EYE on NPI – 3M Cushion Lock™ Protective Wrap and Dispenser

This week's EYE ON NPI is a cushy new way to wrap and protect products during shipping and storage, without mess or waste - it's the 3M Cushion Lock™ Protective Wrap and Dispenser (https://www.digikey.com/en/product-highlight/3/3m/cushion-lock-protective-wrap-and-dispenser)! This combo kit of die-cut paper and strong steel dispensing equipment is a great alternative to messy, wasteful or hard-to-recycle packaging materials like packing peanuts (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foam_peanut), bubble wrap (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_wrap), air packs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflatable_air_cushion), foam balls, or old newspapers. And you don't need any special installations like compressed air or overhead dispenser bins to use it, so it's perfect for companies from 1-maker-in-a-room up to 10,000-packages-a-day-in-a-warehouse. The most common packaging materials folks use are also the most annoying to transport: packing peanuts and bubble wrap ship pre-inflated so they're massive. Even if they're light, they still take up a lot of space! there are more compact systems like inflate-on-demand sealed air pillows (https://www.sealedair.com/products/protective-packaging/inflatable-air-pillows) but now you need special air system which costs $1000's and is probably quite loud during operation. In comparison, the Cushion Lock ships as a dense roll of die-cut paper, 1000 foot rolls can ship UPS ground from Digi-Key and arrive in a few days. (https://www.digikey.com/short/2tf383mf) When loaded into the dispenser, the paper expands as you pull, and the die cut has li'l saw-teeth that grabs onto itself when wrapped to keep the 3D matrix 'puffy'. It looks like the Geami stuff that Digi-Key includes as a free cat toy with each order (https://www.evilmadscientist.com/2009/digi-key-sends-cat-toys/) but bulkier. We're investigating sustainable packaging at Adafruit (https://www.adafruit.com/sustainability) and it's great to see easier-to-recycle or compost-able packaging available from 3M (https://news.3m.com/Scotch-Cushion-Lock-Protective-Wrap-delivers-proven-packing-protection-without-the-guilt-of-plastic-all-in-one-simple,-efficient-product) - it has the same poofiness as air-puffed wrapping material, but without the wasteful shipping of pre-puffed-air or expensive inflating equipment. Combined with plain cardboard boxes, and lightweight plastic anti-static bags, this is one of the new options we'll be evaluating and we recommend other companies check out as well! Best of all, you don't need to talk to a sales rep or sign a contract to get started - both the 3M Scotch Cushion Lock Dispenser (https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/3m/PCW-121000-D/16497669) and rolls of 3M Scotch Cushion Lock Protective Wrap (https://www.digikey.com/short/2tf383mf) are in stock for immediate shipment! Order today and choose ground for fast and reliable delivery - Digi-Key will ship it same day - and you can start saving the Earth while also saving money and space for your small-or-large business shipping needs.