Daiwa Hitex launches paper cushioning sheet to replace plastic bubble wrap
Japanese automated packing line maker Daiwa Hitex has launched Stay Rib Sheet, a 1.2mm-thick moulded paper cushioning material co-developed with a materials supplier, as a plastic-to-paper substitute for mail-order parcel packing. The product is designed for its PAS-Line automated packing system and is aimed at customers facing higher costs and supply risk for oil-based bubble wrap and plastic film following the 2026 Middle East-driven oil price rise. Free sample testing and machine demonstrations began at Daiwa Hitex showrooms in Tokyo and Osaka from 5 November 2026.
Why this mattersA plastic-to-paper switch in e-commerce cushioning targets a core cost and compliance pressure point for online retailers and 3PL operators.
- Stay Rib Sheet is about 1.2mm thick, using a patent-pending moulded rib structure in kraft paper laminated with polyethylene
- Supplied in 150m rolls for Daiwa Hitex's PAS-Line, which packs up to 1,000 parcels per hour
- Qualifies for Japan's paper container and packaging recycling mark under the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law
- Developed in response to oil price rises since spring 2026 linked to Middle East tensions, which raised costs and supply risk for plastic-based cushioning
- Demonstrations and free sample fitting tests started 5 November 2026 at Daiwa Hitex's Tokyo and Osaka showrooms
- Daiwa Hitex, founded in 1978 and based in Itabashi, Tokyo, has capital of JPY 60 million