Understanding What is Dunnage Paper, Its Types, and Its Uses

When it comes to protecting products from any type of damage during transit, the importance of dunnage paper can’t be overstated. Dunnage is a robust material that adds padding features to packaging and protects items packed inside it.

However, most product suppliers and shipping services are unaware of the uses and types of dunnage. In this blog, we will explore everything you need to know about what is dunnage, its types, and uses. Read on!

What Is a Dunnage Paper?

Dunnage is a padding material often placed inside packaging to protect products. It can be anything that offers a cushioning effect to products inside the boxes. Some common examples are bubble wraps, void fillers, shredded papers, and corrugated dunnage paper.

When it comes to dunnage paper, they are plant-based cushioning materials with high biodegradability and recyclability. The best examples of dunnage papers are corrugated cardboard or shredded kraft paper.

Types of Dunnage You Must Know

Endless types of dunnage materials are out there to meet various needs. Some most commonly used dunnage materials are listed here:

Corrugated Paper

Corrugated packaging material is primarily made of kraft paper with multiple layers. This material has corrugated flutes sandwiched between two plain kraft surfaces. The corrugated flutes provide a cushioning effect to products packed inside custom corrugated boxes.

Corrugated paper is widely used as a dunnage paper for shipping endless products. This type of dunnage goes perfectly with fragile items like crockery, glass perfume bottles, wine bottles, etc. One of the best things about corrugated paper is that it offers remarkable shock-absorbing features without occupying much space in the boxes.

Bubble Wraps

When it comes to safeguarding rigid yet fragile items, the importance of bubble wrap can’t be overlooked. These plastic-based dunnage materials help ship products with utmost safety. One of the primary reasons for their popularity is their inexpensiveness. They can be purchased at a minimal price that can save your budget.

Bubble wraps are made of plain polythene sheets with countless bubble blisters that offer a cushioning effect. These blisters pop under heavy shock yet protect the products they are wrapping. Such dunnage materials are also easy to wrap around your products.

Air Pillows

When it comes to protecting heavy-duty yet fragile items, you can go for air pillows instead of bubble wrap. The reason is that they are more robust than ordinary bubble blisters and offer insulating benefits along with cushioning effects.

Air pillows are long and inflated pillows of plastic that can be wrapped around products for ultimate protection. Such pillows are often used to wrap middle and small-sized products. 

Custom Foams

When it comes to high-end dunnage materials, you can opt for custom foams. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) are most commonly used to create cushioning foams for packaging. Both these foams can be tailored to the shapes of your liking so that you can perfectly fit your products inside them.  

Custom foams are not only a dunnage material but also an elegant unboxing feature. Buyers receiving products embedded in elegant foams will be impressed by your presentation. These foams are excellent to potently pack luxurious products like watches, jewelry, perfumes, etc.

Peanut Packing Fillers

When it comes to shipping commonly used products, peanut fillers are a perfect dunnage material. Whether you are shipping PR boxes, apparel boxes, or shoe packaging boxes, peanut fillers protect such items from scratches and bumps.

These fillers also enhance the unboxing experience during a PR campaign that can fascinate your prospects. One of the best things about peanut fillers is that they are available at a minimal price. So, you don’t have to pay bank-breaking prices to buy these fillers.

Uses of Dunnage Paper

Now that we know different types of dunnage, let’s explore the uses of these materials. Here are some common reasons why dunnage papers are widely used in the packaging industry:

Damage Protectors

Protecting items from any type of damage is essential for the suppliers. To do so, robust yet cushioning dunnage materials are essential. By leveraging the above-mentioned dunnage materials, you can keep your items safe from any type of damage throughout the transit.

For example, when it comes to protecting prestigious items, smooth surfaces of a dunnage avoid friction-related damages to the products.

Water Resistant Materials

One of the most unavoidable benefits of dunnage materials is their water-resistant properties. These materials resist water and protect products packed inside them from damage due to water. For instance, water-resistant dunnage protects electronics from getting rusted or sparking due to humidity.

Shock Absorbers

If you want to ship fragile items to your buyers without breaking them, you can leverage shock shock-absorbing properties of dunnage materials. Whether you go for air pillows or foam inserts for boxes, both absorb shocks produced by the bumps and knocks of shipping. That’s how they keep your products safe and deliver them to your customers in pristine condition.

Paper Dunnage Machine

Paper dunnage is created and filled inside the product packaging with the help of paper dunnage machines. These machines can be automated or manual. The primary purpose of these machines is to create void paper fillers from plain sheets and fill them inside the boxes.

Where to Get Custom Dunnage Paper Packaging?

When it comes to buying quality dunnage paper packaging, the importance of a reputable supplier can’t be overstated. You can partner with a reliable packaging partner like OXO Packaging in this regard. We offer endless customizations so that you can create dunnage paper of your choice.

Along with the cushioning materials, we can also create custom boxes and bags for elegant and safe packaging of your items. Partnering with us brings you various benefits like free design support, free shipping, and fast turnaround

Conclusion

Product protection matters a lot when it comes to shipping items to customers or retail stores. You can go for dunnage paper for shipping your items with ultimate safety. We hope the above guide will provide you with the information you need about what is dunnage paper.