There are plenty of advantages to using the trusty air pillow for the best void fill solution.

Void fill packaging uses material such as peanuts, paper or bubble on demand to fill spaces in packages. This eliminates the voids within a package and prevents the packaged item from moving around and possibly causing damage.

The time spent each day loading stored peanuts, and cleaning up the mess at each packaging station creates quite a bit of work. Additionally clients complain about the mess associated with the both paper and peanut packing material. Air pillow packaging is reusable, clean and is a great alternative to those other types of void fill packaging.

There are additional benefits, including: pillows require an average of 83% less effort to pull and separate than competitive brands, which keeps your operation at top speed and reduces changeover time. The durable and puncture-resistant pillows inflate on-demand, which saves valuable warehouse space.
They are are clean, dust-free and lightweight, as well as printable for customized branding. These recyclable pillows can be used again and again thanks to the EarthAware recycled materials the pillows are made of.

Read our Void Fill Packaging presentations to learn more about this type of packaging. Or click on our Contact Us form to fill out an inquiry, and a member of our customer service team will get back to you shortly.

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Stretch wrap recycling is one of the most effective ways businesses can reduce packaging waste, lower disposal costs and support sustainability initiatives. Stretch wrap is commonly used to secure palletized shipments during storage and transportation, and because it is typically made from #4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene), it can often be recycled through commercial recycling programs or participating retail drop-off locations. By recycling used stretch wrap, companies help conserve resources while reducing the amount of plastic sent to landfills. Looking for new material? Browse our stretch film options to find the right gauge and cling level for your pallets.

How to Recycle Stretch Wrap (Step by Step)

Recycling stretch wrap is simple when the material is collected and prepared correctly.

1. Separate clean stretch wrap from cardboard, tape, labels and other contaminants.
2. Keep the film dry and clean, avoiding dirt, food residue or excessive moisture.
3. Collect the material in designated recycling bins or bags throughout your facility.
4. Compress or bale large quantities using a baler if your operation generates significant volumes.
5. Deliver the material to a commercial plastic recycler or an approved collection program that accepts #4 LDPE stretch film.

Proper preparation improves recycling efficiency and increases the value of recyclable material.

Where to Recycle Stretch Film

Businesses have several options for recycling stretch wrap depending on the quantity they generate.

Small amounts of clean stretch film can often be dropped off at participating retail collection programs that accept #4 LDPE plastic film. Many grocery stores and retail locations offer collection bins specifically for plastic bags and stretch film.

Companies generating larger volumes typically work with commercial recycling providers. Many facilities collect stretch wrap in dedicated containers before compressing it into bales for transportation to recycling facilities. This process improves handling efficiency and may even provide cost recovery through the sale of recyclable plastic.

If you’re unsure where to recycle your material, contact your local waste management provider or commercial recycling company to confirm accepted materials and collection requirements.

Benefits of Recycling Stretch Wrap

Stretch wrap recycling offers environmental and financial advantages for businesses of all sizes.

Reduce Disposal Costs

Recycling helps divert plastic waste from landfills and can lower waste hauling expenses.

Improve Sustainability

Recycling stretch film reduces the demand for virgin plastic while supporting corporate sustainability initiatives and environmental goals.

Support Regulatory Compliance

Many organizations are adopting recycling programs to meet customer expectations, sustainability commitments and local waste reduction requirements.

Recover Material Value

Businesses generating large volumes of clean stretch wrap may recover part of the material’s value through commercial recycling programs.

Not all plastic films can be recycled through the same collection programs. Clean, uncontaminated stretch wrap is typically accepted, while heavily contaminated or mixed plastics may require special disposal. Establishing a simple collection process within your facility helps maximize recycling rates and minimizes contamination.

Pyramid Packaging Can Help

Pyramid Packaging supplies a wide range of stretch film products designed for efficient pallet wrapping and transportation protection. Our packaging specialists can also help businesses improve packaging efficiency while supporting waste reduction and recycling initiatives.

FAQ

Is stretch wrap recyclable?

Yes. Stretch wrap is typically made from #4 LDPE plastic and can often be recycled through participating retail collection programs or commercial recycling facilities.

Can stretch wrap go in curbside recycling?

Most curbside recycling programs do not accept stretch wrap because it can interfere with sorting equipment. It should be taken to approved plastic film recycling locations or commercial recyclers.

What is stretch wrap made from?

Most stretch wrap is manufactured from low-density polyethylene (LDPE), a flexible plastic commonly used for pallet wrapping and shipping protection.

Why should businesses recycle stretch wrap?

Recycling stretch wrap reduces landfill waste, lowers disposal costs, supports sustainability goals and may generate value from recyclable material.

Need help selecting the right stretch film for your operation?

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To learn more, Automated Packaging System has a guide for how to best recycle stretch wrap. Please fill out our contact us form and a member of our customer service team will get back to you with your inquiry.

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Void fill air pillow packaging uses material such as peanuts, paper or air pillows to fill spaces in packages. This eliminates the voids within a package and prevents the packaged item from moving around and possibly causing damage. Choosing the right void fill material affects not just product protection, but also shipping weight, storage space and how much time packers spend at each station.

Air Pillows vs. Other Void Fill

Not all void fill materials perform the same. Loose fill packing peanuts are inexpensive but messy — they spill during loading, static-cling to hands and clothing, and generate ongoing cleanup at every packaging station. Paper void fill avoids the static-cling problem but creates dust, and while it’s technically reusable, most of it ends up thrown out after a single use.

Foam void fill (molded or loose-fill) offers good cushioning but is bulky to store and doesn’t compress well, meaning you’re paying to ship and warehouse mostly air. Air pillows solve all three problems at once: they ship completely flat and deflated, inflate on demand right at the packing station, and produce zero dust or static mess — making them the cleanest and most space-efficient void fill option for most operations. For operations shipping high volumes, that space and labor savings compounds quickly across thousands of packages a month.

Air Pillow Systems & Machines

Pyramid Packaging is a distributor of AirPouch Express 3 Void Fill packaging equipment. The AirPouch Express 3 Tabletop Void-fill System provides on-demand, easy-to-use AirPouch EZ-Tear air pillows for high packing productivity, and reduced shipping costs. Operating at speeds over 50 feet per minute in semi-or fully-automatic modes, the AirPouch Express 3 creates continuous strips of void fill air pillow which are ideal for all protective packaging applications. Simply plug the unit in, load the air pillow material, and start packaging. The system is compact enough for a single packing station or can be scaled into a fully automated fulfillment line.

Because the film feeds directly into the machine and inflates only what’s needed, there’s no pre-measuring or overfilling — packers use exactly as much material as each box requires, which keeps material costs predictable order over order.

The AirPouch EZ-Tear pillows are puncture-resistant air significantly improve protection while reducing packing and shipping costs.  Its perforated technology makes it extremely easy for packers to grab a strip of air pillows and quickly tear off as many as they need. The pillows are specially designed perforations allow more air into each pillow. They are available in 8, 10, and 12 inch widths — wide enough for bulky items, narrow enough for tight void space in smaller boxes. Because the film ships flat on a roll and inflates only as needed, a single case of film replaces what would otherwise be several cases of pre-inflated cushioning, cutting incoming freight and storage costs as well.

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Where Void Fill Air Pillows Are Used

Void fill air pillows work well wherever a shipped item is smaller than its box or needs cushioning against shifting and impact during transit. Common applications include:

• E-commerce and mail-order fulfillment, where box sizes vary and void space is unpredictable order to order
• Fragile or irregularly shaped products that need cushioning on all sides, not just top and bottom
• Multi-item shipments where products need to be kept separated to prevent scratching or impact damage
• High-volume distribution centers looking to cut void-fill material and labor costs

Because air pillows are lightweight and take up minimal storage space before use, they’re also a practical fit for smaller operations that don’t have room to stock cases of foam or loose fill. Pyramid Packaging can help you calculate roughly how much film you’ll need per month based on your current box sizes and order volume, so you’re not over- or under-stocked.

Need More Information?

Have a question about protective or void-fill packaging? Send us a note and a packaging specialist will get back to you.