A plastic-free wrap that cushions as well as light bubble wrap.
Typical price
£18 to £28
Why we pick it
- Typical price
- £18 to £28
- Works with
Stretches into a cushioned mesh and goes in the paper recycling. Choose it if low-plastic packaging is part of your shop's pitch.
Our approved alternative for the same job: Bubble wrap, 500 mm x 100 m
The guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Who honeycomb paper suits
Honeycomb paper wrap suits you if your buyers notice plastic: handmade, vintage and homeware sellers on Etsy, Depop and Vinted. It also suits you if you want every part of the parcel to go in a paper recycling bin.
Your stock type sets how fast you use a roll more than your order count does. A 100 m roll covers a light seller for months, and a busy candle or ceramics shop can work through one in a few weeks.
Slit pattern, tissue interleave and roll width
Buy kraft paper die-cut into a slit pattern, sold with a matching tissue interleave. The tissue stops the open mesh catching on itself and gives a cleaner look round the item.
Match the roll width to what you wrap. Rolls of around 380 to 500 mm cover mugs, jars and small boxed goods; very narrow rolls suit cosmetics. Use a dispenser stand: the paper opens into its cushioning cells only when you pull it against resistance.
If your shop makes plastic-free claims, buy rolls with FSC or recycled-content marks and keep the claim to what the listing states.
Stretching and wrapping
Pull a length from the dispenser so the paper stretches into a 3D mesh, then wrap the item two or three times. The cells lock into each other, so the wrap holds with little tape.
Finish with a strip of paper tape if you want the parcel fully paper. Then set the wrapped item in a box with scrunched kraft or more honeycomb around it.
Mount the roll at the end of the table with a dispenser or a rod and two brackets. Pulled loose by hand, it stays flat and protects far less.
Bubble wrap or tissue instead
Bubble wrap, 500 mm x 100 m costs less per metre and cushions heavy items better. Pick it for electronics, heavy glass and anything over a couple of kilos.
Acid-free tissue paper, 100 sheets suits clothing and soft goods that need presentation more than protection. Use Honeycomb paper wrap, 100 m roll with Recyclable paper mailing bags, 100 pack for a parcel that contains no plastic at all.
Kit for this step
Cost per metre and weight limits
At £18 to £28 for 100 m, each metre costs around 18p to 28p, a little more than bubble wrap at our price bands. A mug or candle jar takes about a metre.
Honeycomb paper protects light and medium items well, but it compresses under a heavy load. For a cast iron pan or a stack of plates, add a double-wall box and more fill, or use bubble wrap for the inner layer.
Common mistakes
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
- Feed the paper through a dispenser. Pulled off the roll without tension, it stays flat and the cells stay closed.
- One layer round a heavy item bottoms out; use three wraps or switch to bubble wrap.
- Plastic tape breaks a plastic-free claim, so finish with paper tape.
- If you make a compostable claim you can't prove, buyers can complain, so state only what the supplier lists.
- Damp paper goes limp, so store the roll somewhere dry.
Setups that use it
Complete kits this product is part of.
Guides that use it
Step-by-step help where this product does a job.
Questions
Does honeycomb paper protect as well as bubble wrap?
For light and medium items, it does a similar job. Bubble wrap still cushions heavy pieces better per layer.
Do I need a dispenser?
Yes. The paper opens into cushioning cells only when you pull it under tension.
Can buyers put it in the recycling?
Plain kraft honeycomb goes in household paper recycling in most areas. Buyers should check their council's rules.
What is the tissue layer for?
It stops the mesh snagging and gives the wrapped item a neater finish.
How much do I use per order?
About a metre for a mug or small jar, wrapped two or three times. Larger homeware takes more.
Alternatives
Other picks for the same job, cheaper and pricier.
Grip seal bags, 100 × 150 mm, 100 pack
A coiled charger, a set of earrings or a bag of spare game pieces fits a 100 × 150 mm grip seal bag, and you can write the stock code on the white panel. Pick a larger size if you bag laptop power bricks or whole controllers.
Typical price£4 to £8
See on AmazonAcid-free tissue paper, 100 sheets
A sheet of tissue costs pennies and changes how a £15 vintage shirt feels on arrival. Buyers mention it in reviews.
Typical price£7 to £11
See on AmazonCoin capsules, assorted sizes, 100 pack
A fingerprint on a coin's surface can knock its value. Capsules show both faces on your stream and protect the coin in the post.
Typical price£8 to £14
See on AmazonBubble wrap, 500 mm x 100 m
A long roll costs several times less per metre than the small packs sold in shops.
Typical price£10 to £15
See on Amazon