Suitable packaging protection should enable right-sized packaging, be easy to handle, and provide reliable protection against impacts, pressure, vibration, and temperature fluctuations. Key criteria include mechanical resilience, protective performance, process compatibility, and cost per unit.

Effective packaging protection pursues several goals at the same time: minimizing transport damage and returns, reducing labor and material usage, and lowering costs and CO₂ emissions.

Alongside numerous plastic solutions such as packing peanuts and bubble wrap, paper-based packaging solutions have also become well established. These include corrugated cardboard, crumpled paper, paper cushioning, paper cushions such as Karopacks, and paper-based air cushioning such as Karoair. Paper-based thermal insulation solutions such as Karotherm are also well established in the market.  

To determine the right packaging protection for a product, clear criteria should first be defined. These criteria help identify the most suitable material.

The relevant metric is not only the annual demand for packaging protection, but also the dynamics of consumption. Production volumes, fluctuations in sales, and safety stock levels determine the optimal quantity range of packaging protection required throughout the year.

To respond quickly to temporary fluctuations, flexible and responsive solutions are a clear advantage. This includes close coordination with packaging protection suppliers as well as the option to produce packaging protection in-house.

KAROPACK offers structured and customized models for demand-based supply of packaging protection. In addition, with the Karocycler we provide an in-house production system that enables companies to produce their own packaging protection flexibly and according to their needs.

When it comes to packaging protection for shipping food products, strict regulatory requirements such as those for EU food contact materials are usually not the primary concern. This is because the food products themselves must already be properly packaged in compliance with regulations before shipping.

In the shipping and logistics of food products, the main priority is protecting goods from impacts, pressure, vibration, and shocks while maintaining a stable temperature.

With the Karotherm product line, KAROPACK offers packaging protection that reduces both mechanical and thermal influences while using resource-efficient paper insulation. KAarotherm allows products to be kept at a stable temperature for around 48 hours with paper-based insulation.  

The protective performance of packaging protection results from the combination of outer packaging, cushioning, and product fixation. Corrugated cardboard or air cushioning films made from plastic—or preferably paper-based solutions such as Karoair—absorb surface loads, while cushioning materials such as Karopacks reduce localized pressure and impact energy.  

Depending on the required level of product protection, different protective materials should therefore be combined.

KAROPACK develops packaging solutions based on load profiles from transport and handling. Karoair provides surface-level cushioning, while Karopacks absorb pressure and impact. Combined, Karoair and Karopacks offer comprehensive packaging protection.

Temperature resistance always depends on space and time: How much space do the goods take up and for how long should the temperature be maintained?Another factor is the mode of transport. Insulated packaging must keep defined temperature ranges stable over specified periods. For this purpose, cooling agents are often used that can reliably maintain very low temperatures over extended periods.

More sustainable alternatives are also available and increasingly well established. Cardboard-based insulation solutions such as Karotherm are designed for chilled or temperature-controlled transport and can replace conventional EPS solutions. Karotherm products combine a water-based coolant with paper-based insulation that helps maintain stable temperatures.

Paper cushioning, plastic air cushions, and polystyrene fillers influence the total shipping weight in different ways. While plastic air cushions and polystyrene are generally lighter at first glance, the actual final weight largely depends on the amount of material required.

When viewed overall, paper often proves to be a surprisingly cost-effective option, as material costs, procurement costs, storage requirements, and CO₂ charges must also be taken into account.

Paper and cardboard solutions usually offer a favorable balance of cost, weight, and stability. Solutions available in variable sizes are particularly advantageous, as they allow the amount of material used to be adapted to the specific application and kept to a minimum. This reduces costs across the entire process.

KAROPACK therefore offers all products in different sizes and formats and also enables the combination of various protective materials to achieve optimal protection with the lowest possible weight. 

Sustainable packaging protection is often a competitive advantage compared to conventional packaging solutions. Key factors include product life cycles, the use of recycled and recyclable materials, and short supply chains. Paper plays a central role in this context, as paper-based packaging is widely accepted as an industry standard.

In addition, systems that are flexible and can be integrated with other processes or materials used within a company offer further advantages.

KAROPACK therefore offers the Karocycler, a production system that enables companies to convert their own used paper and cardboard materials into packaging cushions. The KAROPACK cycle also allows companies to have their own waste materials processed into packaging cushions by partner companies.

Which filling material is best suited for cushioning during shipping depends on several factors. If cushioning can be used flexibly and integrated into automated processes, while procurement, storage, and disposal costs remain low, this indicates that the material is well suited for product protection.

Paper-based product protection performs particularly well in this respect, as it effectively combines cost efficiency with functionality and flexibility.

KAROPACK offers filling material that can be processed both manually and in automated packaging processes. In addition, different KAROPACK products can be combined for effective product protection. With the Karocycler, companies can also produce the required packaging protection themselves in a flexible and cost-efficient way.