Corn Loose Fill

As a safe, natural and dimensionally stable package filling: use packaging chips corn and not plastic

Choosing the right packaging material is the be-all and end-all if you want to pack and ship goods safely. Corn packaging chips are the ideal solution for different items in different quantities. Use corn starch filling material and enjoy the advantage of having optimal protection for different goods due to its impact resistance as well as dimensional stability. It is also environmentally friendly as it is biodegradable and compostable. So go ahead and protect the packaging and goods of your delivery optimally with cornflips!

Why is packaging material so important?

Especially during shipping, parcels pass through different stations. They are transported and loaded several times and also end up on conveyor belts. It is not uncommon for them to be tossed around and sometimes even fall off. Even parcel goods that are marked "fragile" are still sometimes handled a little more roughly. It is therefore important to provide sufficient padding inside to protect the goods and packaging material corn and not plastic is therefore essential. Apart from fragile items, this is also important for electronics, as even the smallest impact can cause a defect. Retailers are also required by law to ship packages properly and securely so that they arrive at the customer's door as intact as possible.

How are packaging chips made from corn?

Thanks to technology and the increase of expansions in various industries, it is no surprise nowadays that there is all-natural and plant-based cushioning material. Corn packaging chips are made from 100% renewable resources and this reason also makes them compostable and completely biodegradable. The cornflip packaging material can therefore be put in the organic waste bin after use and does not belong in the plastic or residual waste like many other packaging materials. They are made from corn starch and water. Despite their natural origin, they are in no way inferior to the alternative plastic. They are also particularly flexible and shock-resistant and, in addition, odourless and completely dust-free. These corn packaging chips are therefore well suited for packaging electronics or other sensitive items. Due to their robustness, the corn starch packaging can also be reused frequently without hesitation.

The corn packaging chips also have a special S-shape. This prevents the well-known quicksand effect on the products. This means that they do not sink to the bottom, but are surrounded and secured on all sides by the corn chips. If you choose maize starch as the packaging material, it also has a comparatively low net weight and is now also available in many shops.

What makes corn starch packaging flakes so special?

Most corn chips are available in different designs and are therefore suitable for packaging different items and for different shipping boxes. To prevent items from sliding around in the box, it is ideal to use corn starch packaging chips as a filling material. These corn starch packaging chips are so-called organic chips. They are made from natural and organic materials and come in different colours, which are also of natural origin. You can buy these organic corn packaging chips on the market in different quantities. Take corn chips for your packet filling for safe transportation.

Possible uses of the sustainable chips as packaging material

Use corn packaging material for storing or shipping various things. Organic packaging chips, for example made from corn starch packaging material, are particularly versatile. You can use them for padding or for filling boxes. Particularly sensitive items, such as smartphones, laptops or glass, can be stored well with this packaging material. These chips are also comparatively small and are therefore also well suited for securing smaller items. Even a hollow space in the box can therefore be filled with these chips easily and without any problems.

The advantages of corn packaging chips

Due to their properties, corn flips offer many different advantages, which will be explained to you in detail in the following sections.

Harmless & edible

The packaging material made of maize actually consists of 100 % maize starch and is therefore edible in principle. Even though the packaging chips contain corn starch, it would not be advisable to eat these chips like ordinary flips due to hygiene. However, if a child or animal were to accidentally put them in their mouth, you would not have to worry at all, as this packaging material, corn starch, is completely harmless. So you should rather consciously choose corn as your packaging material instead of plastic.

Environmentally friendly & biodegradable

Corn chips are also environmentally friendly and can be easily disposed of and even composted. Other filling material, for example plastic or styrofoam, must be disposed of in separate waste, plastic waste or residual waste. The corn starch packaging can be put in the organic waste bin or compost heap, as it is 100 % recyclable. Microorganisms will then take care of breaking down the material.

Different versions

The chips also come in different designs and quantities. You will mostly find them in a box of 240 or 250 litres. The reason for this is that they are usually sold for larger companies. With a filling volume of 0.24 cbm, you are also usually offered a better price-performance ratio.

The chips are also available in different colours. The colours are also of natural origin and therefore completely harmless and also biodegradable. Some of the chips are also offered in a design other than the well-known S-shape, but this has no effect on the usability or the properties of the chips.

Versatile

This filling material made of corn can also be used in many ways. You can use it to securely pack different goods or just to store them, and you can also use the chips purely as filling material when you send several small items in a larger box. Since the chips are also particularly light, they are also well suited for smaller packages made of corn starch without making them too heavy.

Robust & resistant

Despite their natural origin, the packaging chips maize are also very resistant and can thus withstand even a higher weight without any problems. They therefore have a high resilience. Nevertheless, care is taken during production to give them a particularly airy texture, which makes them very flexible and gentle on sensitive surfaces. This means that glass objects, for example, can be placed directly on the corn packaging chips without additional protection. Fill packaging and protect goods with corn chip filling material.

Advantages and disadvantages of different filling materials

Besides corn filling material, there are other natural, but also artificial packaging materials, which are examined below.

Paper

In principle, paper is well suited as a packaging material because it is made from renewable raw materials and can therefore be recycled more easily than plastic, for example. In the meantime, a large part of the filling material paper is made from waste paper and thus already recycled. Nevertheless, paper has the disadvantage that at least some trees have to be cut down for it and a lot of CO2 is emitted during production.

Polyolefins

An alternative to paper would be polyolefins. The advantage with this packaging material is that it has a comparatively low weight and therefore does not complicate the packages. Recycling is possible as with other plastic materials, but alternatively waste incineration can be used, which recovers a lot of energy. Unfortunately, however, a lot of energy also has to be used in the production process. In addition, polyolefins are not a renewable raw material.

Bio-plastic

Bio-plastics are a combination of plastic and biodegradable materials. Often these packaging materials are made from one part plastic and one part corn or sugar cane. This is better for the environment compared to plastic made from petroleum, because it also uses a part of renewable raw materials and not so many chemicals are released into the environment. Nevertheless, larger amounts of greenhouse gases are released during production. The disposal of bio-plastics is also somewhat more problematic. Depending on the material, it can sometimes be disposed of in organic waste, but often only in residual waste.

Styrofoam

Styrofoam is mainly used for sensitive goods. It is a light and versatile material and is also insulating. The disadvantage, however, is that due to the larger amount of air in the material, a larger storage space is necessary, which leads to correspondingly higher costs. Loose polystyrene would be an alternative, but is more difficult to handle.

Organic filling material

Whether made from corn starch, potato starch or even wheat starch - organic filling material offers the most advantages. This natural packaging material, maize starch, is completely harmless to health and the environment and yet very robust, versatile and cushions well. It can also be easily recycled and composted. Depending on the manufacturing process, however, it can sometimes result in higher greenhouse gas emissions.

Corn packaging chips - FAQ

The following questions and answers are about organic corn packaging chips, their production and use.

How is the corn chips filling material for your package produced?

During production, the plant starch is first extracted from the maize. Incidentally, this process is the same for all organic chips made from plant starch, and thus also for those made from potato starch or wheat starch. The starch is then mixed with water, ethanol and dough. This paste is pressed through an extruder nozzle and then given its shape. The manufacturing process does not require any additional gases and there is no need for a well-known anti-static bath, as is the case with many other materials. The reason for this is that the plant starch cannot become electrostatically charged. Due to the purely natural ingredients, it is then also possible to dispose of the corn starch packaging biologically after use.

How do you recognise organic packaging chips?

On the outside, corn starch packaging chips resemble those made of plastic or Styrofoam. In terms of colour and shape, there are usually no differences either. The only way to tell which material it is is to test it. Simply put one of the organic corn packaging chips in some liquid. If it is vegetable starch, you will get a mush within a few seconds, because the ingredients will liquefy again. If the shape of the chip remains, it is a different material. You could also try burning a corner of the chip with a lighter. Plastic will melt a bit accordingly. The corn packaging chips made from plant starch will not melt, of course, but instead will lightly coagulate and smell similar to popcorn.

Is the vegetable cornflip packaging environmentally friendly?

The corn starch packaging material consists of 100% natural raw materials and can therefore also be recycled in an environmentally friendly way, similar to paper, and is also biodegradable. Because of the corn starch packaging material used, it is easy to dispose of in the paper container.

Can the corn packaging chips really be eaten?

Yes, it is indeed possible to eat the corn packaging material without any concerns. The reason for this is that it contains only natural ingredients and the chips also consist of more than 90 % air. However, it is not recommended, as these chips are not intended for consumption and therefore do not meet the hygiene requirements for food. However, should a child or animal accidentally ingest some of the chips, there should be no adverse health effects.

How do I dispose of the organic packaging chips?

You can dispose of these organic packaging chips in different ways. For example, you can simply put them in the organic waste bin, as they are an organic product. Another option would be to dispose of them in a compost heap. However, it is also important that the chips are not contaminated. Otherwise you have to put them in the residual waste.

Can corn starch packaging be reused?

If you store them properly, you can use them again and again. Of course, you should keep in mind that it is a food product and should be stored away from heat and moisture. Otherwise, the chips may become mouldy. However, they cannot become "old". As far as their texture is concerned, however, they are particularly robust and at the same time flexible and therefore do not break quickly. With the packaging material made of corn starch, the packaging and goods are protected from breakage.

What are the advantages of organic packaging chips compared to other filling material?

A decisive advantage is that corn flips are better for the environment. Not only can they be easily recycled, but they can also be composted because they are 100% biodegradable. The production process also does not produce high CO2 gases, as is the case with plastic, for example. Similar to paper, corn is also a renewable raw material. Furthermore, as already explained above, these chips are completely harmless to health and can even be eaten. Apart from that, they are flexible, robust and versatile. They are also not particularly more expensive than other filling material and are also available in larger quantities.

In which colours is maize filling material available?

Even though corn is yellow, corn starch packaging material is available in many different colours. The starch itself is actually white by nature, so other natural colourings are added to the chips. However, these have no effect on the function and only serve to enhance the appearance. If you use both organic corn packaging chips and plastic packaging chips, it is advisable to buy both in different colours. This way they can be easily distinguished and you can dispose of them separately without having to test which material they are.

Does organic packaging material need to be stored in a special way?

If you use corn as a filler material for your packaging, just make sure that you place the chips in a dry and cool place so that they do not get wet due to moisture. Exposure to heat could cause them to burst. Otherwise, these chips can be stored just like synthetic filling material. For animals in the household, it should additionally be remembered that they are likely to be attracted by the smell of the maize chips and then consume the maize packaging material.