Since the beginning of temperature controlled shipping, polystyrene has long been accepted as the best way to insulate perishable products from the outside environment. Whilst it is true that it provides exceptional insulation, it also one of the most polluting materials known to man. Both in its production and also in its disposal. It also the largest single contributor to marine debris.

We have invested heavily in finding an alternative, and we believe that we have found a sensible solution that we are trialling during our winter 2013 season. Based on a cardboard outer box and a high performance thermal liner, our tests have shown that it holds temperature better than polystyrene.

The graphs below show the speed with which the inside of a box heated up and clearly demonstrates that our new Thermalpac solution holds temperature better, either from frozen or from ambient.

Whilst there is more to it than just the box, you need a coolant and you also need to effectively fill the air voids with insulating material. These tests are comparable and give us confidence that our new thermalpac solution is worth a go.

The Penum insulation costs £4 per unit while the equivalent polybox is £4.50, delivering a small saving on packaging costs and we hope a dramatic saving on the cost of disposal (especially in more remote locations) and the environment. Our bubble wrap is also biodegradable (slightly green in colour), also helping with end location disposal.

We need your support in trying to change the accepted wisdom that polystyrene is the only way to send products long haul.