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March 23, 2015 Candle, Bath & Body, News, What's New

Why We Make Our Own Packing Peanuts

Updated – June 9, 2021

Here at Fillmore Container, we are committed to being as environmentally responsible as possible. Over the years, we’ve tested and compared a variety of packing products and methods to see which provided the best balance of sustainability, performance and cost. While we’ve exclusively* chosen to use compostable peanuts for a long time, this year we’re taking it a step further!

We are now producing our own packing peanuts on-site!  

What does this mean for you?

  • Our sustainable packing peanuts are made of industrial-grade corn starch produced in the USA.
  • The ones we use in our packaging haven’t been handled or hauled– so they’re as good & fresh as they can be!
  • Pick-up customers can purchase bags of packing peanuts for their own use. Each bag is 14 cubic feet.
  • They come with a landfill-free disposal option – will dissolve in water for easy disposal.
  • Making packing peanuts in-house lowers our carbon footprint. Less energy spent in the hauling, handling and storage management.
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  • They are static-free – won’t stick to your packages or products.Compostable
  • Biodegradable packing peanuts out-perform polystyrene loose fill packaging in crush tests, providing a more resilient cushioning product. Typical polystyrene-based foam packaging tends to migrate or snap within a box when pressed under the weight of a product.

Wondering what you can do with your extra peanuts?

  • Unless your packing peanuts have gotten damp, they should be able to be used for cushioning again. Consider checking with a local retail business in your area – they may be thrilled to re-use your peanuts for their shipping.
  • Put them in your compost pile. Because they are biodegradable in water, they will break down quickly in soil.
packing peanuts in bag

PURCHASE PEANUTS

If you’d like to purchase bags of packing peanuts for your packing needs, you can! Currently, we can only supply to pick-up customers, but we hope to make them available to all after we are settled into our new facility.

If you’d like to purchase packing peanuts, visit the product page here. All you have to do is add them to your cart. Each bag is 14 cubic feet.

*Occasionally, we will use alternative packing materials which may include bubble wrap, foam wrap, kraft paper, other packing peanuts, or honeycomb wrap for small orders. These packing materials are being re-used – either we received them as samples, part of an inbound shipment or they were brought in by friends and family in their desire to minimize waste.

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Post a Comment

10 Comments
  1. Kathy Bryant Posted April 22, 2017 at 11:19 am | Permalink

    This is amazing! Extremely impressive!!!! I am so glad you are making and using compostable peanuts. It makes me even happier to use your company.

  2. Joe T. Posted April 22, 2017 at 3:57 pm | Permalink

    Thank you for using biodegradable packing material! I HATE styrofoam peanuts! They’d almost be worth it for being static-cling-free, but being able to compost them is wonderful! (Where we live, styrofoam isn’t recyclable at all, so it just goes to the landfill.)

  3. jackie Posted May 4, 2017 at 1:07 pm | Permalink

    this is amazing….too bad more businesses can’t look to you for an excellent leadership example! Thanks for your efforts!

  4. Jack Posted July 29, 2019 at 2:49 pm | Permalink

    Do you sell your packing peanuts to the public ?

    • Fillmore Container Posted August 14, 2019 at 2:34 pm | Permalink

      Hi Jack,
      Thanks for asking. We do sell to local pick-up customers. However, we do not sell peanuts as a product to be shipped. If you are local, or are interested in driving to Lancaster, PA to pick some up, we can help. Contact us here – https://www.fillmorecontainer.com/blog/contact_us/

  5. Keith Posted November 17, 2019 at 12:50 am | Permalink

    So, do they sell these or smaller ones for small business startups?
    How much did this unit run and whats it cost to make yourself versus buying?
    I am on west coast I know they use to have Starchtech that sold equipment but did not know till recently and they
    sold out to another company and no longer sell equipment 🙁
    Any info would be helpful and Thanks,

    • Fillmore Container Posted March 11, 2020 at 2:41 pm | Permalink

      Hello, I’m not sure if and where the units are sold. We go through so many peanuts – from a carbon footprint, space and cost standpoint, and quality assurance, it made sense for us to begin making them in-house. I’ll be emailing you for some information.

  6. Doyle Posted July 9, 2021 at 7:26 pm | Permalink

    This is fantastic! I like to recycle everything that can be reused in some way or is biodegradable. The fact that your peanuts can be composted is very significant.
    Thanks. Keep up the environmentally good work. –Doyle

  7. Robin Posted March 6, 2023 at 8:09 am | Permalink

    Could I put the packing peanuts directly into my garden?

    • Fillmore Container Posted March 6, 2023 at 12:23 pm | Permalink

      Yes, you can! They dissolve quickly. If you’re concerned about them blowing around, a short sprinkle with some water will help to keep them in place.