Biodegradable Paper for Packaging: Types & Best Options

Why Use Biodegradable Paper for Packaging?

Biodegradable paper is worth using for packaging because customers can usually put the whole parcel into household recycling once it arrives, while plastic film often needs a specialist collection point. That makes disposal simple for the customer, and it still protects goods well, since paper bubble wrap and honeycomb paper cushion fragile items much like plastic does.

The benefit only holds if the whole pack stays paper-based. Plastic tape, laminated labels, or a waxed finish can stop an otherwise recyclable box from being recycled, and a pack certified for industrial composting under standards like EN 13432 may not break down in a home compost bin.

At Globe Packaging, we stock kraft paper rolls, paper void fill, Jiffy Green padded bags, and gummed paper tape, so every part of the parcel, including the seal, can go into the same recycling route. 

Where Does Biodegradable Packaging Paper Come From?

Virgin Wood Pulp

Virgin wood fibre gets used where consistent quality, strength, and appearance matter most. It often goes into heavy-duty kraft paper and the kraftliner outer layers of corrugated board, where variability in the fibre could affect how a box performs during transit. 

Recycled Fibre

Recycled fibre comes from recovered paper and board, and using it reduces demand on virgin wood pulp. It is the backbone of most eco-focused packaging ranges, including recycled kraft rolls and recycled corrugated mailers. Paper fibre can be recycled several times, although fibres shorten with each cycle, so recycled stock is often blended with fresh fibre to keep it strong. 

Agricultural-Residue Fibre

Agricultural-residue fibre is made from by-products like sugarcane bagasse and cereal straw rather than dedicated wood or recycled stock. It offers an alternative fibre source where suitable material is available locally, though buyers should ask suppliers to substantiate fibre content, performance, and sourcing before treating it as a like-for-like swap for wood pulp.

Emerging Plant Fibres

Hemp, kenaf, jute, and bamboo appear in ongoing research into alternative packaging fibres. These are not yet mainstream fibre sources in the same way wood pulp or recovered paper are, but they represent the direction some of the industry is exploring for future paper stock.

8 Everyday Paper Types for Packaging

1. Kraft Paper Rolls & Sheets

Kraft paper rolls and sheets are the workhorse of biodegradable void fill. Uncoated kraft crumples easily to fill gaps in a box, wraps awkward shapes, and interleaves stacked items without adding bulk.

2. Corrugated Paper Rolls

Single-face corrugated rolls are flat on one side and fluted on the other, which lets them bend around curved or bulky items.

Corrugated paper rolls bring a fluted structure into a flexible roll format, giving more cushioning than flat kraft sheets without the rigidity of a fixed box. They wrap around fragile or irregularly shaped items, absorb knocks during transit, and remain fully paper-based.

3. Paper Padded Mailers

A padded paper mailer combines an outer paper layer with fibre-based cushioning inside, giving lightweight parcels a bit of shock protection without the weight of a box. Our Jiffy Green padded bags follow this format, pairing a tough 90gsm kraft outer with recycled paper fibre padding and a self-adhesive seal. Sizes run from 105 x 229mm up to 341 x 483mm.

4. Gummed Paper Tape

Gummed paper tape uses a water-activated adhesive rather than a plastic film backing, which matters if the goal is a fully paper-based, repulpable carton seal. It suits a paper shipping system where every component, not just the box, needs to move through the same recovery route.

5. Paper Bubble Wrap

Paper-based bubble wrap replaces the traditional plastic cellular cushioning with a raised or textured paper surface, giving similar shock absorption while staying paper-based end to end. Most versions are made from recycled paper, so customers can put the used wrap straight into household paper recycling with the box.

6. Honeycomb Paper

Honeycomb paper ships flat and expands into a cellular cushioning layer when pulled open, similar to bubble wrap but made entirely from paper. It works well as a wrap-around cushion or as a void-fill layer inside larger cartons.

7. Paper Void Fill

Paper void fill keeps items from shifting inside a box during transit. It usually comes as a continuous roll of recycled paper in a dispenser box, such as our Fill-It Box Paper Void Fill, which packers pull out, crumple, and press into the empty space around a product. Once the parcel arrives, the paper can go into household recycling along with the box.

8. Tissue Paper

Tissue and wrapping paper are lightweight grades used to wrap products, interleave layers, and add presentation value, rather than provide heavy-duty protection. They suit retail and gift-style packing where light cushioning and appearance matter more than structural strength.

Best Biodegradable Paper Options by Use Case

Shipping Boxes & General Parcel Protection

For standard parcels, corrugated boxes combined with kraft paper, corrugated paper rolls, honeycomb paper, or paper bubble wrap cover most protection needs. The choice between these usually comes down to how fragile the product is and how much void space needs filling.

Lightweight Items That Don't Need a Box

A paper mailer is often enough for lightweight, non-fragile goods. For items that need a little more structure, our Tenvolope M-Envelope boxes offer a middle ground. Made from 100% recycled corrugated board, they come in sizes M1 to M4 and feature an adjustable depth and a peel-and-seal strip. Our Tenvowrap book wraps suit flat goods such as books, folding around the item and closing with a peel-and-seal strip, so no tape is needed. 

Liquid & Oily Products

Untreated paper resists moisture and grease poorly and loses strength quickly when wet. Waxed or coated papers improve that resistance, but coatings can stop a pack from recycling or breaking down cleanly. Check the disposal route for the full pack before choosing one.

Fragile Items That Need a Close Fit

Ready-made honeycomb sleeves slide straight over bottles and jars, which is quicker than wrapping each item by hand from a roll.

Glass, ceramics, and bottles need protection that holds its shape around the item. Honeycomb paper sleeves and wraps expand around curved or irregular products, preventing shifting that loose fill might cause.

Biodegradable Paper Types & Their Uses at a Glance

Switch to Biodegradable Paper Packaging With Globe Packaging

Globe Packaging supplies paper-based packaging for businesses and individuals moving away from plastic.

Biodegradable paper packaging works best when each format has a clear job. Kraft paper and void fill fill the gaps, honeycomb and corrugated rolls cushion fragile items, and mailers carry light goods without a box. Keeping the whole pack uncoated, from the tape to the labels, is what keeps its recycling benefit intact. 

At Globe Packaging, we stock kraft paper rolls, paper void fill, gummed paper tape, Jiffy Green padded bags, and Tenvowrap book wraps at our 60,000 sq ft UK depot. Orders placed by 4pm are dispatched the same day, and UK mainland orders over £50 (exc VAT) ship free next working day. Browse our eco-friendly packaging range to find the right paper format for your products.

*Note: Product listings, prices, and delivery times shown are approximate and subject to change. Contact Globe Packaging for the latest information.