Molded pulp insert
Recycled fiber200 minimum · 10 to 14 business daysA molded pulp insert is a tray pressed from recycled paper fiber into the shape of your product, so it holds a bottle, a jar or a device with no plastic. We tool them from 200 units in 10 to 14 business days after proof and tooling, in natural gray or white, wet or dry pressed. Most are made for boxes between 6 by 4 and 12 by 9 inches.
When to choose it, and when not to
Choose molded pulp when the brand has said no to plastic and the product still needs to be held firmly. A skincare set, a candle, a phone accessory, a bottle. It looks like paper, it is paper, and it goes in the recycling with the box. The smooth dry-pressed face is close enough to a finished surface that many tech and cosmetic brands use it on its own with no wrap. It also stacks, which saves warehouse space.
Choose a foam insert when the product is heavy glass or an expensive device that must have zero movement, because pulp is firm but not as forgiving on a hard drop. Choose a die-cut paperboard insert for a short run where tooling is hard to justify, since paperboard has no tool cost.
Specifications
| Board | Recycled paper fiber, wet pressed or dry pressed, 0.06 to 0.12 in wall |
|---|---|
| None on the pulp, optional blind deboss of a logo in the tool | |
| Finish | Natural gray, bleached white, or smooth dry-pressed face |
| Closure | None, sits in the box base |
| Insert | Single tray, or lid and base pair |
| Tooling | Aluminum tool cut to your product, kept for reorders |
| Minimum | 200 units |
| Lead time | 10 to 14 business days after proof and tooling |
| Ships | Nested in stacks of 50 |
| Sizes we run | cut to fit a 6 x 4 x 2 in box cut to fit a 8 x 6 x 3 in box cut to fit a 10 x 8 x 4 in box cut to fit a 12 x 9 x 4 in box any size from 3 x 3 to 16 x 12 in footprint |
Materials that suit it
Questions people ask
Wet pressed or dry pressed?
Wet pressed is the textured, egg-carton style surface, cheaper to tool and fine inside a mailer. Dry pressed, sometimes called thermoformed pulp, has a smooth face on one side and crisp edges and is what you see in phone and cosmetic boxes. Dry pressed takes about 3 more business days and a heavier tool.
Is there a tooling cost?
Yes. A molded pulp insert needs an aluminum tool cut to your product, and we quote it separately by email. We keep the tool for reorders at no further charge. On short runs, we will tell you honestly if a die-cut paperboard insert does the job without tooling.
Can it carry a logo?
A blind deboss of your logo can be cut into the tool, so every tray carries it in the fiber. Printing directly on pulp is not something we do; ink sits unevenly on the surface. If you need color, a printed paperboard sleeve or band around the tray does it cleanly.
How strong is it?
A 0.08 in wall wet-pressed tray holds a 16 oz glass candle jar through a carrier without cracking, and the cavity walls flex a little on impact, which is what you want. It does not like water; a damp warehouse floor will soften it. Store it dry and it lasts as long as the box.
Is it really recyclable?
Yes. Both natural and white pulp are made from recycled paper fiber, with documentation supplied with the quote, and go in mixed paper recycling. We do not add any coating that would change that. Print the recycling line on the box, not the tray, since the tray takes no ink.
How is a molded pulp insert different from a foam insert?
The pulp insert is recycled paper fiber, wet or dry pressed to the shape of your product, with no plastic and an optional blind-debossed logo in the tool; it needs a tool, which is kept for reorders. The foam insert is die-cut EVA or PE foam, which holds a product tighter and takes a harder drop but is a plastic and goes in general waste. Both start at 200 units in 10 to 14 business days after proof. If the brand wants the whole pack in the paper bin, choose pulp.
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Ready to price your molded pulp insert?
Send the size and quantity for a quote and a dieline, usually within one business day. Your digital proof follows, usually within one business day of your artwork. Design help and the Swatch Book of materials are free.