What are the Different Types of Packing Foam?
Expanded polystyrene sheets, packing peanuts, foam-in-place and foam-in-bag, and polyethylene sheets are all types of packing foam. Both expanded polystyrene and packing peanuts are made from polystyrene. Foam-in-place and foam-in-bag are made from polyurethane. Polyethylene is available in flexible sheets. Each of these packing foams is best suited to protect as specific type of product during shipping. Expanded polystyrene (EPS), also called beadboard, is often referred to as Styrofoam™. However, Styrofoam™ is a trademarked product of the Dow Company. As such, it should not be confused with other EPS products. EPS is a lightweight, rigid, plastic packing foam that is made by expanding small polystyrene beads. It has only minimal cushioning properties and is best used when packaging lightweight items. Packing peanuts, also referred to as loose fill, are small, lightweight, peanut shaped packing foam that are designed to interlock when compressed and flow freely when loose. The interlo
