Traditional protective packaging materials used to protect fragile items during transit include polystyrene, pulp cardboard, bubble wrap, polyethylene and even newspaper. Until relatively recently these forms of packaging were the only viable, cost effective solutions when sending out goods prone to damage during transit including glass bottles, toner cartridges and electronic items.
Unfortunately these materials all have significant drawbacks, especially as we move to a more environmentally conscious world with increased transportation and storage costs.
