Bubble wrap

Buy best value bubble packaging, including bubble bags and bubble wrap, to protect valuable items in storage or transit.

Bubble wrap is…

• Clear polythene sheeting which contains small air pockets placed alongside each other across the full width of the sheet, offering air-cushioned protection to any items wrapped within the sheet
• When wrapped around an item, a brilliant shock absorber for any impact on that item, making it...
• A great way to protect delicate or valuable items during storage or transit
• Very flexible, meaning it can be used to wrap items of any shape or size
• Reliant on the adjacent placing of the protective air pockets, which ranges in size from 6mm (1/4”) to 25mm (1”) in diameter, and ensures that any shock is absorbed by the protective cushioning, rather than the contents of the wrap
• Used to make bubble bags, which are handy protective pre-made bags in a range of sizes, ready for you to place the contents inside before sealing with a built-in sealing strip
• Available as anti-static bubble bags, which are used to protect electrical items or electronic components by dissipating any electrostatic charge that comes into contact with the bag and would otherwise potentially damage the item
• A great stress relief toy - just pop the bubbles and you’ll feel much better
• A brilliant and cheap plaything for kids - they just love popping bubbles. But parents beware - it can get annoying!

History of bubble wrap

The creation of bubble wrap was a fortunate accident. In 1957, Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, two engineers from New Jersey, USA, were trying to make a textured wallpaper by capturing air between two thin sheets of plastic. Their idea for the wallpaper idea did not work out, but they soon realised that what they had created could be used as a protective packaging material. Seeing the opportunity that their inadvertent creation offered, the engineers founded the Sealed Air Corporation in 1960.

How is bubble wrap produced?

Bubble wrap begins life as a plastic resin in the form of small beads. These are placed into an extruder, a specialist manufacturing machine which uses a combination of heat and pressure - driven by turning a screw that runs the length of the extruder - to melt the resin beads into a liquid.

This liquid is then squeezed out of the extruder into two sheets of clear plastic film. One layer is wrapped around a drum containing lots of holes and suction is applied to draw the film into the holes, thus forming bubbles. The second layer of film is then layered over the first sheet and laminated. This process traps the air as the layers of film stick together and creates the bubbles that give bubble wrap its name.

Polythene is a porous material - i.e. it allows air to escape easily through its pores, a bit like a sponge. To ensure that their bubble wrap met the high standards required for packaging, leading manufacturers first used a special coating to seal in the bubbles, while now they have developed a method of retaining the air during the extrusion process.

Post with confidence with bubble wrap

If you need to post a delicate or valuable item and you want to ensure it doesn’t break in transit, then bubble wrap should provide the perfect solution.

Simply wrap your item carefully in bubble wrap before placing it in your parcel, envelope or mailing bag and sealing tight to give your mail all the protection it needs as it winds its way from you to the intended recipient.

If the item is bumped or bashed on its way through the post then the air-cushioned pockets of the bubble wrap will absorb the item and protect the item, which should arrive in one piece at the other end.

Of course, it’s important to choose the right size of bubble wrap to protect your item.

Smaller, more delicate contents are better suited to standard bubble wrap - featuring a 6mm bubble diameter - while larger items may be more suited to the large diameter bubble wrap, made from 25mm diameter bubbles to provide superior protection.

Protect your post in a Jiffy!

Of course, you could always post your valuable item in a Jiffy Bag - a ready-made lightweight envelope lined with bubble wrap to protect the contents of the bag.

Other envelopes that protect your post are bubble mailing bags - polythene bags lined with bubble wrap that protect the item as well as providing a lightweight, waterproof outer layer for your package.

These superlight bubble mailers are available in white polythene or why not try shiny silver for added impact with the lucky recipient.

Bubble packaging dos and don’ts

If you’re using bubble packaging to protect a valuable item during transportation, storage or whilst sending in the post, here are a few handy hints and tips that you might want to follow to make the most of the packaging:

DO: Use plenty of bubble wrap and ensure that the entire item, including corners, is fully covered. (How much to use depends on the size of the item and the size of the bubble wrap used, but we’d suggest a minimum or two or three layers of bubble wrap for even the smallest items and more for larger heavier items)

DON’T: Leave corners or edges of the item exposed or covered by less bubble wrap than the rest of the item. All it takes is one little bump on that one area and your valuable item could be broken forever.

DO: Use bubble wrap in combination with other packaging protection when required, e.g. place your item in a bubble bag and then wrap with an extra layer of bubble wrap for double protection; or place your bubble-wrapped item in a box before surrounding with loose fill to give extra protection.

DON’T: Allow your item to rattle around in the box. Always make sure you use enough bubble wrap and/or loose fill to keep the item still and secure during transit. Without enough protection, an item could easily rattle around inside the box whilst being transported, with every bump potentially the one that could break your valuable item. What a bubble burst that would be!

DO: Have fun popping the bubbles in the bubble wrap - we’re all big kids after all!

DON’T: Use any bubble wrap AFTER you’ve popped the bubbles. Once the bubbles are popped, the bubble wrap loses most of its protective qualities and becomes little more than a sheet of polythene. So have fun popping away by all means, but please remember to bubble wrap responsibly.

Where to buy bubble wrap

Bubble wrap manufacturers and suppliers include:

Bubble Mailers
If you're looking to buy cushioned bubble mailing bags or regular bubble wrap or bubble bags, get yourself over to Cushioned Mailers. Packed full of loads of useful information and a comprehensive list of retailers.
www.cushionedmailers.co.uk

Bubble Wrap
Bargain Bubble Wrap is the home of quality bubble film and bubble wrap at best value prices. Find out all you need to know about cheap bubble wrap and bubble bags and where to buy them at the best bargain prices online.
www.bargainbubblewrap.co.uk

Bubble Bags
Interested in bubble bags or bubble wrap? Looking to buy some or just find out more about bubble packaging? Get yourself over to Bargain Bubble Bags and you'll find everything you need in one very handy website.
www.bargainbubblebags.co.uk

Bubble Wrap Bags
A great one-stop shop for bubble wrap, bubble bags and bubble packaging. Covering a wealth of information from specifications to applications, and featuring handy hints for purchasing, plus where to buy bubble bags at the best discount prices.
www.discountbubblebags.co.uk

Bubble Wrap Roll
Catering for all your bubble wrap needs, Discount Bubble Wrap is the place to go if you're looking for quality bubble wrap rolls at discount prices.
www.discountbubblewrap.co.uk

Bubble Wrap Film
A great website for anyone interested in bubble wrap, bubble film or bubble rolls, full of detailed information and useful tips for anyone looking to buy bubble packaging.
www.bubblewrap2u.co.uk

Bubble Wrap UK
Bubble Bags is a website dedicated to protective packaging in the UK, from bubble wrap and bubble bags to loose void fill and air pillows, as well as with eco-friendly alternatives.
www.bubblebags.co

Cushion Bags
If you're interested in buying or finding out more about bubble bags or any protective cushioned packaging, get yourself over to Cushion Bags - a specialist bubble packaging website.
www.cushionbags.co.uk

Bubble Bags UK
If you're looking for bubble bags or bubble wrap in the UK, this is the right website for you. Whether you're looking for regular adhesive bubble bags or anti-static bubble bags, this is the place to visit if you're buying bubble bags.
www.bubblebags2u.co.uk

Research & Resources

For loads more information on bubble packaging, including how it is manufactured, how it protects products and how to wrap products for maximum protection, please visit:

PackagingKnowledge: The UK's number one polythene packaging resource is a treasure trove of information on bubble wrap and other bubble packaging, and features in-depth articles on the topic.

PlasticBags.uk.com: The UK's premier polythene packaging directory where manufacturers list products for free, allowing shoppers to browse through a huge range of packaging websites, including specialist bubble wrap websites.

Goldstork: This free 'pick-of-the-web' directory lists carefully selected information and hand-picked features on a huge range of bubble wrap and other bubble packaging products.

Alternatives to bubble wrap

Bubble wrap isn’t the only option for protecting items before storing them away or sending them in the post. There are a number of alternatives that can be used instead of or as well as bubble wrap itself. Here are a few of them:

Bubble bags - bubble bags are very similar to traditional bubble wrap, because they are made from traditional bubble wrap! These handy bags come in a range of sizes, all complete with a sealing strip, which means they are handy to use and ideal for when the item you wish to pack fits perfectly inside your choice of bag. Also available in an antistatic range to protect delicate electrical components from electrostatic discharge.

Loose fill - loose fill is the perfect packing solution for filling in the gaps around your valuable item. Loose fill does what the name suggests and provides a way of filling your package with loose polystyrene chips or flame-retardant beads that act as protection for the contents they surround. Can be used on their own or in conjunction with bubble wrap or bubble bags - just tip and fill, but be careful not to spill!

Biodegradable loose fill - Just like regular loose fill but, as the name suggests, is made of 100% biodegradable material. So once you’ve used your loose fill you can throw it away into the compost heap and it will fully biodegrade. Or better still, why can hold onto it and reuse it to protect your packing again and again - even better for the environment!

Alternative uses for bubble wrap

Not only does bubble wrap serve the very useful purpose of protecting goods during transit, but it is also a fantastic source of entertainment or stress relief.

When you squeeze one of the bubbles in a sheet of bubble wrap, the expelled air forces the polythene to break, thus creating a crisp popping sound.

The popping of bubble wrap has provided entertainment to children of all ages for over half a century. The pop of the first bubble derives squeals of delight, fits of laughter and shrieks of surprise that, for many, do not diminish even by the time the 3,589th bubble is being popped.

Whilst bubble wrap can provide hours of fun for kids and stress relief for people who need to take out their frustration on an inanimate object, caution must be heeded. Popping bubble wrap is addictive. It has enthralled psychologists for decades. There is seemingly something about the bubbles that just draws people in and once they pop, they can’t stop. Among the most common reasons given by addicts for their relentless popping of bubbles is that “they are just there” and “they need to be popped”.

For anyone wanting to celebrate bubble wrap and all its uses, Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day is celebrated every year on the last Monday of January. Bake a cake, pour yourself a drink, grab some bubble wrap and say it together: “Pop pop! Hooray! Pop pop! Hooray!”