Packaging Inserts: Foam, Pulp or Paperboard

Foam inserts are cut or moulded from polyethylene or EVA. They hold a product tightly, absorb shock well and look technical, which suits electronics and instruments. They are also the hardest of the three to recycle, and they add volume to the pack, which increases shipping cost on light goods.

Moulded pulp inserts are formed from recycled paper fibre into a shaped tray. They protect fragile items, nest tightly, and can be recycled in the same stream as the box. Tooling costs more than foam cutting, so moulded pulp packaging inserts make most sense above a few thousand units. Paperboard inserts are folded from card and are the cheapest and most recyclable option, but they offer less shock absorption than the other two.

Packaging Inserts and Product Damage Rates

Damage rates are driven by movement, not by the material alone. A product that can shift two centimetres inside the box will eventually arrive scratched. The fit is set by the insert cavity, which is why we ask for the product’s exact dimensions including any handle, cap or cable before cutting the tool.

A drop test is the fastest way to validate packaging inserts. We build the sample, drop it from the height the parcel network uses, and inspect the product and the box. If the corners deform or the product moves, we change the cavity tolerance or the board grade rather than adding more material.

Packaging Inserts for Gift, Cosmetic and Electronics

Gift and cosmetic packaging inserts are usually paperboard or a moulded pulp tray covered in a printed or fabric wrap. The goal is presentation: the product should sit at a fixed angle, with the brand mark visible the moment the lid lifts. Ribbon pull tabs and finger notches are the details that make the pack feel considered.

Electronics and instruments need a different approach. A foam or moulded pulp packaging insert with a defined cavity holds the device, and a secondary compartment carries the cable and the manual. For heavier items we test the insert under compression, not just drop, because a device that shifts under its own weight will still damage the pack.

Cost of Packaging Inserts at Low Volume

Tooling is the main cost difference at low volume. Foam can be cut from a digital file with no tool, so small runs are affordable. Moulded pulp needs a shaped tool, which is a one-off charge that only pays back on larger quantities. Paperboard inserts need a die but nothing more, which makes them the most accessible option for a first run.

Because we manufacture the box and the insert in the same factory, the insert is quoted together with the pack and the fit is guaranteed. That removes the usual problem of a box supplier and an insert supplier blaming each other when the product does not sit correctly.

How to Order Packaging Inserts with Your Box

Send the product dimensions, the weight and a photo or a 3D file if you have one. Tell us whether the pack is for retail, e-commerce or gifting, because that decides how much protection the packaging inserts must provide. We will propose a material and a cavity design, then build a sample.

Production of the insert runs alongside the box, so both arrive together. Typical lead time is 7-15 working days after sample approval. If you are unsure which of the packaging inserts suits your product, send the dimensions and we will recommend the material and show the cost for each option.

Lightweight packaging insert material: what weighs what

Inserts are often the heaviest single part of a small parcel. Once a box is small enough to travel by air or by courier, the carrier bills on weight, so the choice of lightweight packaging insert material matters as much as the choice of box. The four options below are the ones we quote most often, ordered from lightest to heaviest for the same footprint.

Paperboard frames are the lightest option and the cheapest to produce. A die-cut paperboard frame holds a flat or medium-weight item in place and adds very little to the parcel weight. Moulded pulp sits just above paperboard: it is fibre-based, recyclable in the same stream as the box, and can be formed into a shaped cavity that a folded frame cannot reach. EVA and PE foam are heavier for the same volume, but they are the only sensible choice when the product is fragile, heavy, or shaped so that it would move inside a paper cavity. Foam laminated to board is a middle path: a thin foam layer glued to a paperboard frame gives most of the cushioning at a fraction of the weight of a solid foam block.

Where we usually take weight out: replacing a solid foam block with a die-cut frame plus a thin foam pad, reducing cavity depth so the insert follows the product instead of surrounding it, and dropping a separate lid on the insert when the box lid already does that job. The one thing we will not do is trade protection for weight. If our test says the thinner option will not survive the parcel network, we will tell you that rather than quietly shipping a lighter insert.

To quote a lightweight option, send the product dimensions, its weight and how it will ship. We will come back with the lightest structure we are confident in, together with the cost of each alternative.

Related Pages and Sources

Related reading: custom rigid boxes · drawer boxes · magnetic gift boxes. External reference: Sustainable Packaging Coalition.

Questions about choosing a packaging insert

Foam, moulded pulp or folded card – which should I choose?

Folded card is the cheapest and works well for light, regular shapes. Moulded pulp gives the best protection-to-cost ratio for heavier items and reads as sustainable. Foam gives the tightest fit and the most premium feel, but it costs the most and is the hardest to recycle.

How much does an insert add to the unit cost?

It varies widely with material, thickness and complexity, which is why we quote it as a separate line rather than folding it into the box price. As a rule of thumb an insert is cheapest when it can be die-cut from the same board as the box.

Can an insert be added to a box design I already have?

Usually yes. If there is enough internal depth, the insert sits on the base and the outer box is unchanged. If there is not, we either deepen the box or reduce the insert thickness, and we will tell you which is cheaper before you decide.

Will an insert stop my product moving in transit?

It is the single most effective thing you can do. A box that fits your product loosely lets it shift and take impact on every drop. A well-fitted insert holds it in place, which is why we ask for your exact product dimensions and weight before recommending a structure.

Are moulded pulp inserts food-safe?

Moulded pulp is made from recycled paper fibre and is widely used for food-adjacent packaging, but food-contact suitability depends on the specific grade and any additives. If your product touches food directly, tell us and we will confirm what documentation the mill can supply.

Do inserts work for multi-piece sets?

They are the standard solution for them. A die-cut insert with separate cavities keeps every component in its own place, which stops parts rattling against each other and makes the unboxing read as deliberate rather than improvised.