A pulp tray is an effective packaging element produced from paper pulp. Molded paper pulp products are made by reducing waste paper to a pulp in a process that includes the addition of various property-enhancing agents. A porous mold is then immersed in the pulp where water is drawn through it by a powerful vacuum. This caused the paper fibers in the pulp to adhere to the outside of the mold, effectively taking on its form. The molded paper part is then removed from the mold, dried, and packaged for distribution.
The ubiquitous pulp tray is one of the most common packaging materials in general use and is encountered in applications as diverse as shock absorbing inserts in high-end electronics packaging to drinks trays in fast-food outlets. The products can be produced to absorb or contain fluids, and may be made in a wide range of shapes, colors, and textures. The pulp tray is also an excellent green product example, as most are made using recycled waste paper in a process that is geared to optimizing water usage during production. The process used to manufacture molded paper pulp items is also fairly simple, leading to outstanding costing in comparison to other packaging solutions.