Packing Paper vs Bubble Wrap for Shipping I Which is Better?

TL;DR

• Packing paper is soft, eco-friendly, and good for fragile items and filling space in boxes.
• Bubble wrap provides better protection, works well for odd shapes, is lightweight, and reusable.
• Use packing paper for initial wrapping and dishes, bubble wrap for padding and fragile items.
• Both materials are necessary for full protection when shipping.

Choosing the best protective material for your items when moving can be little tricky. Since usually the dilemma comes down to bubble wrap vs. packing paper, find out which is better suited for your packing needs!

Moving to a new country or just to a new apartment is an exciting moment; however, when it comes to packing all of your belongings, it may become somewhat stressful as to how to go about it. People wonder which material to choose as their main packing supply in most cases. This dilemma is usually narrowed down to either bubble wrap or packing paper.

Here’s where our blog filled with advice comes in handy. Below, we’ll dive deep into the packing paper vs bubble wrap for shipping debate and provide you with the insight to cover your shipping needs. Read on to learn all the things you need to know before selecting the best packing material for you.

You may also be interested in:

• How to correctly ship fragile items?
• How to ship ceramics internationally?
• How to ship glass products internationally?
• How to pack and ship electronics internationally?

What is packing paper, advantages, and best usages

What is packing paper?

The answer to the first question is relatively simple – packing paper is a specialised paper designed to be used when transferring items. For example, it’s different from the regular paper you will find in your printer, as it’s much softer and thicker. Packing paper will crumple when adjusted, unlike traditional paper, which folds or creases. The fact that it crumbles and “balls up” is why we use it for packing. You will most likely find packing paper in beige colour and large sheets. So, which is better for packing, bubble wrap or packing paper? Let’s see what are the advantages of packing paper first!

Packing paper advantages

• It has a soft and smooth surface which allows for excellent wrapping around the items. You may consider packing paper even for the most delicate of items, such as artworks, porcelain, wood finished, etc.). Packing paper will not damage the surfaces of any of these items as it cannot scratch, smudge, stain or leave residue on them.
• It wraps nicely around any item shape and protects the edges from scratching
• Packing paper will take up much less space than other filling materials such as bubble wrap, cotton towels, etc.
• It’s an excellent choice for packing up dishes and other items that can be stocked up together
• It is unexpectedly durable and provides excellent cushioning in a box
• If you want to have an eco-friendly moving experience, using paper as our main packing supply is the way to go, as it can be very easily recycled
• Packing paper is relatively cheap and easily attainable

Best usages of packing paper

Because of its subtle structure, you can use packing paper as the first layer to protect your items. Due to its delicate nature, packing paper is perfect as the first line of protection for almost all items.

Since packing paper is very easy to crumble and bend, you can use it to fill up the space in your moving boxes. If the items in the boxes have a lot of space to move, something might end up damaged.

Probably the best usage of packing paper for shipping is to separate dishes. Since dishes are one of the most breakable items in the packing process, make sure not to hold out on using enough paper when packing this item, as it will ensure that they don’t get scratched or chipped.

So, does this mean that packing paper wins the shipping contest vs bubble wrap? Well, no quite, we still need to list the advantages and best usages of bubble wrap, to decide which is better for packing – bubble wrap or packing paper?

What is bubble wrap, its advantages, and best usages

What is bubble wrap?

Bubble wrap may not be as straightforward a concept as packing paper. However, it’s nothing complicated, so bear with us! Bubble wrap is basically a plastic sheet covered in little bumpy dimples. The purpose of the dimples is to protect the item that has been wrapped with bubble wrap. The dimples may vary in size from tiny to large golf ball sizes. The bubble wrap with largest dimples offers more protection as it’s filled with more air. You can buy bubble wrap in rolls, large sheets, or e in envelopes. So, which is better for packing, bubble wrap or packing paper? Let’s take a look at the advantages of bubble wrap!

Bubble wrap advantages

• Bubble wrap offers unmatched safety when transferring household items from one place to another. Moreover, if an item is to be accidentally dropped on the floor, the air-filled bubbles will provide the best protection against damage. Besides the latter, bubble wrap offers protection against scratching and other minor damages
• It can perfectly fit an object of any shape and size. It’s the best choice for the safe transfer of oddly shaped items.
• You can find bubble wrap in any shape or size you might need. From large rolls to sheets, small envelopes, and bags. It comes in various forms (sheets, bags, envelopes). Bubble sizes also vary, and you can choose the ones that best suit your needs.
• Bubble wrap is not heavy at all, so it won’t add to the weight of your overall shipment and ultimately to the cost of your moving service.
• You will find that it is cheaper than other specialised materials for moving, such as foam sheets.
• If you’re looking to protect the environment, you can use bubble wrap multiple times since it’s quite durable

Best usages of bubble wrap

Use bubble wrap as the second layer to protect your dishes. However, make sure that you use it as the second layer and not the first, as bubble wrap can stick to the porcelain and leave marks which are difficult to take off. The best practice is to use it after your packing paper, of course.

Bubble wrap can come in handy when padding the bottom of moving boxes with heavy items. Without the proper protection, the bottom item in the box is highly vulnerable, and if the package isn’t optimally packed, it is even more exposed. Bubble wrap comes in very handy here, as it protects the contents of the box without taking up more space or adding to the initial weight of the package.

You can use bubble wrap to fill empty spaces in your moving boxes. You may have a least one or two boxes that won’t be completely filled up. Be sure to protect the items from bumping into each other by filling the gaps with bubble wrap.

Is one better than the other one?

In conclusion, the bubble wrap vs packing paper dilemma for shipping isn’t as straightforward as you may think. The bottom line is that you actually need both materials for maximum protection. In short, make sure that you have enough of both these materials and avoid the mistake of having to compensate between them when packing your moving items. They will both protect your valuable and fragile, and on the upside, one of them will give you a good time when the move is over!

Another thing we would like to mention here is that when moving by yourself, you can go about packing in as many boxes as you want. You can arrange them to your preferences. However, it would help if you were careful when moving with courier services. When moving with courier companies, you need to make sure that you have packed according to the courier services’ rules and regulations for packing. Read on to find out the best way to pack for relocation with a courier service!

The ultimate Eurosender packing guide

We are well aware that packing and especially moving can be rather stressful; this is why we’ve prepared a super extensive guide on the best and easiest ways to pack any item for moving. Follow our packaging instructions to ensure that your items will be safely transported to your final destination.

We have also prepared for you a guide about the different types of packaging materials.

Feel free to go to our booking engine to get instant shipping quotes and ship your items domestically or internationally with the click of a button. With Eurosender, you can ship anything from small envelope to huge packages and pallets; you will find every solution you need to pack and ship your items anywhere you want.