What is Flexi-Hex™?

In the world of e-commerce, packaging plays a crucial role in shaping the customer's first interaction with a brand. It's not just about protecting the product during transit, but also about creating a memorable unboxing experience. But with the increasing awareness around environmental sustainability, brands are seeking packaging solutions that are not only functional and aesthetically pleasing but also more sustainable. Enter Flexi-Hex, a patented, honeycomb sleeve made from paper that is revolutionising the packaging industry.

The Story Behind Flexi-Hex

Flexi-Hex was born out of a problem that needed solving. As surfers, the founders were looking for a way to transport their boards without using plastic and without risking damage. But they were also product designers and problem solvers. This led to the creation of their first product – a surfboard sleeve that fit like a wetsuit, used zero plastic, and protected both their boards and the planet.

As a coastal business, protecting the planet’s marine environment is at the heart of their mission. By creating a paper product that’s recyclable and biodegradable they’re helping to prevent plastic waste from ending up in our seas. Their love of the sea runs deep through their team, and it’s why they take care in everything they do, from the way they run their business to the way their product is made.

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The Problem Flexi-Hex Solves

Poor packaging design isn’t sustainable; it creates unnecessary waste and fails to protect products. In the UK, it is estimated that 5 million tonnes of plastic is used every year, nearly half of which is from packaging. Less than 10% of everyday plastic actually gets recycled in the UK, for paper it’s more than 80%.

Flexi-Hex is a patented, honeycomb sleeve made from paper that helps protect products in transit. It elevates the consumer experience, is compact to store, saving money in store and shipping, reduces breakage rates, and has faster packing times due to ease of use.

The Flexi-Hex Range

Flexi-Hex offers two sleeve ranges:

1. Flexi-Hex: The original sleeve range made from heavy-weight recycled paper. Available in 3 sizes: Mini (30cm), Lite (1.1m), Mid (1.1m). Designed to protect anything from bottles and homeware to surfboards and furniture.
2. Flexi-Hex Air: The lightweight sleeve range made from tissue paper. Available in 4 sizes: 10cm, 20cm, 25cm, 35cm. Designed for smaller goods such as cosmetic bottles, electronic devices, and glassware.Designed to be user-friendly, all their packaging is intuitive to assemble and can be applied across a wide range of applications. The sleeves are open-ended in their natural state, making them easy to join together or cut down to size.

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Flexi-Hex Sleeve Applications

Flexi-Hex sleeves can be used in a variety of ways to protect products:

1. The “Pod”: Secure the sleeve at both ends using a sticker or paper tape to create a ‘pod’ that holds the product within the sleeve.
2. Multiple products in a sleeve: This is a quick and simple solution for packing single or multiple products into a single box. Use tissue paper as void fill and to hold the sleeve/s in place.
3. Pack & Place: Choose a box (any box) that holds the products nice and snug so the product can’t fall out of the sleeve or move around the box. Use void fill (tissue paper or eco packing peanuts) to fill the extra space if necessary.
4. Premium Mailer box: This offers a luxurious look and feel ideal for premium products and gift sets. It's an alternative to plastic or moulded trays. Flexi-Hex can work with preferred manufacturers to custom the box sizes to the intended products.

Please note, all Flexi-Hex sleeves will need some sort of outer packaging for sending products through the postal and courier system.

The Four Rules of Using Flexi-Hex

1. Open & Stretch: Stretch open the sleeve and place over your product. If you’re worried about any scratching, you could wrap your product in tissue paper first, although this hasn’t been found to be a problem.
2. Protect the Ends: Flexi-Hex sleeves are open-ended so make sure the sleeve is protected at both ends.
3. Outer Packaging: Make sure the Flexi-Hex sleeve is covered by an outer box or envelope, you cannot just stick a shipping label on the honeycomb!
4. Void Fill: Choose a box that holds your products snug, you do not want any movement. If the box is too big, use void fill such as tissue paper or eco-friendly packing peanuts.

Why Choose Flexi-Hex?

1. Plastic-Free: Flexi-Hex is accredited FSC CoC for 100% recycled content.
2. Compact: While one pallet takes only fit six rolls of bubble wrap, you can fit 12,000 units of the Flexi-Hex 20cm Air Sleeves (M) on the same area, reducing shipping and storage costs, and ultimately the impact on our environment.
3. Flexible: With the sleeve expanding to 35 times its compact size, Flexi-Hex packaging is adaptable and can be applied across a wide range of applications.
4. Protective: Flexi-Hex has a proven track record of reducing breakage rates close to zero, especially for our bottle products. Don't just take our word for it, watch their egg drop test to see it for yourself.
5. Recyclable: All Flexi-Hex packaging is curbside recyclable, biodegradable, and composts in just six weeks. Cardboard is also the most recycled material in Europe.
6. Customisable: In the growing world of e-commerce, packaging is often a consumer’s first interaction with a brand and a crucial part of their purchasing experience. Flexi-Hex packaging is not just about protection, but also about creating a memorable unboxing experience. The honeycomb sleeve gives a preview of the product held inside, teasing the customer with what's to come. It's like a marketing opportunity to make e-commerce beautiful and memorable.
7. Easy to Assemble: Designed to be user-friendly, all Flexi-Hex packaging is intuitive to assemble and uses minimal material, making it easy to slot into the production process.

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Flexi-Hex is already working with renowned brands like Harrods, Tom Raffield, Diageo, Moonpig, Bombay Sapphire, and Grolsh. It's the perfect, more sustainable alternative to products like bubble wrap, designed for customers who want protective, standout packaging solutions. It's the best packaging companion for our range of eCom mailer boxes, offering the versatility of quick-to-pack and fill boxes, while still demonstrating a unique selling point for your brand. With multiple stock sizes, there are little to no setup costs when customising your packaging solution. It’s one of the easiest and most cost-efficient products for your fulfilment team.

Flexi-Hex is not just a packaging solution; it's a commitment to sustainability, a way to enhance the customer experience, and a tool to protect our planet. It's time to rethink packaging with Flexi-Hex.

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