Honeycomb paper wrap: range and specifications
Kraft paper with rows of die-cut slits. Pull it, and the slits open into a honeycomb of cells that cushions the product and locks onto itself, so a wrapped item stays wrapped without tape.
Honeycomb paper wrap is the flexible, die-cut kraft wrap that stretches open into a honeycomb mesh. It is not honeycomb board, honeycomb panels or honeycomb pallets, which are rigid sheets of paper cells used in furniture and pallet loads. We do not make those.
Also known as honeycomb packing paper, honeycomb wrapping paper, hex wrap, Hexcel wrap, honeycomb cushioning paper and expandable paper wrap. See other names around the world.
We make honeycomb paper wrap in Jaipur, India, on multiple production lines that turn out more than 3,000 rolls a day, for packaging distributors, fulfilment companies and importers. Everything on this page can be supplied plain, FSC-certified, or packed under your own brand.
One rule runs through every number below. All lengths and widths are flat (unexpanded), because that is the only figure you can check with a scale.
Honeycomb paper wrap rolls
Our main product, and the one we export most. Rolls run on table-top dispensers or by hand from a simple spindle.
| Specification | What we supply |
|---|---|
| Material | Kraft paper, die-cut on our own production lines. About 99% of what we ship is made from 100% recycled fibre |
| Widths | 100, 200, 250, 380, 390, 400, 490 and 500 mm as standard. Inch widths for the US, such as 12", 15" and 20". Other widths to order |
| Paper grade | 50 to 120 GSM (about 30# to 74# US basis weight). 80 GSM is the most common grade for wrap. Tolerance ±5 GSM |
| Length | 250 m flat is the standard trade roll. We also make 315 m, 100 m, 50 m, 31 m, 25 m and 10 m rolls, and foot lengths for the US such as 1,000 ft |
| Expansion | About 1.6 times. A 250 m flat roll gives roughly 400 m of wrap |
| Colours | Brown, white and black in regular stock. Red, blue, yellow and green usually in stock. Any other colour or your brand colour to order, with a minimum of 8 pallets of one colour in one width |
| FSC | FSC Recycled 100% grade available (licence code FSC-C193292) |
| Roll weight | About 7.9 kg net and 8 kg gross for a 390 mm x 250 m roll at 80 GSM. Other sizes in proportion |
| Packing | Each roll wrapped, rolls palletised and stretch-wrapped. Standard 40 rolls per pallet for 380 mm x 250 m (double-stacked), or 96 per pallet (single-stacked). 63 rolls per pallet for 490 mm. Custom packing to your specification |
| Core | 25, 50 or 75 mm inner diameter, about 100 g. Flush, extended or notched. Colour, diameter and print customised to order |
| Roll diameter | About 220 mm for a 250 m flat roll. Confirmed on the quote to suit your dispenser |
| Labels | Your own roll and carton labels (OEM), including the flat length if you want it printed |
All widths and lengths are flat (unexpanded). If you buy in the US, where widths are sometimes quoted expanded, send us the roll you use today and we will match it. For US buyers we quote in inches and feet throughout.
Tissue paper and printing
We supply tissue paper for interleaving glossy or delicate items, plain or printed with your design. We can also print your logo or pattern on the honeycomb paper wrap itself. Send us the artwork and the volume and we will quote it.
Colours
| Colour | Availability |
|---|---|
| Brown (natural kraft), white, black | Regular stock |
| Red, blue, yellow, green | Usually in stock. Ask before you plan a large order around them |
| Any other colour, or your brand colour | Made to order, minimum 8 pallets of one colour in one width |
A custom colour needs at least 8 pallets of one shade in a single width. For 380 mm x 250 m rolls, that is 320 rolls.
How the colour goes on depends on the volume. Large orders are dyed at the paper mill, so the colour runs through the sheet. Smaller orders are coloured on the surface on our own lines.
For a brand colour, send us a physical sample of the shade, not only a screen code. Kraft fibre is not a white canvas, so we match to a sample you approve, and we both keep a piece of it as the reference. Our guide to coloured honeycomb paper covers rub-off and fading checks.
Cores: flush, extended or notched
The core is the part buyers forget until a roll will not go on the dispenser. We make three core types, in 25, 50 and 75 mm inner diameter, and we customise the colour, the diameter and the print to order.
| Core type | What it is | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Flush core | The core is exactly as wide as the paper | Most table-top dispensers and hand use. The standard choice |
| Extended core | The core sticks out beyond the paper at one or both ends | Holders that grip the core ends, and long transit, because the roll edges are not crushed when rolls touch |
| Notched core | Notches are cut into the core ends | Dispensers and machines with a hub or brake that keys into the core, so the roll turns with the brake and cannot slip |
A 75 mm core is close to the 3 inch core common in the US. If your machine needs an exact size, give it to us in millimetres and we will make the core to match. A printed core is also a quiet piece of branding: your name is on every roll, right down to the last metre.
Paper grades in GSM and US pounds
US paper is sold by basis weight: the weight in pounds of a 3,000 sq ft ream. One GSM is about 0.614 lb on that basis.
| GSM | US basis weight (approx.) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 31# | Light items, gift wrapping, inner layers |
| 60 | 37# | Small cosmetics, accessories |
| 70 | 43# | Economy wrap for light and medium items |
| 80 | 49# (sold in the US as 50#) | The everyday grade for most ecommerce and warehouse packing |
| 90 | 55# | Glass, ceramics, heavier gift sets |
| 100 | 61# | Heavier glass and ceramics, export cartons |
| 110 | 68# | Heavy items and long transit |
| 120 | 74# | Our heaviest grade, for the toughest jobs |
These uses are a starting point, not a rule. Test two grades on your own products before you decide.
Widths in millimetres and inches
| mm | inches (approx.) | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 3.9" | Narrow strips for bottle necks, jewellery boxes |
| 200 | 7.9" | Small items, sleeves |
| 250 | 9.8" | Small table-top dispensers |
| 380 | 15" | The most common export width, UK and EU dispensers |
| 390 | 15.4" | Our standard width in India |
| 400 | 15.7" | EU dispensers |
| 490 | 19.3" | Wide dispensers |
| 500 | 19.7" | EU and Australian wide dispensers |
| 508 | 20" | US wide-format rolls |
Brown kraft
The everyday grade for warehouses and distributors. Natural, unbleached look, and the easiest to recycle with other paper.
White and coloured
White and black are in regular stock. Red, blue, yellow and green are usually in stock. Your own brand colour can be made to order, with a minimum of 8 pallets of one colour in one width.
FSC Recycled 100%
Made from 100% recycled fibre and invoiced with the claim FSC Recycled 100% and our certificate code. See the quality page for the certificate.
Pre-cut honeycomb paper wrap sheets
Flat sheets of the same flexible die-cut wrap (not rigid honeycomb board), 390 x 500 mm, for packing tables that do not use a dispenser. One sheet covers about the same as 50 cm pulled from a roll. Sheets are packed 50 or 100 to a box, 1,000 sheets to a pallet, on 800 x 1,200 mm pallets or on a pallet sized to the sheet.
Honeycomb paper dispensers
A table-top manual dispenser for rolls up to 500 mm wide (525 mm at the most), with a metal stand, base plate, front guide rod and a tension control knob. The tension knob is the part that matters. Too loose, and the paper comes off without opening. Too tight, and it tears.
We also sell automatic dispensers, for packing lines that need wrap at speed.
Dispensers can go in the same container as the paper, so a distributor can offer a complete packing station to its own customers.
Honeycomb padded mailers
Kraft paper envelopes with a honeycomb paper lining and a self-seal strip. Every part is paper, including the liner on the seal strip. They are a plastic-free option for small items such as jewellery, cosmetics, books and accessories.
| Size | Inches |
|---|---|
| M1 | 6 x 9 |
| M2 | 9 x 11 |
| M3 | 10 x 13 |
| M4 | 11 x 15 |
| M5 | 12 x 16 |
| M6 | 15 x 19 |
Fill the rest of the container
Honeycomb paper is light, so a container of it alone often reaches its volume limit long before its weight limit. Many buyers mix in other paper packaging from our range:
- Void fill paper, for filling space in a carton.
- Kraft paper tape, to seal paper-based packs.
- Paper bubble wrap, for buyers who want a softer paper cushion.
The full range is on the Jagannath Polymers website. Ask us for one quote that covers the whole container.
Where honeycomb paper is the right choice
It works best for light and medium fragile items: glass bottles and jars, ceramics, candles, cosmetics, picture frames, home decor and gift sets. It is popular with ecommerce sellers who want a plastic-free unboxing.
Where it is not
I would rather you hear this from us than learn it from a claim.
- Honeycomb paper weakens when wet. It is not for goods that may sit damp for weeks.
- Heavy items with sharp corners can cut through the cells. Test them hard first.
- Small, tough items that only need the gaps filled do not need wrapping. Void fill paper does that job with less paper.
Our blog post on what honeycomb paper is and how it protects goes into the details.
Questions buyers ask
Is your 250 m roll length flat or expanded?
Flat. Every length on this site is the flat, unexpanded length, the way the paper sits on the roll. With our cut, 1 m of flat paper opens to about 1.6 m, so a 250 m roll gives roughly 400 m of wrap. Compare suppliers on flat metres at the same GSM, never on the number printed on a roll.
Which GSM should I choose?
Most honeycomb wrap in Europe and Australia is sold at 80 GSM, with 70 GSM as the economy grade. Heavier paper makes stiffer cells that cushion better and tear less at speed. Lighter paper is cheaper per metre but can collapse under heavy items. Ask us for two grades and test both on your own products.
Do you supply tissue interleaf for glossy items?
Yes. We supply tissue paper, plain or printed with your design, and we can print your logo on the honeycomb paper wrap too. A thin tissue layer between a glossy product and the honeycomb stops scuffing and stops small parts poking through the cells.
Will your rolls fit my dispenser?
Send us the largest roll diameter, the core size and the core type (flush, extended or notched) your dispenser takes. We make 25, 50 and 75 mm cores, and other diameters to order. Most table-top dispensers in Europe and Australia are built for 380 to 500 mm rolls of 250 m flat. Our 250 m flat roll is about 220 mm across, and we confirm the roll diameter and core on the quote, so you can check before you order.