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You wrapped your product perfectly, placed it in a sturdy shipping box, and handed it to the carrier. But it still arrived broken. The most common culprit? Empty space.
If there is a gap inside the carton, your product will shift, slide, and slam against the box walls during transit. This guide shows you the exact workflow to use honeycomb paper to fill that empty space and lock your fragile items safely in place.
To use honeycomb paper as void fill, you only need a few basic packing materials:
Honeycomb paper roll
A corrugated shipping box
The product to be packed
An expansion tool (optional), such as a PaperEZ WrapBox Dispenser, a manual honeycomb paper dispenser, or an automatic honeycomb paper machine
Do not use honeycomb paper directly from the roll.
Pull the paper until the die-cut pattern opens into a three-dimensional honeycomb structure. The honeycomb cells only form when the paper is stretched. Without expansion, the paper cannot create the volume needed for effective void fill.
A PaperEZ WrapBox Dispenser keeps the paper under constant tension when pulling. The built-in tension also helps produce a more consistent honeycomb structure, which creates more uniform void fill throughout the carton.
After expanding the paper, do not fold it into flat sheets.
Instead, loosely scrunch or twist it into irregular pads. Avoid compressing the paper into a tight ball. A loosely crumpled structure creates more volume and absorbs impact more effectively. The trapped air inside the expanded honeycomb structure creates volume while allowing the paper to compress under impact. This chaotic, crumpled shape is exactly what you want for maximum shock absorption.
Never just throw a handful of paper on top of the product. To build a protective barrier inside the carton:
💡 Quick Tip: If the product has a polished or easily scratched surface, wrap it with soft white paper first before adding the honeycomb paper and void fill.
Start by placing a crumpled layer on the bottom.
Add the wrapped product.
Fill the spaces around all four sides. Pay special attention to the four corners of the carton, as these areas absorb the greatest impact during shipping.
Finish by placing another layer on top.
The goal is to prevent the product from moving in any direction. Avoid compressing the paper too tightly once it's in the box. The crumpled structure needs room to absorb impact during transit.
This is the most important step before taping your carton shut.
Close the flaps without sealing the box. Pick it up and shake it firmly. If you hear movement, open the flaps and add more scrunched honeycomb paper until the product stays completely still.
Whether you are packing one mug a week or hundreds of orders a day, choosing the right tool makes the void fill process much more efficient.
Hand Expansion: Suitable for occasional packing or very low order volumes.
PaperEZ WrapBox Dispenser: Designed for fast, consistent expansion without requiring a separate metal dispenser. It is a convenient, self-contained solution for ecommerce packing stations.
Manual Honeycomb Paper Dispenser: Ideal for small businesses shipping orders every day. It holds the roll in place and helps create tension.
Automatic Honeycomb Paper Machine: Recommended for warehouses and fulfillment centers processing high daily order volumes.
Yes. Void fill prevents products from moving inside the carton. For fragile products, wrap the item first, then use scrunched honeycomb paper to fill the remaining empty space.
Yes. That is its primary advantage for small businesses. You can tightly wrap a fragile item with it, and then scrunch up a few more feet of the same paper to fill the empty corners of the shipping box.
Fill enough space to stop movement. If the product doesn't move when you perform the shake test, you've added enough void fill.
For lightweight and medium-weight parcels, yes. For exceptionally heavy shipments, standard kraft paper usually provides stronger blocking and bracing power because it does not compress as easily under heavy weight.
