Sustainable Packaging For Medals: What Are The Options?

Sustainable medal packaging options include shredded paper, corn starch packing peanuts, wood wool, cardboard inserts, natural-fibre inserts (coconut husk, rice husk, cork, or mushroom), fabric bags, and honeycomb or air-packed paper. Each option trades off cost, moisture resistance, scratch protection, and cleanup time. Most medal suppliers still default to individual plastic bags because plastic is cheap, tough, and see-through, but event organisers who care about sustainability can ask for alternatives or switch suppliers.

At Badges and Medals, about 80% of our packaging is made from reused, sustainable, or recyclable materials. We use several of the options below on live orders. This guide explains what each one is, when it works, and when it does not.

Quick comparison: sustainable medal packaging options

Why are medals still packed in plastic bags?

Plastic has been the default for packing medals for years. Most medal suppliers pack each medal in its own plastic bag. Three reasons explain why:

• Strength: Plastic protects medals from scratches, moisture, and dust during shipping.
• Cost: Plastic is cheap — it is made from waste products of the petroleum industry.
• Convenience: Bags are lightweight (lower shipping cost) and see-through (faster packing and sorting).

Plastic is the usual choice. It is not necessarily the right choice for events that publish sustainability goals.

Many organisers only notice the waste after delivery — plastic bags stack up fast. A lot of soft plastic never gets recycled. According to the United Nations, about 430 million tonnes of plastic ends up in bins worldwide each year (UN Environment Programme).

Packaging is a large slice of that problem. Packaging accounts for roughly 36% of global plastic waste — about 100.8 million tonnes per year, per UN figures.

Half of the world's plastic waste goes to landfill, and just under a quarter is "mismanaged" — meaning it becomes pollution rather than being recycled or disposed of safely, according to the United Nations.

Switching medal packaging is one practical step event teams can take without changing the medal design itself.

Sustainable medal packaging option

Shredded paper

What is it?
Shredded paper is paper cut into small strips. It wraps medals in a soft, protective layer. It is often made from recycled sources — old newspapers, junk mail, or other discarded paper — so it gives waste paper a second use before compost or recycling.

Paper is renewable (trees can be regrown). After use, shredded paper can be composted, recycled again, or repurposed (for example as pet bedding).

What are the downsides?
Unpacking can be messy — small strips scatter. Because the fill is loose, medals can move during shipping and scratch each other unless the box is packed tightly or paired with an insert.

At Badges and Medals: We use paper-based protective packaging on a range of orders where clients want a recyclable, compostable fill instead of plastic void fill.

Cardboard inserts

What is it?
Cardboard inserts work like egg-carton dividers. They create a separate slot for each medal so medals do not knock together in the box. Many inserts are made from recycled paper and can be recycled, reused, or composted after the event.

What are the downsides?
Inserts must be sized for your medal. Generic dividers hold medals in place but may not cushion a hard impact — pair with another fill for delicate medals or long-distance freight. Cardboard weakens when wet, so rainy climates need a moisture-resistant outer pack or a different inner option.

At Badges and Medals: Cardboard inserts are a common choice when clients want medals separated in one shipper without individual plastic bags

Honeycomb or air-packed paper

What is it?
Honeycomb paper is cut into a flexible, honeycomb-shaped sheet. Air-packed paper is paper with an air pocket between layers — a paper alternative to bubble wrap. Both create a lightweight shock-absorbing layer around medals. Both are made from tree pulp, so they are recyclable, biodegradable, and often reusable.

What are the downsides?
They are less impact-resistant than plastic bubble wrap. Fragile medals may need a second layer of protection. Like other paper options, they lose strength when damp — worth avoiding as the only inner protection for humid or rainy routes.

How do I get sustainable medal packaging from my supplier?

Step one: Ask your current medal supplier if they can pack without plastic bags and which of the options above they already stock.

Many suppliers will switch if customers ask — they may not offer sustainable packaging by default.

Step two: Share your constraints: climate (dry vs rainy shipping), budget, whether participants keep the packaging, and how many medals you order.

Step three: If your supplier cannot or will not change, look for a supplier that treats packaging as part of the brief — not an afterthought.

At Badges and Medals, about 80% of our packaging is made from reused, sustainable, or recyclable materials 01/04/2026. Most of our medals use recyclable or sustainable materials where the design allows. We also run sustainability programmes for large orders — including ocean-plastic initiatives with Plastic bank

Learn about our sustainability programmes

Key takeaways

• Plastic medal bags are the industry default because they are cheap, strong, and easy to pack — not because they are the only option.
• Seven main sustainable alternatives exist: shredded paper, corn starch peanuts, wood wool, cardboard inserts, natural-fibre moulded inserts, fabric bags, and honeycomb or air-packed paper.
• Moisture and scratch risk vary by material — corn starch peanuts, cardboard, and honeycomb paper struggle in wet shipping; loose fills (paper, wood wool) need tight packing or inserts to prevent scratches.
• Cost is not identical across options — corn starch peanuts and custom moulded inserts often cost more than plastic; shredded paper is often cheaper but messier.
• Ask your supplier first — many will go plastic-free if you specify it in the order brief.
• Badges and Medals reports ~80% reused, sustainable, or recyclable packaging and offers sustainability programmes on qualifying orders.

FAQ

What is the most sustainable way to pack medals for shipping?

There is no single winner for every event. Compostable or recyclable fills (shredded paper, wood wool, paper wraps) suit events that prioritise end-of-life disposal. Reusable fabric bags suit events where participants keep the pouch. Custom cardboard or moulded-fibre inserts suit bulk shipping where medals must not touch in transit. Match the option to your climate, budget, and what happens to the packaging after the finish line.

Is shredded paper safe for medals during transit?

Shredded paper cushions medals but does not lock them in place. Medals can shift and scratch unless the box is densely packed or combined with cardboard inserts. It works best for short routes, sturdy medal finishes, or when scratch risk is low.

Does sustainable medal packaging cost more?

Sometimes. The article's clearest cost note is corn starch packing peanuts, which are typically more expensive than plastic peanuts. Custom moulded inserts and fabric bags often sit mid-to-high versus plain plastic bags. Shredded paper is often cheaper but adds cleanup time. Ask your supplier for a line-item quote comparing plastic bags vs your shortlisted option.

Which packaging works best in rainy or humid climates?

Avoid corn starch packing peanuts, untreated cardboard inserts, and honeycomb or air-packed paper as the only inner protection if cartons may get damp — all lose strength or break down when wet. Fabric bags and rigid moulded inserts inside a sealed outer carton perform better on wet routes. Always confirm outer carton spec with your freight provider.

Can I ask my current medal supplier to drop plastic bags?

Yes. Step one is to ask — many suppliers already stock paper fills, inserts, or fabric bags but ship plastic by default. Specify "no individual plastic bags" in writing and name the alternative you want from the comparison table above.

What percentage of Badges and Medals packaging is sustainable?

Badges and Medals states that about 80% of packaging is made from reused, sustainable, or recyclable materials 01/04/2026.