IN Brief:
- EcoCool is a paper fibre liner for 10-inch, 12-inch and 14-inch cubed shipping boxes.
- Hydropac reports a 48-hour chamber trial in which one tested payload stayed below 8°C at its surface.
- Early access begins on 4 November, followed by general release on 12 November 2026.
Hydropac has developed EcoCool, a paper fibre box liner designed to combine thermal insulation and physical cushioning in deliveries of temperature-sensitive goods. The UK packaging specialist has tested the material as part of a complete shipment configuration and plans to make it generally available on 12 November 2026, with early access for registered customers from 4 November.
The liner fits 10-inch, 12-inch and 14-inch cubed box systems and is intended to replace separate cushioning and insulating materials within a temperature-controlled parcel. Potential alternatives include polystyrene, loose paper fill, cotton, jute and wool. Its suitability for chilled food depends on the combination of box construction, coolant, product load and external temperature during transport, because those elements act as one thermal system.
EcoCool is manufactured from unused cardboard offcuts in a dry process that Hydropac says adds neither glue nor water. The company also reports that its production uses renewable electricity. The fibre structure is designed to retain its shape and absorb shocks during transport, providing a cushioning function while creating a layer that slows heat transfer into the package. Those characteristics address two different risks during delivery: a product may be exposed to an unsuitable temperature, and it may be physically damaged by movement or external handling.
In one laboratory trial, Hydropac assembled a large EcoCool-lined box with a product and coolant and held it in a chamber for 48 hours. The chamber temperature cycled between about 20°C and 25°C; the product surface reportedly stayed below 8°C for the duration. This result describes the tested box, product, coolant arrangement and ambient cycle. Changing the shipment configuration or the intended delivery conditions calls for corresponding qualification work.
The surface-temperature measurement reflects conditions at the point where the sensor was fitted. Product dimensions, its starting temperature and the density of a packed load can affect how heat travels towards the centre, while the mass and placement of coolant determine the available cooling capacity. Water ice packs absorb heat during melting, and the duration of that effect depends on how the entire package is packed and exposed to ambient conditions. The chamber test therefore provides useful evidence for a defined package rather than a blanket delivery-time rating.
Air spaces held within a fibre structure can impede heat transfer, while the liner’s bulk provides a degree of cushioning under ordinary handling loads. Compression may change the thickness of the material and hence its insulating behaviour, making mechanical performance part of the temperature-control design. Hydropac has engineered the structure to hold its shape and absorb impact. Further package trials will determine how that behaviour changes across different loads, box sizes and distribution routes.
Hydropac is offering customers testing support covering the combined liner, coolant and box assembly. Its existing HydroPure water ice packs are one possible coolant option, and the supplier says it can assess combinations using coolants from other businesses. This system-level approach is particularly appropriate for direct-to-consumer chilled deliveries, where a packing configuration that works for one product density or route cannot automatically be transferred to another without checking temperature retention.
Hydropac reports that the liner’s tested constructions achieved high screening yields in a conventional paper recycling mill and received a ‘Best in Class’ classification in October 2026. The company also assigns EcoCool a green result under the UK’s Recyclability Assessment Methodology and designs it for kerbside paper recycling. Those results support the material-recovery proposition for the constructions assessed; local collection arrangements and the condition of used packaging will still affect the route available after delivery.
UK extended producer responsibility charges add a financial consideration to the choice of insulated packaging. Hydropac cites illustrative 2026/27 rates of £415–£545 per tonne for plastic packaging and £190–£250 for paper and board, though the fee applicable to an individual business depends on the rules and packaging classification. Recyclability, box volume, protective performance and the cost of spoiled goods all contribute to the eventual choice of shipping system.
Thermal protection and material recovery are therefore being designed together. Hydropac offers to test combinations of liner, coolant and product with customers before they change a packaging specification. In a chilled food delivery, validation has to reflect the required temperature range, the route’s expected time and ambient profile, and the product’s acceptance criteria. A packaging substitution can then be assessed against measured product temperatures and physical protection rather than liner material alone.
EcoCool becomes available to registered customers from 4 November, with general release scheduled for 12 November 2026. Hydropac’s trials with different products and shipment arrangements will establish which applications can use the paper fibre liner in place of established insulating materials. The first disclosed chamber result concerns one complete parcel configuration; wider operating limits will be defined through those subsequent assessments.
