The insert is the engineering
The outer box protects against crushing. The insert does everything else: it stops movement, sets the order in which items are seen and carries the weight. In most failed packaging, the box is fine and the insert was wrong.
Die-cut paperboard
Folded and die-cut board platforms are light, cheap, fully recyclable with the box and quick to tool. They suit products under roughly 200 g and anything with a flat base. They are the default for sustainable mono-material builds.
Die-cut EVA foam
EVA gives compression, grip and shock absorption. It is the right answer for heavy glass, electronics and irregular shapes, and it can be layered so a device sits above its cables. It is not recyclable with paper, which needs stating on the pack.
Fabric-lined pads and moulded pulp
Velvet, suedette and linen pads are used in jewellery packaging, where the lining is what the customer touches first. Moulded pulp is a recyclable structural option for larger, heavier goods and sustainable ranges; it needs its own tooling and a longer lead time.
Fit tolerance
Inserts are cut to the product with a small deliberate clearance — too tight and the product will not come out cleanly, too loose and it rattles. That clearance is confirmed on the physical prototype with your product in hand, not calculated on screen.
