When deciding of sending delicate gift items to our loved ones across the globe, we often are faced with the inevitable question of the item getting damaged in transit. So possibly what options can we have to ensure the delivery in pristine state? Packaging surely plays a vital part in protecting the mailers. When talking about packaging, bubble wrap is the most effective and safe way of sending your fragile shipments to any desired destination in immaculate state.
Design and Structure
Bubble wrap is made of transparent plastic which is quite flexible in nature specially used for packing of fragile and breakable items. The bubbles are evenly spaced with protruding air-filled hemispheres which provides adequate cushioning for delicate items. Owing to its perfect designing bubble wrap acts as an ideal mailer protector.
They are available in different sizes suiting your requirement or depending upon the size and shape of the shipment. Bubble wrap can also be chosen as per the level of cushioning required for packing of sensitive items. They can be multi layered too which particularly helps in protecting fragile and delicate gifts or items.
The actual width of the bubble wrap may vary from being as small as ¼ inch in diameter to as huge as 1 inch or more to sustain added shock during transit. Apart from the size of air bubble offering protection, the material of these bubble wrap itself can also be chosen for additional protection. While shipping some sensitive electronic items or parts a special type of bubble wrap can be used which is made of anti-static plastic and disperses static charges.
Utility & Availability:
You may not just use any bubble paper to protect your shipment while in transit. Depending upon their varied quality and structure you should choose the appropriate bubble mailing envelope for the parcel. To send across any general item which may be delicate in nature but not exactly breakable you can use any simple bubble paper. These items are usually flat in shape and can easily be protected with a single layered bubble wrap i.e. antique coins, baseball cards, DVDs, books etc.
However shipments which are fragile or breakable i.e. glass, ceramic, earthen wares etc, should be wrapped in multi layered bubble wrap and then possible be placed in bubble wrap envelope. Things like antique, clocks, lamps or other expensive and fragile decorative items would be better suited in a box after being wrapped in bubble paper.
Bubble wrap can commonly be found on your local post office, stationary stores, UPS stores etc. Another most effective and easy way of attaining these mailer protectors is through online selling portals. There are many websites which sell a variety of mailing envelopes for the shipping of your important and delicate items. You can choose from the small bubble wrap or big bubble wrap options depending on your requirement. You may also have the good chance of availing discounts on bulk purchase on online portals.
By Duke Mathew
bubble bags are a fairly new innovation and very popular with all who are involved with the display, storage and delivery of fine artwork. Creating beautiful artwork is not the only consideration when you are in a gallery or commercial setting with your art , because there are a myriad of issues that can occur when moving or storing your valuable pieces. This situation calls for protective gallery packaging that shields the artwork, is easy to use and allows for clear viewing of the artwork, no small order to achieve. There are, however, custom bubble wrap bags that suit all of these purposes, creating some of the best gallery packaging available from fine art picture frame supply sources.
One of the issues that artists and gallery owners face is finding suitable protection for framed artwork. The corners of frames are stiff, and can easily tear flimsy plastic bags. They also require a bag with the depth to accommodate the width of a filled picture frame. This is where large bubble wrap bags are superior to other lesser packaging options. These custom bubble bags are crafted so that the bottom of the bag expands a bit, making it easy to slide a framed piece of artwork inside. Better bubble bags also give you the option of having a side or top opening, making it even easier to insert the artwork into the bag safely. Custom bubble wrap bags also come with ziplock closures, which help to ensure that your artwork stays safely inside the bag, rather than slipping out and potentially meeting with disaster.
In addition, bubble wrap bags make a great choice if you need to store artwork. Because quality bubble bags are clear, it makes it possible to store a large number of artwork pieces, and not have to unpack everything to determine which piece is which, because you can easily see the artwork’s surface inside the bubble wrap bags. Large bubble wrap bags can also be reused, saving money on storage costs while providing a more environmentally friendly option than disposable bags.
Artists and galleries also use large bubble wrap bags when they need to ship artwork to clients. It is imperative that your artwork arrive at a buyer’s home in just as good condition as when they saw and purchased it at your gallery. This is when these bags truly shine, because they are not only attractive but also provide a great deal of protection for your fine artwork, even if it gets handled fairly roughly. You can increase the protection even further by adding cardboard corners to the frame before placing it inside the bag.
You will find a selection of sizes and shapes of custom bubble wrap bags available from fine art picture frame suppliers online.
Crownhill Packaging Ltd: Your One-Stop Shop For bubble wrap And Packaging Supplies
Bubble Cushioning [also popularly known as Bubble Wrap,air bubble film,air bubble sheet] offers great protection against shock, vibration, and abrasion for the most sensitive and fragile materials. The lightweight, clean, and flexible nature of bubble cushioning makes it a good alternative to loose-fill packaging. If you are looking for a bubble cushioning/Bubble Wrap supplier in the Greater Toronto Area, look no further than Crownhill Packaging Ltd, a Brampton, Ontario-based supplier of packaging solutions and packaging supplies.
As one of the top suppliers of bubble cushioning and bubble wrap servicing clients in Toronto [GTA], Ontario and Canada, Crownhill Packaging Ltd offers a wide selection of bubble cushioning and Sealed Air bubble wrap. These include anti-static bubble cushioning which protects sensitive products against electrostatic discharge, and adhesive bubble cushioning which adheres to a wide variety of surfaces without leaving a residue. Anti-static bubble cushioning can be used for electronics, medical equipment and computer parts while the adhesive can be used for auto parts, general equipment, appliances, furniture, and household goods.
Other varieties include cohesive bubble cushioning, bubble bags, and bubble-in-a-box. If you’re looking for multi-layered protection, you can opt for laminates and third web, which come with triple-layer construction and offer premium product cushioning. These resist tears and punctures and can be used for moving applications. Crownhill Packaging provides complete solutions that include product delivery across Canada and US.
In addition to this diverse range of bubble cushioning, Crownhill Packaging Ltd customers can create their own bubble cushioning on demand or convert existing bubble cushioning to suit specific needs. If bubble cushioning isn’t your preferred packaging material, Crownhill Packaging Ltd offers a selection of top-of-the-line cushioned mailers, foam, tape, and corrugate among others.
However, Crownhill Packaging’s expertise doesn’t end with bubble cushioning, bubble wrap and packaging materials. In addition to providing top-of-the-line bubble cushioning and bubble wrap, the Brampton, Ontario- based packager offers complete packaging solutions and packaging supplies. These include POP displays, poly-bagging, shipping, gluing, distribution, and product assembly services. Many of these packaging solutions can be customized to meet your specific needs.
Crownhill Packaging Ltd also boasts a team of distribution experts, who can assist in matters such as shipping and inventory control. By working in collaboration with some of the world’s major manufacturers, Crownhill Packaging Ltd does everything in its power to ensure that the products and services that it offers are of the highest quality.
In addition, Crownhill Packaging Ltd offers shipping and warehousing facilities in Brampton, Ontario, Collingwood, Ontario, and Chicago, Illinois that are second to none. Its 208,000 sq. ft. Brampton facility comes with 14 loading docks, and the latest technology for tracking and inventory control. In Chicago and Collingwood, Crownhill Packaging Ltd has a 50,000 sq. ft. facility. The Chicago facility comes with four loading docks, and two drive-through loading docks.
Crownhill Packaging Ltd has demonstrated its commitment to the environment by continually providing environmentally-friendly products. They are certified by the Rainforest Alliance and are a certified chain-of-custody supplier to the Forest Stewardship Council.
In Canada, you can find and purchase all of Crownhill Packaging quality packaging products and packaging supplies including bubble cushioning and bubble wrap at the following retail stores: Grand and Toy, Wal-Mart, Staples Advantage, Basics Office Products, Lyreco and many others. If you are a US company and need to order bubble cushioning, bubble wrap or other packaging supplies you can access the Crownhill Packaging Ltd online catalogue and order through the Crownhill online ordering system, visit crownhillpackaging.com/our-facilities/Chicago.
* Bubble Wrap, is a registered trademark of Sealed Air and describes Sealed Air air cellular cushioning material. Crownhill Packaging Ltd. is a proud sales and distribution partner for Sealed Air products throughout Canada.
For bubble cushioning and bubble wrap product orders, wholesale orders, general packaging supplies product inquiries or more information on how you can grow your business and optimize your profits through the services of a world-class packaging company, visit crownhillpackaging.
Buying a product these days often means you are getting more than you bargained for.
Unwrapping your latest purchase can leave the room strewn with the cardboard, plastic and packing foam waste that kept your newest purchase protected until it reached the safety of your home.
That may soon change, however, with a new product that can be used as compost when its job as packaging is done.
Alternative to packaging foam
Packing foam is useful for only a few weeks or months before being tossed into the trash.
But after being thrown away, this petroleum-based material can survive for thousands of years in landfills. Now, there is an alternative to this wasteful practice: a new type of packing material that can be absorbed back into nature when its job is done.
Ecovative Design
Ecocradle can be used as compost when it is no longer needed for packaging.
Eben Bayer is the CEO and cofounder of Ecovative Design, which manufactures Ecocradle, a natural packing alternative.
“We source agricultural waste from around the world. So we have a regionalized or localized manufacturing process. If you’re in the United States in the South you might use rice husks. In upstate New York where we’re based we use things like buckwheat husks.”
Bayer explains that agricultural waste products become the bulk, or main body, of the packing material, which is held together by mushroom roots, or mycelium.
“So we take these seed husks, we wet them, we cook them, we put them in a mold. We then add a liquid slurry of these mushroom cells or mycelium. And then over five days, indoors, in the dark, they self-assemble, they grow into packaging parts.”
Saving even more energy
Ecovative Design is also working on a new sterilization process that’s key to the growth of the mushroom cells.
Bayer’s business partner, Gavin McIntyre, developed a process that depends entirely on natural plant compounds that inhibit microbial growth. The compounds include oils from cinnamon-bark, thyme, oregano and lemongrass – and create an aroma that McIntyre likens to pizza. The process will reduce the amount of energy used by about one-fifth, meaning new versions of Ecocradle will use only one-fortieth the energy required to manufacture traditional foam packing materials.
This low-energy process will also free Ecovative Design from the traditional large scale manufacturing operations required by most packing companies. Instead, it hopes to locate its factories as close as possible to both its agricultural suppliers and its end-users. Bayer says this localized plan will save money and help the environment by reducing expensive transportation costs.
Happy customers
Steelcase, a global leader in the office furniture industry, recently switched from petroleum-based foam packaging to Ecocradle.
Dennis Carlson works with packaging design and development at Steelcase.
“What we found is that the Ecocradle materials that were being developed had very similar performance characteristics and, additionally, a very similar price-point.”
Carlson says this switch was inspired by the company’s desire to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly. It has already generated some positive feedback from their customers.
“People find it very interesting that we’ve gone this route. It [Ecocradle] decomposes in 30-45 days which is a really big deal, and something that they haven’t been able to do with the previous foams. And they like the fact that they can either put it into a landfill and it’ll break down or throw it in their garden.”
Just the beginning
But Ecovative Design has its eye on replacing products in other markets, as well.
For example, Bayer says the company is developing a product called Greensulate to provide an environmentally-friendly alternative to foam or fiberglass insulation.
“Ecovative is not just a packaging company. Packaging is the first application for our material because it’s a really terrible idea to use a product that lasts 10,000 years for a couple weeks. So our vision is not just to help revolutionize the packaging market, not just to revolutionize the building market, but we really want to become one of the leaders in sustainable materials in this century.”
In the process, Bayer says, his company hopes to inspire others to do business in a way that values a healthy planet at least as much as healthy profits.
Wouldn’t you like to make some sweet cards like these to send to friends and family for Rosh HaShana? There’s still plenty of time if you get started now, and you can even send them to your loved ones across the seas or where ever they may be! All you need is some colored paper, some bubble wrap, a bit of white paint and a glue stick. Oh, and of course the desire to create something special. I know you can do it!
I have to say, I don’t always love everything I create, but there’s just something about these cards that makes me happy! Though it’s preferable to make cards with card stock, these were actually made with paper from a pack of colored laser printer paper that I just picked up at my not so local Office Depot. Love these colors, and it’s truly amazing how a new package of paper can inspire someone like myself who tries to steer away from purchasing craft supplies except where necessary. Suffice it to say, you’ll be seeing lots more of this color combination in the upcoming projects using paper!
How to Print With Bubble Wrap:
It’s really so easy and with quick and wonderful results!
- Apply not watery gouche or acrylic paint to a piece of bubble wrap with either a large paint brush or a dense sponge.
- Gently place painted side of bubble wrap on paper, burnish with your fingers, and lift off to view the results. The quickest printing I’ve ever done with predictable results!
- And as a side note, I’ve found that when using colored paper, white paint always looks the best. You know, fresh, clean interesting. Experiment if you like, but I think you’ll see what I mean unless you really hit on some great color combo, which is possible but may take lots of experimenting.
The temptation to pop the bubbles in bubble wrap packaging is almost irresistible to most people, but just how do they make this protective plastic sheet? Well, it was the creation of two engineers, Marc Chavannes and Alfred Fielding, which came about entirely by accident. Originally the proposed use for the plastic protector was as plastic wallpaper; however it was quickly noted that the product was more suited to cushioning products within packaging. After the discovery of bubble wrap the pair of engineers founded the Sealed Air Corporation in 1960.
The product starts life as polyethylene resin which is melted down and formed into two sheets of clear plastic film. One of the sheets is then wrapped around a drum which has holes punched into it and the suction is then consequently applied drawing the film into the holes to create bubbles. The second layer of film is then placed onto the first and laminated on to in order to trap the bubbles which have been created. There is a process which ensures that the air cannot escape which occurs during this process; however it is a trade secret of the Sealed Air Corporation.
Bubble wrap is available in several sizes and forms from large heavy duty rolls for large objects to small bubble bags for protecting lighter objects. The diameter of the bubbles ranges from 6mm to 25mm and the height of the bubbles can be anywhere up to 44mm.
The uses for bubble wrap when protecting products are endless and its invention has lead to many variations of the product. One of the most common ways is to protect an item during transit using a bubble bag. Consumers can Buy Bubble Bags in order to protect glass objects being scratched or damaged amongst other things. Another variation of bubble wrap is adhesive bubble wrap which has a sticky side which will stick to almost any surfaces. The obvious use for this is to line the inside of packages in order to protect the contents.
In summary bubble wrap was an entirely accidental discovery which has greatly benefitted the packaging industry and has solved the problem of damaged goods. It is perhaps one of the most effect methods of keeping products safe in transit, and lets face it once it arrives it is always fun to play with it and pop the bubbles.
| If you’re looking for ways to protect your items adhesive bubble wrap is best, or for glass items try the innovative Bubble bag. |
In the late 1950s, two inventors, Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, were attempting to create a plastic, textured wallpaper. Their invention of sheets of plastic with air trapped between was unsuccessful as wallpaper, but when the two hit upon the idea of using it for packing material, they hit paydirt. Fielding and Chavannes founded the Sealed Air Corporation in 1960, and began to produce bubble wrap for a mass market. Now the Sealed Air Corporation has over 100 manufacturing facilities in 52 countries and brought in revenues last year of nearly $5 billion. But, Bubble Wrap isn’t just a packing material. Here are some innovative ways to use Bubble Wrap around your house: lay it on the floor under windows and inside doors as an inexpensive burglar alarm; wrap gifts in it; bubble side down, use it as a coaster or placemat; and, of course — pop it! On the last Monday in January, we celebrate Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. Happy 50th birthday, Bubble Wrap! Thanks for the popping good time!
American Samoa, a U.S. territory, will soon make it illegal for stores to hand out plastic shopping bags — a step that California rejected earlier this week.
Gov. Togiola Tulafono, who signed the ban into law last week, says it will help protect American Samoa’s natural beauty, reports the Associated Press. Its supporters say plastic bags, taking up to 1,000 year to decompose, pollute the ocean and entangle sea life.
The law, which takes effect Feb. 23, exempts shopping bags produced entirely from non-petroleum-based biodegradable plastic and compostable plastic bags.
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Other countries, including South Africa, Ireland, China and Bangladesh, have discouraged plastic bag use through fees or bans, according to the AP. But in the United States, such action has occurred only at the local level.
Washington, D.C., passed the first-of-its-kind law in the United States to charge shoppers for disposable plastic and paper bags as a way to cut back on trash and clean up the Anacostia River.
San Francisco became the first U.S. city to ban plastic grocery bags in 2007 and several other California cities — Palo Alto, Malibu, Fairfax — have since followed. North Carolina banned single-use plastic and non-recyclable bags last year in the Outer Banks. In January, Washington, D.C., began requiring grocery stores to charge a nickel for disposable grocery bags.
On Tuesday night, the California Senate voted down a plastic bag ban that had passed the Assembly in June and drew praise from GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bill, fiercely opposed by the plastic bag manufacturing industry, would have barred grocery stores, large pharmacies and retailers such as Target and Walmart that sell food from offering plastic bags starting in 2012.
In a bid to pressure state lawmakers to approve California’s proposed plastic bag ban, officials from Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach and L.A. County today announced they are ready to do it on their own if they have to.
AB 1998 must pass out of the state senate by the end of August and if approved — Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would gladly sign it into law — it would ban single-use plastic and other bags from many types of retail stores including supermarkets. Customers who do not bring their own bags would be able to buy, for at least five cents, a paper one that is made from 40% post-consumer recycled content.
Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach tried to ban plastic bags in years past, but the plastics industry brought them to court, claiming the municipalities needed to do an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to analyze what the effects of banning the bags on the environment would be. A judge agreed, the cities did their EIRs, but held off on instituting bans because AB 1998 was looking promising.
“We’re still cautiously optimistic that we’ll get the votes in the senate,” said Matthew King of Heal the Bay, which is sponsoring the state bill. He noted that an estimated quarter of the world’s population, including places like China, Bangladesh, Mexico City, is plastic bag free.
“Other communities have proven that eliminating plastic bags is sensible,” said Santa Monica Councilmember Terry O’Day. “Sacramento should pass AB 1998, and the Governor should sign it, but if that doesn’t happen, Santa Monica will move ahead with its ban.”
Santa Monica has tentatively scheduled their plastic bag ban for discussion on its October 12th meeting.
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