Most businesses that want to switch to plastic-free packaging know roughly what they want to achieve — remove the plastic, keep the protection, don't make the packing bench slower. What they're less clear on is exactly which swaps to make, in which order, and what trade-offs to expect.
This guide covers that practically. For each main packaging category — tape, void fill, mailing bags, and boxes — we'll look at what the plastic-free alternative is, how it performs, and what to watch out for.
Why switch now?
There are three forces pushing businesses toward plastic-free packaging right now, and they're all getting stronger.
Customer expectations. A significant and growing proportion of online shoppers actively notice packaging materials and factor them into their perception of a brand. Arriving in a box full of polystyrene peanuts or sealed with plastic tape is increasingly a negative signal — particularly for brands in premium, lifestyle, or sustainability-adjacent categories.
Regulation. The UK's Plastic Packaging Tax applies to plastic packaging components with less than 30% recycled content, at £217.85 per tonne. The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme charges higher fees for hard-to-recycle materials. The direction of travel is clear: plastic packaging is becoming more expensive to use, not less.
Cost. Paper-based alternatives have come down significantly in price as demand has scaled up. In many categories the cost difference between plastic and paper is now small enough that the sustainability benefit makes the switch an easy decision.
Tape
The plastic: Standard brown or clear polypropylene tape — the most common packing tape in use. Functional, cheap, but not recyclable and not biodegradable.
The swap: Paper tape — a kraft paper backing with either a pressure-sensitive or water-activated adhesive. Goes straight into the recycling bin with the cardboard box.
How it performs: Pressure-sensitive paper tape handles identically to standard tape — same dispenser, same application. Water-activated (gummed) paper tape bonds more aggressively to cardboard and is harder to remove or tamper with, but requires a water-activated dispenser.
What to watch out for: Paper tape doesn't stretch the way polyprop tape does, so technique matters slightly more — apply with firm pressure and make sure the surface is clean and dry. It's also slightly more visible on the box, which most brands consider a positive (it looks deliberate and eco-conscious) but is worth knowing.
Cost difference: Minimal at volume. Paper tape typically costs 10–20% more per roll than equivalent polyprop, but many businesses find the difference negligible once factored across total packaging spend.
Void fill
The plastic: Bubble wrap (rolls or pre-cut sheets), air cushion pillows, or foam peanuts — all plastic-based, none recyclable at kerbside.
The swap: Paper void fill — crumpled kraft paper in centrefeed dispenser rolls or loose sheets. Fully recyclable, kerbside collectible, and faster to use than pre-cutting bubble wrap.
How it performs: Excellent for filling space and providing general cushioning for non-fragile products. For heavily fragile items — glassware, ceramics, precision electronics — paper void fill alone may not provide enough consistent protection, and foam inserts or air cushions may still be needed.
What to watch out for: Paper void fill takes up slightly more space inside the box than the equivalent volume of air cushions (which are mostly air). If you're right on the boundary of a postage size format, factor this in when sizing your boxes.
Cost difference: Paper void fill is often cheaper per unit than bubble wrap once storage costs are factored in — it has a much smaller storage footprint per metre of material.
Mailing bags
The plastic: Poly mailing bags — lightweight, waterproof, and very widely used for clothing and soft goods. The most commonly used mailing format for ecommerce after boxes.
The swap: Paper mailing bags — kraft paper bags with a peel-and-seal closure, fully recyclable, and increasingly popular with fashion and lifestyle brands.
How it performs: Paper mailing bags provide good protection for non-fragile items — clothing, accessories, soft goods, books. They're not waterproof in the way poly bags are, but they're water-resistant enough to handle normal delivery conditions including light rain.
What to watch out for: Weight. Paper bags are heavier than poly bags, which can push some orders over a postage weight threshold. Check your typical order weights before switching, particularly if you're close to a Royal Mail large letter or small parcel limit.
The in-between option: If you're not ready to go fully paper but want to reduce plastic, recycled poly mailing bags made from recycled content are a halfway measure that reduces plastic use without changing your packing process at all.
Boxes
This is the easiest category to switch because most ecommerce boxes are already cardboard — and cardboard is already one of the most recyclable materials in the world.
The main plastic elements to address in your box setup are:
Tape on the base. If you're using crash lock base boxes, there's no tape on the base to begin with. If you're using standard boxes and taping the base with plastic tape, switching to paper tape addresses this.
Void fill inside the box. Covered above.
Plastic inner packaging. If you're using bubble wrap inside boxes to wrap individual products, corrugated paper rolls or paper tissue wrap can replace these for most non-fragile products.
The one area where boxes often still contain plastic is the outer polywrap — some businesses wrap pallets of boxes in clear film before shipping. Paper pallet wrap is available as an alternative, though it's less widely used than film at this stage.
How to approach the switch
The most common mistake is trying to change everything at once. A better approach is to work through one category at a time, starting with the highest-volume material and the easiest swap.
For most ecommerce businesses, the order looks like this:
- Tape first. Lowest disruption, minimal cost difference, immediate visible impact.
- Void fill second. Usually the highest-volume plastic material and the biggest visual change for customers.
- Mailing bags third. Worth checking order weights before switching.
- Inner wrapping last. Often the trickiest to swap because product protection requirements vary most here.
Datec's eco packaging range
We've been building out our eco-friendly packaging range for several years and we subsidise eco products to keep them as affordable as possible — because we think the price gap between plastic and paper packaging should be as small as we can make it.
We're also part of an FSC® certified group (FSC-C004309), with FSC® certified products available on request, and we're working toward becoming a Climate Neutral company. You can find out more about how we approach sustainability on our sustainable packaging page.
Want help planning your switch?
If you're not sure where to start or want to talk through your current packaging setup, we're happy to help. Call us on 02476 611234 or get in touch online — we've been helping businesses reduce their plastic packaging use for years and there are very few situations we haven't seen before.
Related products: Paper Tape | Paper Void Fill | Paper Mailing Bags | Eco-Friendly Packaging Range | Sustainable Packaging
How to Switch to Plastic-Free Packaging — A Practical Guide for UK Businesses