From Safety Helmets To Virtual Reality Glasses - Innovative Corrugated Is The Material Of Future

Digital printing technology is not only transforming corrugated packaging into an eye-catching shelf ready packaging solution for retailers but this flexible material is also capturing the imagination of entrepreneurs.
By: CPi Corrugated
 
KNARESBOROUGH, U.K. - Feb. 26, 2015 - PRLog -- Corrugated plays a pivotal role in supply chain sustainability by protecting goods in transit and now its cushioning qualities are also being put to equally effective use helping to safeguard cyclists (1) from head injuries on the UK’s busy roads.

The material has been engineered into a cycling safety helmet launched by a designer as a sustainable alternative to polystyrene. With a design that mimics the woodpecker, corrugated’s ‘tiny little airbags’ absorb the energy of a collision preventing the helmet from cracking. The design has been tested to European standards and when compared to standard polystyrene, the results are impressive.

This new safety helmet is a striking example of the practical applications that are being developed for corrugated to create new business opportunities – such as the new polling booths (2) that were trialled in Cornwall during the 2014 European elections.

Cornwall decided to follow the lead of the USA and Australia in using cardboard booths for voters because they were more affordable and reduced the costs of storage, transport, cleaning and repairs compared to wooden booths.

In addition to getting the vote in Cornwall, corrugated is proving popular with children in Japan where a designer, renowned for manufacturing playthings and toys from corrugated cardboard, created an amusement park in a local shopping area, turning boxes into a car, tank, castle and a truck.

Whether amusing small children or adopting the latest digital technology for packaging such as smartphone apps, QR codes and augmented reality, corrugated cardboard’s versatility is being recognised outside its more traditional markets.

For instance, Google has produced a DIY virtual reality headset made entirely of cardboard (3), embedded with two lenses to give the viewer an immersive 3D experience when a smartphone is placed in front of the device.

Other novel uses for corrugated include refoldable furniture that is lightweight and recyclable, and recycled corrugated boxes used to make eco-cradles for sleeping babies. It has even been used on occasion by an Italian football club which, due to low attendances, placed cardboard cutouts of spectators in its stadium to make the ground appear fuller.

The Confederation of Paper Industries’ (CPI) Director of Packaging Affairs, Andy Barnetson, said: “Corrugated’s tremendous versatility is being recognised in a variety of new markets. The growing influence of digital technology is contributing to the industry’s willingness to extend beyond its comfort zone.”

CPI (http://www.paper.org.uk/) represents a multi-billion pound industry, thousands of UK jobs and the best packaging recycling record in the country. It is not only economical, but also has a superb environmental record – over 80% of the material is recycled every year, which if laid flat would cover an area the size of Greater London three times over.

END

(1) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25681895

(2) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27489648

(3) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28120953

Contact
Andy Barnetson
***@paper.org.uk
01793 889602
End
Source:CPi Corrugated
Email:***@paper.org.uk Email Verified
Tags:Innovative Corrugated, Safety Helmets, Corrugated's Versatility, Practical Applications, Virtual Reality Glasses
Industry:Business, Manufacturing
Location:Knaresborough - North Yorkshire - England
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