Packing peanuts are small pieces of loose fill that you pour around an item so it cannot move inside the box. The material you will meet most is polystyrene foam, sold as foam peanuts or styrofoam peanuts, and the other is a starch-based fill made from plant material.
Pack Solution sells one loose fill, EcoFlo packing peanuts in 5 cubic feet bags, and no polystyrene foam. Foam and EcoFlo are compared below, along with how much fill a box takes and when honeycomb paper or air cushion film does the job better.
In This Guide
- Quick Picks: Packing Peanuts and Other Void Fill
- What Are Packing Peanuts Used For?
- Foam Peanuts vs Starch-Based Loose Fill
- Packing Noodles, Packing Chips and Other Names
- EcoFlo Packing Peanuts: Colours and Bag Size
- How Much Loose Fill Does a Box Need?
- How to Pack a Box With Loose Fill
- Peanuts, Honeycomb Paper or Air Cushion Film?
- Loose Fill Packing Checklist
- Wrap-Up: Choosing Loose Fill
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Picks: Packing Peanuts and Other Void Fill
For loose fill, choose EcoFlo packing peanuts. If you would rather wrap than fill, honeycomb paper rolls are the paper option. A machine-fed line can run air cushion film rolls instead.
Best for filling gaps around irregular items
EcoFlo Packing Peanuts
Loose void fill that you pour into the box. The manufacturer describes EcoFlo as biodegradable.
- 5 cubic feet bags
- White EcoFlo, Blue EcoFlo Ultra or Mixed Colour EcoFlo
- Pour in, no machine needed
From £13.00 ex VAT (£15.60 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for wrapping bottles, glass and gifts
Honeycomb Paper Rolls
80gsm paper that expands into a cushioning honeycomb pattern when stretched, as a paper based alternative to bubble wrap.
- 250m rolls
- 395mm or 500mm wide
- 80gsm paper
From £28.00 ex VAT (£33.60 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for high volume void fill
Air Cushion Film Rolls
Flat film that an air cushion machine inflates into pillows or bubble cushioning as you pack.
- Air Pillow makes 100 x 200mm pillows
- Air Cushion is 400 x 330mm, 7 bubbles per row
- 300m rolls, needs an air cushion machine
From £20.00 ex VAT (£24.00 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productKey Facts
- EcoFlo packing peanuts come in 5 cubic feet bags, in White EcoFlo, Blue EcoFlo Ultra and Mixed Colour EcoFlo.
- The manufacturer describes EcoFlo as biodegradable.
- We do not stock polystyrene foam peanuts.
- Honeycomb Paper Rolls are 80gsm, 250m long, in 395mm and 500mm widths.
- Air Cushion Film Rolls are 300m rolls: Air Pillow makes 100 x 200mm pillows, and Air Cushion is 400 x 330mm with 7 bubbles per row.
- EcoFlo is sold by volume, not by count, and the minimum order is one bag.
What Are Packing Peanuts Used For?
Packing peanuts are loose void fill. You pour them into a box and they settle around the product, so it stops shifting and knocking against the box walls.
Because the pieces flow into any gap, they suit irregular shaped items that are awkward to wrap neatly, such as a lamp base, a toy or a bundle of small parts. They are light, so a full box adds little to the postage weight. They are a common choice for sellers posting breakables on eBay, Etsy and Vinted.
Loose fill holds an item in place but gives it no wrapping of its own. For glass, ceramics or anything with a delicate surface, wrap the item first in small bubble wrap or paper, then let the peanuts fill the space around the wrapped item.
There are jobs where loose fill is the wrong tool. A heavy, dense item can sink through the fill and end up against the bottom of the box, and a very small item can get lost in a large box. For those, use a box that fits closely and wrap the item, then use the fill only to top up the gaps. Flat items such as framed prints or sheets of glass usually do better with rigid protection than with fill.
Foam Peanuts vs Starch-Based Loose Fill
Foam peanuts are made from expanded polystyrene. Starch-based pieces are made from plant starch instead. Both fill space in a box, so the choice comes down to the material, how it behaves in your warehouse and what you can say about it to customers.
A single foam peanut is very light, which is why a bag of them adds so little to a parcel. Foam also tends to cling to hands, benches and clothing through static, which makes a packing bench untidy. Many starch-based pieces dissolve in water, so a bag needs to stay dry.
| Point | Foam peanuts | Starch-based pieces |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Expanded polystyrene | Plant starch |
| Weight | Very light | Light |
| Handling | Can cling through static | Keep dry, as many dissolve in water |
| In our range | Not stocked | EcoFlo is sold, but its product page does not state the material |
Good to know: Styrofoam is a brand name for a particular foam made by Dow, used mainly for insulation. Most people use it as a loose term for polystyrene packing pieces. EcoFlo's product page does not say what the peanuts are made from, so we make no claim about it beyond what the manufacturer says: it describes EcoFlo as biodegradable.
Whether you are packing styrofoam peanuts or EcoFlo, the method in the packing steps below is the same.
Packing Noodles, Packing Chips and Other Names
Packing noodles and packing chips are other names for loose fill. They describe small pieces you pour or tip into a box to fill gaps.
Packing pellets and popcorn packing material belong to the same family. The shape changes from one maker to the next, and some pieces look like curls, tubes or puffs rather than a peanut. They all do one job, which is to take up the empty space around the product.
We do not sell noodles, chips or pellets as separate items. The loose fill range is EcoFlo peanuts, so if you see a listing elsewhere for a different shape, you are comparing it with a product we do not stock.
EcoFlo Packing Peanuts: Colours and Bag Size
EcoFlo packing peanuts come in 5 cubic feet bags, and you pick between three colours. All three are supplied loose, and the minimum order is one bag.
| Version | Bag size | Look |
|---|---|---|
| White EcoFlo | 5 cubic feet of loose fill | Plain, clean look inside the box |
| Blue EcoFlo Ultra | 5 cubic feet of loose fill | The Ultra version, in blue |
| Mixed Colour EcoFlo | 5 cubic feet of loose fill | Bright, mixed look for gift and retail orders |
White suits plain trade parcels where the customer just wants the goods to arrive in one piece. Mixed colour is the one to pick for gift and retail orders, where the opening of the box is part of the sale.
The price per bag falls automatically as you order more, and every order comes with a VAT invoice.
How Much Loose Fill Does a Box Need?
A box needs enough fill to leave no gap, so the item does not move when you shake the closed box. Because EcoFlo is sold by volume, it helps to know the space you are filling.
Multiply the internal length, width and height of the box in inches. A 12 x 12 x 12" box holds 1,728 cubic inches, which is one cubic foot. A 5 cubic feet bag holds 8,640 cubic inches, so one bag would fill five empty boxes of that size. The item takes up room inside, so in practice a bag goes a little further.
Treat that as a ceiling, since loose fill settles as it moves in transit. Top up until nothing shifts, and fill slightly above the rim before you close the flaps. If you pack often, the volume tiers on the product page lower the price per bag as you order more.
How to Pack a Box With Loose Fill
Pour a layer of fill into the bottom, set the item on it, then fill around and over the item until nothing moves. Our full walkthrough of the whole box is in how to pack a box for shipping.
- Choose a box with room around the item on every side.
- Wrap fragile items first, then pour a layer of peanuts into the bottom of the box.
- Place the item on the layer, away from the walls.
- Fill around the sides and over the top until the item is fully surrounded.
- Close the flaps and gently shake the box. If you feel movement, open it and add more.
- Seal the box with tape along every seam.
Good to know: A very large box wastes fill and gives the contents more room to move. Pick the closest size up from the item.
Peanuts, Honeycomb Paper or Air Cushion Film?
Pick peanuts when the shape is awkward and you want to pour fill. Pick honeycomb paper to wrap the item, and air cushion film if you pack many parcels a day and have a machine.
| Option | Format and sizes | What you need | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| EcoFlo packing peanuts | 5 cubic feet bags in White EcoFlo, Blue EcoFlo Ultra or Mixed Colour EcoFlo | Nothing, you pour them | Irregular shaped items and gaps |
| Honeycomb Paper Rolls | 80gsm paper, 250m rolls, 395mm or 500mm wide | Stretch the paper as you wrap | Bottles, glass, cosmetics and gifts |
| Air Cushion Film Rolls | 300m rolls: Air Pillow 100 x 200mm, or Air Cushion 400 x 330mm with 7 bubbles per row | An air cushion machine to inflate it | High volume void fill and wrapping |
Honeycomb paper expands into a cushioning honeycomb pattern when you stretch it, which makes it a paper based alternative to bubble wrap. Our comparison of honeycomb paper and bubble wrap covers that choice in detail. For plain brown paper used as scrunched fill, see kraft paper rolls for wrapping and void fill.
Air cushion film stays flat on the roll until the machine inflates it, so a 300m roll takes far less storage space than ready-made fill. That helps in a small unit. You do need the machine, so peanuts are the easier starting point for a seller with a modest daily parcel count.
The three also work together. A bottle can be wrapped in honeycomb paper first, set in the middle of a box, and then surrounded with peanuts so the wrapped bottle cannot slide. The wrap protects the surface and the fill stops the movement.
Loose Fill Packing Checklist
- Measure the internal size of the box and work out its volume in cubic inches.
- Choose the colour of EcoFlo that suits the order: White, Blue EcoFlo Ultra or Mixed Colour.
- Wrap fragile items before they go into the fill.
- Pour a layer first, then place the item away from the walls.
- Fill around and over the item until nothing moves when you shake the closed box.
- Keep unused bags dry and closed between orders.
- Seal every seam and check the label is flat.
- Consider honeycomb paper or air cushion film for items that need wrapping rather than filling.
Wrap-Up: Choosing Loose Fill
EcoFlo packing peanuts cover the loose fill job in a 5 cubic feet bag, and honeycomb paper and air cushion film cover wrapping. The whole protective packaging collection sits in one place if you want to compare them with bubble wrap.
Orders placed by 2pm Monday to Friday are dispatched the same working day from Manchester, and Royal Mail Tracked 48 is free with no minimum. Unused items can be returned within 30 days of delivery, as set out in the refund policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are foam peanuts made of?
Foam peanuts are made from expanded polystyrene, and the pieces are often sold as styrofoam peanuts. We do not sell them. The loose fill it stocks is EcoFlo packing peanuts, in 5 cubic feet bags, in White EcoFlo, Blue EcoFlo Ultra or Mixed Colour EcoFlo.
Are EcoFlo packing peanuts biodegradable?
The manufacturer describes EcoFlo packing peanuts as biodegradable, and the product is sold under the EcoFlo Biodegradable name. The product page does not list the material, so we make no further claim about how they break down.
How many EcoFlo packing peanuts are in a bag?
Each bag holds 5 cubic feet of EcoFlo, which is 8,640 cubic inches. It is sold by volume, not by count, so there is no piece number to quote. The minimum order is one bag, and the price per bag falls as you order more.
Are packing noodles the same as packing peanuts?
Packing noodles and packing peanuts are both loose fill that you pour around an item. The shape differs, but the job is the same. Our loose fill is EcoFlo peanuts, and we do not stock noodles, packing chips or pellets.
How do I use packing peanuts in a box?
Pour a layer into the bottom of the box, place the item, then fill around and over it until nothing moves when you gently shake the closed box. Wrap fragile items first. Seal the box with tape along every seam.
What is a good alternative to popcorn packing material?
Honeycomb paper is a paper based alternative: Honeycomb Paper Rolls are 80gsm on 250m rolls, in 395mm and 500mm widths, and expand when stretched. Air Cushion Film Rolls are 300m rolls that an air cushion machine inflates, suited to high volume packing.
