What is HexaFil™?

If you’ve been exploring packaging materials, you may have come across HexaFil™. But what exactly is it?

HexaFil™ is a sustainable void fill solution from HexcelPack, designed to cushion and protect products in transit. In this blog, we’ll cover:

• How void fill works to protect merchandise and reduce damage
• Key factors to consider when choosing void fill for your business
• Why sustainable void fill is essential compared to plastic options

By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how HexaFil™ can simplify your packaging process and help you select the right void fill for your unique needs.

The Purpose of Void Fill 

Void fill is a packaging product designed to fill empty spaces (or “voids”) in shipping boxes. It protects items during shipping and storage in case of impact that could cause damage. Most boxes get tossed and jostled along the way to their destinations, so minimizing the risk of merchandise breakage is essential.

Without proper void fill, businesses risk negative reviews, costly returns, and added mailing expenses, all of which cut into profits.

Void fill also keeps products looking pristine until they’re unpacked. By preventing interior boxes and containers from rubbing against each other, it ensures merchandise arrives in appealing, “like new” condition. This is especially important for e-commerce businesses in today’s world, where unboxing is a major part of reviews and influencer recommendations.

And void fill like HexaFil™ isn’t just for e-commerce. It’s used across many industries that demand reliable protection, including: 

• Pharmaceuticals
• Medical devices
• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Fine arts
• Electronics
• Optics

The more delicate and valuable the item, the greater the need for dependable cushioning.

Choosing the Right Void Fill for Your Needs

Selecting the best void fill for your business can feel overwhelming. Here are a few common scenarios you might face, and how HexaFil™ can help.

You’ve had a lot of breakage lately, which has increased your return rate. 

Maybe you sell handmade ceramics or porcelain dishes. Or your e-commerce company ships skincare or scent products in glass bottles. Fragile items like these are prone to breakage, and unfortunately, customers are noticing.

The costs of returns and exchanges quickly add up, not just in refunds, replacements, and shipping, but also in labor.

Solution: Choose a void fill that provides superior cushioning and doesn’t flatten over time, like HexaFil™ from HexcelPack. Its unique honeycomb design with its slit-paper construction maintains protection from start to finish. 

Your business packs products in multiple locations. 

Businesses with several shipping points, or even small shops packing both in-store and online orders often struggle with consistency. Packing at art fairs or festivals can make it even harder.

The result of packing goods in multiple locations often leads to  inconsistency in how much packaging material is used. Some boxes get the right amount of cushioning, while others receive too much, causing waste. What you need is void fill that offers consistent dispensing, along with portable options for flexibility.

Solution: HexaFil™ offers both manual and automated dispensing options. With the AutoHexaFil™, you get consistent void fill at the volume and frequency you choose—all with the touch of a button.

For more flexibility, you can opt for manual dispensing tools like the HexaFil™ or HexaFil™ Fill in a Box™, giving you the freedom to pack efficiently whether you’re on the go or working in your storefront.

You ship products that are often featured in unboxing videos. 

To make the right impression, your packaging needs to protect items and keep them looking flawless. The last thing you want is for customers or influencers to unbox broken, scratched, or leaking products on camera.

But packaging shouldn’t just be functional—it should also enhance presentation.

Solution: With HexaFil™, you get the best of both worlds. Its cushioning doesn’t flatten, and its sustainable paper design is available in natural or white, ensuring your products arrive safe and look their best during unboxing. 

You have customers in one or more challenging demographics. 

Do you ship to the European Union or states like California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, or Oregon?

• The EU is introducing new laws requiring sustainable packaging.
• Oregon has passed the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act, with similar regulations in California, Colorado, Maine, and Minnesota.
• Millennials and Gen Z, while not legally required to use sustainable packaging, strongly prefer it—and are often willing to pay more for eco-friendly options.

Solution: By using HexaFil™ void fill, along with HexcelPack’s other sustainable packaging products like HexcelWrap®, and HexcelStretch™, you’ll stay compliant with regulations and meet the expectations of environmentally conscious customers.

Why Sustainable Void Fill Is Best

For years, synthetic packaging materials like plastic air pillows and foam peanuts were the default. But we now know these products are difficult, if not impossible, to dispose of responsibly and are harmful to the planet.

Plastic packaging in particular often ends up in landfills or as litter because most communities lack the facilities to recycle it. Even “recyclable” plastics typically require specialized processing that isn’t widely available.

Over decades or even centuries
, as plastic breaks down in the environment, it leaves bits of plastic in the soil and in our water. These particles enter oceans, where marine life consumes them, and have even been found in rain, snow, and human organs, including the brain and cardiovascular system. Microplastics are linked to serious health risks and disrupt entire ecosystems.

Fortunately, there is an alternative: plastic-free, sustainable packaging, like HexcelPack’s kraft paper products, including HexaFil™ void fill. They check every box for true sustainability because they: 

• Are made from renewable sources with minimal environmental impact
• Can be easily recycled curbside or composted at home
• Are safe and non-toxic for both customers and workers

Let Us Pack Your Items to See HexaFil™ in Action!

Curious how well HexaFil™ void fill and the rest of the HexcelPack line of products protect your products? We’re confident in both the performance and the sustainability of our packing solutions.  

We invite you to send us your products. We’ll wrap it, repack it, and ship it back to you, so you can experience HexaFil in action for yourself!