosing the right void fill is made easy when you follow these five steps: 

Step 1: Consider Your Products

When using void fill in your packaging, you first need to consider your products. Some types of void fill are better suited for lightweight non-fragile items, whereas others are better suited for heavier or more delicate items.

For example, if you have a lightweight product that doesn’t require much protection, like a hair accessory, you should consider loose fill. If you have a small and fragile product like a necklace that requires extra protection, you should consider bubble wrap. 

If you have a large, heavy, and fragile product, like a television, you should consider styrofoam inserts and dividers. Finally, if you have a high-quality or custom product, you should consider a higher quality and customized void fill like custom cardboard inserts. 

Step 2: Consider Your Customers

You also need to consider your customers when choosing the right type of void fill for your brand and products. Think about what your customers care about and what they will expect to see when they open the package. Do they care about environmentally-friendly packaging? Do they care about the quality of the packaging based on the price they’re paying? 

If they care about the environment, you should consider using eco-friendly types of void fill like air pillows, raw shredded paper, or cardboard inserts. 

If they care about the quality of the packaging, then you should consider using customized types of void fill like packaging inserts. 

Step 3: Consider Your Brand

While void fill needs to match the product type and customer expectations, it also needs to match your brand. For example, if you’re a brand that prides itself on being a “green” brand, you should go with environmentally-friendly void fill options. 

If you’re a brand that prioritizes a customer’s unboxing experience, then you should consider void fill options like branded tissue paper or custom inserts. 

Step 4: Consider Your Budget

Before you make your final void fill choices, you also need to consider your budget, as some types of void fills are more economical than others. If you’re looking to save money on void fill, you should consider loose-fill, paper, and air pillows options. 

Alternatively, if you don’t mind spending a bit more on void fill, then you may want to consider options like custom inserts and dividers. 

Step 5: Find the Right Packaging Provider

Finally, you need to find the right packaging provider to benefit from using void fill in your packaging. Look for a packaging provider that has experience in the industry. 

Also, look for a packaging provider that’s able to customize products to meet your unique needs. If you’re looking for a provider that checks all these boxes, look no further than BoxGenie. 

BoxGenie has decades of experience in the packaging industry working with companies large and small to meet their packaging needs — and we can do the same for you too. Reach out to our experts today for more information. 

Wrap Up on Void Fill

Hopefully, now you’re ready to fill your packages with void fill. Void fill does more than just protect the contents of your packages; it can also impress your customers before they even get their hands on your products. 

So help your brand stand out by using customized packaging inserts from BoxGenie. 

Sources:

How to Create an Unforgettable Unboxing Experience for Your Customers | Small Business Trends

What Is Void Fill? | LinkedIn Pulse

Most Consumers Want Sustainable Products and Packaging | Business News Daily