Conserving natural resources | Reducing packaging materials

Initiatives to Reduce Packaging Materials

Examples of Packaging Materials Reduction

General-Purpose Soft-Touch Corrugated Cardboard Cushioning Material
that Achieves High Shock Absorption with Low Material and Labor

Costs General-purpose soft-touch corrugated cardboard cushioning material that achieves high shock absorption with low material and labor costs is a cushioning material used to package Washlets. TOTO achieved material savings by extracting the strongest part of the cardboard and reduced the number of processes by making the structure simpler. Additionally, giving the cushioning material a wavy shape and stacking them in an alternating pattern achieves both flexibility and rigidity. 

*1: Washlet is a registered trademark of TOTO.

｜Features of general-purpose soft-touch corrugated cardboard cushioning
　material that achieves high shock absorption with low material and labor costs 

With the spread of the use of Washlets overseas, the number of times they are loaded and unloaded*2 has increased, raising the possibility of damage. Thus, there was a need to develop low-cost cushioning materials that could withstand harsher transport conditions. To meet this need, TOTO achieved material savings by extracting the strongest part of the cardboard and stacking four sheets in the direction of the corrugated rows to ensure stability and self-support. In addition, we reduced the number of processes by simplifying the complex assembly process. However, stacking multiple cardboard sheets makes them too stiff. Therefore, we made one end of the cardboard wavy and staggered the waves, which reduced the number of layers and made that area easier to crush on purpose. This made it possible to cushion the impact softly at first and then provide firm support with all the stacked cardboard. This highly versatile cushioning material can be used for a wide range of applications by changing the position, material, size, etc. of the cushion. 

*2: Loading and unloading cargo from ships and freight vehicles

Japan Package Contest TOTO Winning Examples (Posted results for the past 5 years)

*1 Packaging that also received ASIASTAR Award at the "ASIASTAR Competitio"
*2 Packaging that also received WORLDSTAR Award at the "WORLDSTAR Competition"