Custom Foam Sheets for Wrapping and Interleaving

Thickness, Foam Types and Formats

Thin sheets of a millimetre or two are for interleaving and scratch protection. They wrap easily around curved items and fold into corners. Thicker sheets give more cushioning against light knocks and are better for heavier or more fragile items, though they are stiffer and harder to fold. Many customers use a thin sheet for wrapping and add a thicker sheet only at the base or on the corners of the box.

Polyethylene foam is the most common choice. It is light, flexible, resists moisture and does not crumble. Other foam types are available for special jobs, for example where an item needs a softer or anti-static surface. Tell us what you are protecting and we will suggest a foam type and thickness.

Cut sheets are quick to use and keep packing benches tidy, as each sheet is ready-sized for a particular item. They can be cut to square or rectangular sizes to match your products. Foam pouches, which are sheets sealed on three sides, let you slide a plate, a glass or a phone straight in, which is faster again for high volumes of identical items.

Rolls suit businesses that pack many different sizes and cut their own lengths, such as removal companies and furniture makers. Perforated rolls tear off at set intervals, combining the flexibility of a roll with the speed of pre-cut sheets. The materials and finish options page lists the foam types and thicknesses we stock.

Sizing Your Foam Sheets

For interleaving flat items, choose a sheet slightly larger than the item so the edges are covered. For wrapping, measure around the item and add enough for an overlap. For box lining, measure the inside base and walls. If you pack several products, a small set of standard sheet sizes is usually more practical than a different size for every item.

Keep your carton sizes in mind too. Thicker foam adds to the size of the wrapped item, so a product that fits a box snugly unwrapped may need the next size up when wrapped in thick foam. Testing with a sample sheet before ordering a full run is a sensible step. Our guide to measuring products for a box explains how to allow for wrapping.

Printed Foam for a Branded Unboxing

Plain white foam does its job quietly, but a printed logo on the sheet adds a touch of brand to the unboxing. It works well for homeware and gift brands, where customers unwrap each piece and see your name several times along the way. Simple one-colour logos print best on foam, repeated across the sheet so they appear wherever the sheet is folded.

For a more premium look, coloured foam in a brand shade is another option. It turns a packing material into part of the presentation. Your free design proof shows the logo repeat on the sheet before we print.

If you are unsure, send us your largest and smallest product dimensions and we will suggest two or three sheet sizes that cover the range with little waste. Brands that want a softer final layer often add printed tissue paper in the brand colour over the foam.

Packing Fragile Orders With Foam Sheets

A simple routine works for most fragile parcels. Wrap each item individually in a foam sheet so no two surfaces touch. Group wrapped items tightly so they cannot shift, then fill any remaining space so the group sits in the centre of the box rather than against a wall. Finish with a layer of foam on top before closing, so the lid does not press directly on the items.

For stacks of plates or bowls, put a sheet between each piece and stand the stack on its edge rather than flat, which spreads impact better. For glasses, wrap the stem and bowl separately if they are delicate, then roll a final sheet around the whole glass.

A well packed parcel should pass a gentle shake test: if you can hear or feel anything moving, add more foam or a tighter insert. That simple check before taping up catches most problems before they become breakages and returns.

On printed sheets, fold with the logo facing out and keep it clear of the trimmed edges.

Wrap One Plate and Check It Still Fits the Box

The usual surprise is a product that fitted its carton unwrapped and no longer does with two layers of foam round it, so before ordering wrap one of your largest items in a sample sheet of the thickness you have in mind and try it in the box you already use. Then settle the format by how you pack: cut sheets for a bench that handles the same plate all day, pouches for identical items at volume, a perforated roll for mixed sizes.

Send the item you are protecting, the sheet size or format, the thickness, the quantity and any logo, and a custom quote comes back by email within one working day, with low minimums quoted per job. Printed sheets get a free proof showing the logo repeat. Production takes 4–7 working days after approval and tracked delivery to UK mainland addresses is free, taking 2–3 working days. Sheets that arrive damaged or off-specification are reprinted or refunded when reported within 10 days. Items that need a shaped cradle rather than a wrap move to foam inserts cut to the product in the same material.