For e-commerce and industrial shippers, this isn't a minor detail. 73% of American consumers have returned an item because of shipping damage, according to a December 2025 Shorr survey of over 2,000 US consumers. Get void fill wrong, and you're paying for it twice: once in replacement costs, once in lost customer trust.
This guide breaks down the major types of void fill, how they differ, and how to pick the right one for your products.
TL;DR
- Void fill occupies empty space in packages to stop shifting and reduce transit damage
- Main types: air pillows, bubble wrap, foam, packing peanuts, and paper-based fillers
- The right choice hinges on fragility, budget, sustainability goals, and shipping volume
- Test your packaging and adjust based on real shipping outcomes, not guesswork
What Is Void Fill?
Void fill is any material placed inside a box or crate to fill leftover space and keep the contents from moving during transit. Think of it as the difference between a product rattling loose in an oversized box and one held snugly in place.
It's a distinct concept from cushioning or protective packaging, which wraps directly around a product to absorb shock. Void fill, by contrast, fills the gaps around the product rather than wrapping the product itself — though materials like bubble wrap can do both jobs at once.
This isn't just an e-commerce concern. Food manufacturers, industrial shippers, and anyone moving goods on pallets or in crates rely on some form of void fill to keep cartons stable throughout the supply chain.
Why Is Void Fill Important in Shipping and Packaging?
Skip adequate void fill, and the consequences show up fast:
- Product movement inside the box, leading to scuffs, dents, or breakage
- Crushed goods when boxes shift during stacking or transit
- Higher damage claims and more customer service headaches
- Increased returns, which eat directly into margin
The financial exposure adds up quickly. Amcor research estimates that replacing a damaged product can cost up to 17 times the original shipping cost. That figure includes the item itself, remanufacturing, repackaging, and labor (Amcor, 2020). That's before you count the customer who never orders from you again.
For businesses shipping on pallets or in crates, void fill doesn't work alone. It's one piece of a larger stability puzzle that includes proper pallet selection, correct load sizing, and crate design. A perfectly filled carton sitting on a poorly matched pallet can still shift, tip, or crush during handling.
Types of Void Fill Materials
Void fill isn't one-size-fits-all. The right choice depends on product weight, fragility, shape, and your sustainability goals. In practice, many shippers combine two types — say, paper for bulk fill and air pillows for the last few gaps.
Here's how the major categories stack up.
| Material | Best for | Protection level | Eco profile | |----------|----------|------------------||-------------| | Air pillows | Large voids, high-volume lines | Light cushioning | Plastic; recycled-content options available | | Bubble wrap | Fragile or odd-shaped items | Strong shock absorption | Plastic; reusable in-house | | Foam sheets/rolls | Heavy, delicate, surface-sensitive goods | Highest density cushioning | Generally less eco-friendly | | Packing peanuts | Irregular gaps, lightweight products | Light fill, shape-conforming | Foam or compostable starch | | Kraft & crinkle paper | Budget and sustainability-focused shippers | Moderate | Recyclable / biodegradable |
Air Pillows
Air pillows are inflatable plastic film pouches, typically inflated on demand using a dedicated machine right at the packing station.
- Customizable size and fill volume versus fixed-shape pre-made materials
- Ideal for large voids in bigger boxes and high-volume lines that need speed
- Lightweight, adjustable, and cost-effective once you ship at scale
- Needs inflation equipment up front; mostly plastic-based, though Sealed Air offers 50% and 95% recycled-content options that qualify for store drop-off recycling
Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap consists of plastic sheets with trapped air bubbles, designed to absorb shock on contact.
- Doubles as wrap-around protection, not just gap filler
- Best for fragile, oddly shaped, or high-value items that need direct contact cushioning
- Strong shock absorption, widely available, and reusable in-house
- Bulkier to store than paper and usually pricier per unit
Foam Sheets or Rolls
Dense polyethylene foam that can be cut to size for wrapping or lining.
- Highest cushioning density among common void fill options
- Suited to delicate, heavy, or surface-sensitive items like glass, furniture, or electronics
- Superior shock and vibration protection with cuts tailored to odd shapes
- Higher material cost, more storage space, and generally less eco-friendly than paper
Packing Peanuts
Small foam or biodegradable starch pieces that pour into a box and fill irregular gaps.
- Reach tight, oddly shaped voids other materials can't fill
- Well matched to irregularly shaped or lightweight products
- Lightweight (low shipping-weight impact) and naturally shape-conforming
- Can create static and mess, and store bulky; polystyrene is less sustainable than starch-based options certified compostable to ASTM D6400
Paper (Kraft & Crinkle Paper)
Kraft sheets or shredded crinkle paper, used loose or as a wrap.
- Most affordable and widely recyclable or biodegradable option on this list
- Fits budget-conscious, sustainability-focused shippers with moderate protection needs
- Eco-friendly, low cost, stores flat, and easy to source
- Less shock absorption than foam or bubble wrap for genuinely fragile goods
Most operations mix materials by product line rather than standardizing on one. Skid Management Services supplies common void fill options — including kraft paper, air pillows, and foam — alongside the broader packaging materials shippers already reorder with pallets.
How to Choose the Right Void Fill Material
Picking a void fill shouldn't come down to habit or whatever's cheapest this quarter. Weigh these factors instead:
- Product fragility, weight, and shape — glass and electronics need more cushioning than clothing or plastic goods
- Shipping volume and frequency — high-volume operations benefit from machine-fed systems like air pillows; low-volume shippers may not need the equipment investment
- Total budget — include equipment and storage costs, not just per-unit material price
- Sustainability requirements — paper and starch-based peanuts generally outperform plastic options on recyclability
- Storage space and handling convenience — paper stores flat; foam and pillows need more room
87% of consumers report receiving boxes far too large for the item shipped, according to the same Shorr survey. Right-sizing your box before you even get to void fill matters just as much as the material choice itself. A smaller, well-matched box needs less filler and less protection.
What to Check Before Finalizing Your Void Fill Choice
A few common mistakes trip up otherwise solid packaging strategies:
- Over-investing in equipment. Machine-fed air pillows make sense at high volume. For lighter, lower-volume shipments, simple paper fill often does the job for far less money.
- Ignoring trade-offs. Storage space, mess, and equipment upkeep are real costs that don't show up on the material invoice.
- Skipping the drop test. Before you scale, run a basic drop test and ask your carrier for feedback. ASTM D4169 and ISTA 3-Series protocols simulate the bumps, drops, and vibration a shipment sees in transit; testing your real box-product-filler combo first will save money.
- Thinking void fill in isolation. Pair fill choice with carton, pallet, and crate design. A well-filled box on the wrong pallet still risks damage in handling and stacking.
Conclusion
Void fill keeps shipments intact and damage-related costs down. There's no single best material — air pillows, bubble wrap, foam, packing peanuts, and paper each solve a different problem. The right pick depends on your product, budget, and sustainability priorities.
Void fill is one piece of a bigger picture. Pairing the right filler with reliable pallets and packaging materials from Skid Management Services helps products ship safely from the warehouse floor to the final delivery point. Whether you're moving snack foods on custom pallets or shipping palletized freight nationwide, getting the pallet and void fill working together is what prevents damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use as a filler for packing boxes?
Common options include kraft paper, crinkle paper, packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and air pillows. The right pick depends on how fragile your item is and how much protection it needs.
What is the best material to use for packaging?
There's no single best void-fill material. Choose based on product fragility, budget, and how much you prioritize sustainability.
What are some alternatives to crinkle paper for void filling?
Air pillows, packing peanuts, foam sheets, and bubble wrap all work as alternatives, each offering different levels of cushioning and cost.
What is void filler?
Void filler is material used to occupy empty space inside packaging, preventing products from shifting or being damaged during transit.
What are the 5 requirements of packaging?
Protection, containment, apportionment, unitization, and convenience are the core functions packaging needs to deliver.
What are the 7 types of packaging materials?
Common categories include corrugated cardboard, paper, plastic, foam, wood, metal, and glass.
