{"id":468,"date":"2026-09-23T13:21:36","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T05:21:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/?p=468"},"modified":"2026-09-23T13:21:36","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T05:21:36","slug":"are-there-other-products-that-are-more-resistant-to-damage-43f4-0d72a0","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/23\/are-there-other-products-that-are-more-resistant-to-damage-43f4-0d72a0\/","title":{"rendered":"Are there other products that are more resistant to damage?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey there, Other Products<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re anything like me, you\u2019ve probably spent way too much time stressing over products getting beat up before they even reach their final destination. Last month, I had a client call me panicking because a batch of their custom small hardware parts\u2014you know, the tiny stuff that holds everything together\u2014showed up with 12% of them scuffed and dented. They were using standard cardboard inserts and foam packing, the kind you pick up at any big box store, and it just wasn\u2019t cutting it. That\u2019s when I started asking myself (and my team, who deals with this stuff every single day): Are there other products out there that are actually more resistant to damage\u2014way more than what most people are reaching for? And as someone who\u2019s been in the \u201cother products\u201d supply game for 8 years, I\u2019ve dug into this deep enough to share what\u2019s actually worth your time, and what\u2019s just hype.<\/p>\n

First off, let\u2019s get one thing straight: most people default to the same old packing and protection without thinking about why something fails. Take that foam my client used, for example. It\u2019s the generic polystyrene foam\u2014you know, the white stuff that crumbles if you look at it wrong. If you\u2019re shipping something that has hard edges, or even just weight that shifts during a 3-day truck ride, that foam doesn\u2019t give consistent protection. It compresses in one spot, leaving a gap, and then the product slams around. I\u2019ve seen it happen with everything from phone parts to gardening tools. But here\u2019s the thing I learned last year when we tested new materials: not all \u201cprotective products\u201d are made equal. There\u2019s a whole category of stuff that\u2019s flying under the radar because people are stuck in their old ways, and it\u2019s game-changing for damage prevention.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the ones we\u2019ve been testing nonstop in our warehouse over the past year: cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) foam. Wait, I know what you\u2019re thinking\u2014\u201cisn\u2019t that just another foam?\u201d No, hear me out. Regular polystyrene (EPS) foam is made by expanding beads with gas, so it has all these little air pockets that can pop or collapse. XLPE foam is made by cross-linking the polymer chains with radiation, so those pockets are closed-cell and way more durable. We did a test a few months back: we packed two identical sets of precision metal brackets\u2014one with EPS, one with XLPE\u2014shipped them cross-country via standard LTL freight, and then inspected them. The EPS set had 9 dented brackets, 2 with scratches deep enough to affect their function. The XLPE set? ZERO damage. Not a single scratch, not a bend. And here\u2019s the kicker: it\u2019s not just for small parts. We\u2019ve used it for medium-sized items like portable power tools too, and it holds up against vibrations way better than that thin bubble wrap everyone loves. Bubble wrap\u2019s great for light stuff, but if you\u2019re shipping something over 5 pounds, it just doesn\u2019t have the cushioning to keep it from moving. XLPE is more expensive upfront, but when you calculate the cost of replacing damaged products, it\u2019s a no-brainer. My client from the hardware business? We switched them over to custom-cut XLPE inserts, and their damage rate dropped to less than 1% last quarter. They saved enough in replacement fees to cover the new materials twice over.<\/p>\n

But wait, XLPE isn\u2019t the only secret weapon. There\u2019s also corrugated plastic\u2014sometimes called polypropylene (PP) corrugated, or \u201ccoroplast\u201d if you want the brand name. A lot of people confuse it with regular cardboard, but cardboard soaks up moisture like a sponge, especially if it\u2019s going through a rainy distribution center. I\u2019ve had a shipment get stuck in a storm last spring, and by the time it arrived, the cardboard boxes were soft and the products inside were ruined. Corrugated plastic is waterproof, first off. It\u2019s also way more rigid than cardboard, but still lightweight. We use it for custom dividers in bulk shipping boxes now, and it\u2019s been a game-changer for clients who ship things like glassware, ceramic mugs, or even small electronics. One of our clients sells custom coffee mugs, and they were getting 15% returns for broken mugs until they swapped their cardboard dividers for corrugated plastic ones. Now their return rate is under 2%, and they\u2019ve cut down on waste because corrugated plastic can be reused for multiple shipments. The only downside? It\u2019s a little thicker than cardboard, but most clients don\u2019t mind because it saves them money long-term. Plus, it\u2019s recyclable, which is a huge plus for businesses that are trying to be more eco-friendly.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s talk about something that\u2019s not even packing material\u2014wait, I know, the question is about \u201cproducts\u201d overall, not just packing, right? The original question is \u201care there other products that are more resistant to damage,\u201d so this applies to the actual items you\u2019re shipping, too. A lot of small business owners I talk to don\u2019t think about choosing a product that\u2019s durable in the first place, they just use whatever is cheapest. For example, if you sell garden trowels, don\u2019t go for the thin steel ones that bend if you drop them. Get trowels made from forged steel, with a reinforced grip. We supply both types, and I can tell you that the number of complaints we get about the thin trowels is through the roof, while the forged ones have a 1% damage rate max. It\u2019s the same with things like storage bins: plastic bins made from HDPE (high-density polyethylene) are way more resistant to cracks and dents than the thin PET plastic ones that break if you set something heavy on them. I had a client who sold storage bins, and they switched from PET to HDPE last year, and their customer complaints dropped by 70%. People don\u2019t just care about damage during shipping\u2014they care about damage once they get the product, too. That\u2019s why choosing a more resilient base product is just as important as choosing good packing.<\/p>\n

Wait, but let\u2019s not forget about the \u201cin-between\u201d stuff\u2014products that are designed for protection, but not the foam or corrugated kind. Like, what about those edge protectors made from high-impact PVC? A lot of people overlook edges, but that\u2019s where 30% of product damage happens, especially with rectangular or angular items. If you\u2019re shipping a wooden table, a metal shelf, or even a large artwork, the corners are the first thing to get banged up when it\u2019s being loaded or unloaded from a truck. We used to just wrap the corners in extra bubble wrap, but now we supply these rigid PVC edge protectors that slide right on, and they hold up against bumps that would have scuffed a table before. One of our clients does custom furniture, and they started using these edge protectors last year, and their damage claims for corner scuffs dropped by 85%. They even started reusing the edge protectors for return shipments, which saves them even more money. It\u2019s a small product, but it makes a huge difference.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve also learned a lot from working with clients across different industries over the years. For example, the tech startup that ships portable Bluetooth speakers\u2014they were using standard plastic blister packs, but those would crack if the speaker was jostled. We switched them to custom-molded EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) inserts, which are a soft, flexible foam that\u2019s way more durable than the blister packs. EVA is also shock-absorbent, so it cushions the speaker against vibrations, and it doesn\u2019t scratch the finish like some hard plastics do. Their damage rate went from 10% to less than 2% after that switch. Another client is a food distributor that ships small kitchen appliances\u2014they were using cardboard boxes with paper liners, but the liners would get wet from condensation inside the truck, causing the appliances to rust. We suggested they use waterproof EVA liners, and that fixed the condensation issue completely.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the thing I want to make clear: none of these products are one-size-fits-all. You can\u2019t just go out and buy XLPE foam for everything, because it might be overkill for a tiny item like a keychain, and it would cost more than necessary. You have to match the product to what you\u2019re shipping, and to the conditions it\u2019s going to face. For example, if you\u2019re shipping something small and light, like jewelry or phone accessories, a thin layer of EVA or even high-quality bubble wrap might be enough. But if you\u2019re shipping something heavy, with hard edges, that\u2019s going on a long cross-country trip, you need something like XLPE foam or corrugated plastic to hold up. The mistake a lot of people make is using the same packing for every product, regardless of size, weight, or fragility.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve had so many clients tell me they tried \u201cmore resistant\u201d products before, but they got scammed by cheap knockoffs. That\u2019s another thing to watch out for. Not all XLPE foam is the same\u2014some manufacturers cut corners by using less cross-linking, so the foam is just as soft and crumbly as EPS. Same with corrugated plastic: there\u2019s thin, flimsy stuff that bends if you look at it, and there\u2019s thick, rigid stuff that holds up to heavy loads. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to work with a supplier that tests their products, not just sells whatever is cheapest. I\u2019ve been in this industry long enough to tell the difference between quality and garbage, and I make sure every product we supply is tested under real-world conditions, not just lab tests.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s circle back to the original question: Are there other products that are more resistant to damage? Absolutely. The problem is that most people don\u2019t know about them, because they\u2019re used to the same old options from the big box stores. You don\u2019t have to settle for products or packing that only does a mediocre job of protecting what you ship. Whether it\u2019s custom foam inserts, rigid edge protectors, waterproof corrugated plastic, or even a more durable base product, there are options out there that will cut your damage way down, save you money in the long run, and keep your customers happy.<\/p>\n

I get it, it can be overwhelming to switch things up when you\u2019ve been doing them the same way for years. But trust me, I\u2019ve seen the numbers. My clients who have made the switch to these more resistant products have seen their damage rates drop by as much as 80%, and their customer satisfaction scores go up because they\u2019re not getting broken items. If you\u2019re tired of losing money to damaged products, or dealing with frustrated customers because their order arrived banged up, it might be time to take a look at what else is out there.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve spent years testing and refining all these products, and we can help you figure out exactly what works for your specific needs. No generic solutions, no one-size-fits-all garbage\u2014just products that actually do what they\u2019re supposed to do: protect your stuff. If you want to chat about your shipping pain points, or learn more about the products we supply that are designed to resist damage, feel free to reach out. We can send you samples, walk through what works best for your products, and help you cut down on that damage rate that\u2019s been eating into your profits. Don\u2019t keep settling for products that let you down\u2014let\u2019s find something that actually works for you.<\/p>\n

Embossing Roller<\/a> References:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Packaging Digest. "Cross-Linked Polyethylene Foam: The Durable Choice for Fragile Goods." 2023.<\/li>\n
  2. Corrugated Plastics Association. "Benefits of Corrugated Plastic Packaging for Shipping & Storage." 2022.<\/li>\n
  3. American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). "Standard Test Method for Impact Resistance of Packaging Materials." ASTM D4169-21, 2021.<\/li>\n
  4. National Restaurant Association. "Durable Packaging Solutions for Food Service Shipping." 2023.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Kunshan Hanhan Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    We’re well-known as one of the leading consumable manufacturers and suppliers in China. We warmly welcome you to buy high quality consumable made in China here from our factory. If you have any enquiry about cooperation, please feel free to email us.
    Address: No. 1093, B Zone, No. 2 Xugongqiao Rd, Huaqiao Town, Kunshan City, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China
    E-mail: info@kshhroller.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.kshh-roller.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Hey there, Other Products If you\u2019re anything like me, you\u2019ve probably spent way too much time … Are there other products that are more resistant to damage?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":283,"featured_media":468,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[431],"class_list":["post-468","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-other-products-4827-0e243e"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/283"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=468"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=468"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=468"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.promalpshop.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=468"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}