Comments on: Poll: Styrofoam or cardboard for your wine shipping?

By: Explaining the “why” of your unpopular decisions | Red Plum Communications

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:57:58 +0000

[...] styrofoam users, criticizing their contribution to our environment’s demise. Dr. Vino even conducted a poll, asking readers whether they prefer styrofoam or cardboard (70 percent voted for [...]

By: Dustin

Dustin — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 22:47:39 +0000

Any idea of where I can purchase bulk pulp wine shippers? Specifically 2-bottle, 3-bottle and 12-bottle. A winery that I am a member of still uses styrofoam and we cannot recycle it here in Santa Cruz, CA. Thank you in advance.

By: Alice

Alice — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:09:59 +0000

What about Pulp? Pulp is the way to go. Made from recycled newspaper. Better for the enviroment that Styro. I found it on line.

By: Chuck Antonio

Chuck Antonio — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:15:42 +0000

We get most of our wine in cardboard boxes that have a pressed cardboard type material enclosing the wines. It is biodegradable. We save the boxes and inserts and re-use them to send wine to friends and also give them to friends so they can do the same. Those we don’t use we put in the recycle bin. If possible we avoid shipping by having the wineries hold our wine until we can pick it up. Always looking for a good excuse for a road trip!

By: Astor Wines says no to Styro, yes to plastic sleeves | Dr Vino's wine blog

Astor Wines says no to Styro, yes to plastic sleeves | Dr Vino's wine blog — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:29:18 +0000

[...] “Poll: Styrofoam or cardboard for your wine shipping?“ Permalink | Comments (0) | SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Astor Wines says no to Styro, yes [...]

By: Curtis

Curtis — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:00:49 +0000

The molded pulp has been tested and certified by UPS , FedEx and ISTA.Corrugated inserts are suspect if the board strength is downgraded.Also the outer box must be of sufficient strength to protect the total weight of the package.The problem with the 12 pack molded pulp is too light weight an outer box.It should be at least 275# double wall.Buy only tested and certified packaging.It is possible that an inexpensive insulated bag can be invented so you can ship your wine in extreme temperature environments.I will keep you posted.The molded pulp is so much cheaper than EPS and it is completely biodegradable and is made almost wholly from recycled materials. Why anyone would not use it is a mystery to me.Cheers from San Diego county!

By: Jeremy Brown

Jeremy Brown — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 21:06:08 +0000

I came across this by Googling but felt the need to “chime in.” While we don’t ship wine, we do a lot of electronics shipping. Even the “anti-static” styrofoam peanuts are still a bit clingy.

We switched to “mostly” cardboard in the past few months. We “shred” it in-house using the incoming shipments and picking up unused cardboard boxes from local stores.

What we get is not truly shredded but rather a net-looking mat that is max 15″ wide and varying lengths. It’s great to wrap around products, layer within boxes, roll up as space filling padding or you can also “pull and twist” which makes it “fluffier” making it great for filling spaces with minimal material for light packages.

It’s been so well noticed that some of our customers have requested to receive only shipments with the cardboard packing and two local moving supply companies are now buying the material off of us and reselling.

It stores flat, ships flat, and is highly reusable and doesn’t blow all over the warehouse when the door is opened!

We had seen the stuff and when we couldn’t really find a place to purchase it, we ponied up several thousands of dollars for he machine.

If you’re interested in getting some from us email me at jbrown@chimneytower.com

By: smiledoc

smiledoc — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:36:49 +0000

This is a good discussion to have as the shipping of valuable perishable wine in styrofoam is a reality, thank you! The solution that would most simply answer the problem would be to ask the recipient of the styrofoam container to simply return the styrofoam box to the store or winery for re-use.:) It would be so easy just to have fed-ex or ups put that empty box back on their truck. The winery or store coould even offer you a return label at the time of purchase. The carbons are already being burned by ups and fed-ex, so why not re-use these non-biodegradable styrofoam containers? How about the large volume shippers buying up these boxes or offering return labels?? KLwines.com Wine.com, Winebid.com?????

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:03:20 +0000

I agree with Mike above. But I found a website that carries 100% recycled foam. It will protect the temperature of your wine AND is environmentally friendly. A great idea and I am a big fan. http://www.boxvendor.com

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:32:37 +0000

I think that Dr. Vino should stay off the Al Gore band wagon. If you are going to send me wine from somewhere in the country it had better be in EPS styrofoam. In the winter it won’t freeze the wine and in the summer it won’t toast and pop the cork. This is a no brainer for the true wine expert.
Dr. Vino should consult Robert Parker or anyone who understands that wine is a living thing and corrugated( not cardboard- you stand corrected Dr.) is not what should be used to protect it.
Would you recieve a live lobster from Maine in just a box. It would die. You are killing the wine in anything but styrofoam. Mike

By: Gabriella Opaz

Gabriella Opaz — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:04:36 +0000

While I look out over a sea of styrofoam containers sitting in my livingroom, unable to be recycled by my town in Spain, I’m sad. I would much prefer to receive my bottles in a mound of edible popcorn, rice cakes or even popped wheat than styrofoam! Obviously, I realize that protecting the wine is key, but I have to imagine in 2008, we can be more creative than this.

By: Arthur

Arthur — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:36:59 +0000

Tyler,

How does creating a fleet of climate controlled wine delivery vans impact the environment?

By: Rich

Rich — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:16:25 +0000

I’ve received a lot of cardboard packing and never received a broken or damaged bottle. I guess using soil as the packing material would be too heavy. Maybe popcorn (particularly the caramel corn variety) would work well. Might be an insulator, too.

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:05:37 +0000

It’s too bad that some of the comments here complain of breakage with cardboard/pulp. I guess I’m lucky to never have had that problem.

Re: insulation, do you really find that it helps? I suppose the flipside is also true: if it gets too hot in a truck all day when being picked up then it could *stay* hot in the warehouse that night.

It’s really amazing that there isn’t a better option–one that is insulating, cushioning, and biodegradable.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:32:31 +0000

I buy most of my wine in Chicago and fly home with it. I only see styrofoam inserts in the stores when I ask for or buy a shipping carton. It always protects the wine well, but my basement is now filled with empty foam cartons. The recycling is a problem.