“How thick should our packaging be?” is a common question when developing custom molded pulp packaging. It often comes with another: “Would making it thicker provide better protection?”
The answer depends on what the packaging needs to do. An insert holding a small cosmetic jar inside a gift box has different requirements from a tray supporting a heavy industrial component during shipping.
Thickness affects appearance, strength, material consumption, and production time. However, it is only one part of the design. The goal is to choose a thickness that provides the required protection without adding unnecessary material or cost.
Here is how we approach that decision at InNature Pack.
What Are the Typical Thickness Ranges for Molded Pulp Packaging?
For our regular custom packaging projects, the common thickness ranges are:
| Process | Typical thickness | Common design priorities |
|---|---|---|
| Wet-pressed molded pulp | 0.8–1.0 mm | Refined appearance, thinner walls, compact presentation |
| Dry-pressed molded pulp | 1.5–3.0 mm | Product support, load-bearing strength, transport protection |
These ranges provide a starting point. The final specification depends on the product’s shape, size, weight, and packaging requirements.
It is also useful to distinguish wall thickness from the overall depth of the packaging. A deep tray does not necessarily need thick walls throughout. Its formed contours and support structure also contribute to its performance.
Choosing between wet pressing and dry pressing therefore involves more than selecting a number in millimeters.
Thinner or Thicker: What Does the Difference Mean?
Thinner walls for a refined, compact package
Thinner walls can help create a neat presentation, particularly for cosmetics, small electronics, and gift packaging. When the design already provides sufficient support, keeping the walls relatively thin can also avoid unnecessary material use.
Still, thin does not automatically mean fragile. A carefully shaped insert can hold a product securely without feeling bulky.
Nor does thinner always mean cheaper. Wet-pressed packaging may use thinner walls, but its tooling and processing costs can be higher than those of a comparable dry-pressed design. Thickness alone is not a reliable way to compare prices across processes.
Thicker walls for greater support
For heavier products, increasing thickness may help improve load-bearing capacity and structural strength. This can be useful for appliance components, industrial parts, and other products that place greater demands on their packaging.
However, a thicker tray does not automatically provide better drop protection. How the product is supported, where it contacts the packaging, and how much cushioning space is available all matter.
Thickness should work with the structure, rather than compensate for a structure that does not suit the product.
What Determines the Right Thickness for Your Product?
Product weight and weight distribution
Weight is an important starting point, but we also need to understand where that weight rests.
A product supported across a broad surface places different demands on a tray from one resting on two small contact points. Even if both products weigh the same, their packaging may need different support arrangements.
This is why a weight figure alone is rarely enough to determine wall thickness.
Fragility and vulnerable areas
A lightweight product can still require careful protection. Glass containers, delicate finishes, and protruding components may be vulnerable even when the overall product is small.
The design needs to support suitable areas while avoiding pressure on fragile features. Simply adding material everywhere may do little to address the actual risk.
The packaging’s main function
Consider what you expect the packaging to accomplish. Is it mainly holding a product neatly inside a retail box? Separating several items? Supporting a heavy component? Providing cushioning during shipping?
A display insert and a shipping buffer may both be made from molded pulp, but their design priorities differ. The thickness should reflect the job.
Shipping and testing requirements
The outer carton and other packaging components also influence the decision. A molded pulp insert works as part of the complete package.
If your project has drop-test or other transport-testing requirements, share them early. They help guide the initial design and provide a practical basis for evaluating samples.
Why Thicker Is Not Always Better
It can feel reassuring to choose extra thickness “just to be safe.” Sometimes that is justified, especially when a product needs more support. But once the packaging meets its functional requirements, adding more material may bring little benefit.
More material without a clear benefit
For a similar design using the same material and process, thicker walls generally require more pulp. That extra material becomes a recurring cost with every production order.
If the packaging already holds the product securely and provides the required protection, further thickening may simply mean paying more for performance you do not need.
Longer drying time and higher production costs
Thickness also affects how efficiently the packaging can be produced.
In our conventional dry-press process, the formed wet parts go through a drying room before hot pressing. Thicker parts generally have more moisture to remove and may need longer drying time. The exact difference depends on the shape, wall thickness, and drying conditions.
Unnecessary thickness can therefore increase both material consumption and drying costs. This is one reason we evaluate thickness during the design stage instead of automatically choosing the thickest option.
Thickness cannot solve every protection problem
If a product moves inside its tray, it may need better positioning features. If a fragile section is exposed to pressure, it may need additional clearance or a different support arrangement.
Making the entire tray thicker does not necessarily solve these problems. A stronger wall and an effective cushioning structure serve different purposes, and both need to suit the product.
Before adding thickness, it helps to identify what actually needs improvement. That leads to a more practical design and makes better use of the packaging budget.
Optimize the Structure Before Simply Adding Thickness
When reviewing a molded pulp packaging design, we consider thickness alongside several structural details:
- Support points: Does the packaging carry the product at suitable locations?
- Ribs and contours: Can the formed shape provide additional stability?
- Contact area: Is the load distributed appropriately?
- Product fit: Is unwanted movement controlled?
- Cushioning space: Is there enough room for the protective structure to work?
- Carton fit: Do the insert and outer box work together properly?
For example, if a heavy component rocks inside its tray, adjusting the support positions may be more useful than increasing every wall from 2 mm to 3 mm.
That does not mean thickness should always stay unchanged. It means the adjustment should address an identified need, with samples used to check the result.
How InNature Pack Evaluates Thickness for a Custom Project
You do not need to specify an exact wall thickness before contacting us.
We begin by reviewing your product dimensions, weight, photos or 3D files, and intended packaging use. We also consider appearance expectations and any specific protection requirements.
From there, we recommend an initial process, structure, and thickness. Physical molded pulp samples can then be evaluated for fit, support, handling, and the required protective performance. Where necessary, the design can be refined based on those findings.
The common ranges of 0.8–1.0 mm for wet pressing and 1.5–3.0 mm for dry pressing are useful references. The right choice, however, is the one that suits your product and performs its intended function without unnecessary cost.
Not sure which thickness your packaging needs? Send InNature Pack your product dimensions, weight, photos or 3D files, along with your packaging requirements. We can help evaluate a suitable molded pulp process, structure, and thickness for your project.