The plastic-free packaging produced in Cornwall that can survive being thrown off a cliff

  • See what force the packaging can withstand in Charlotte Gay's report

A Cornish firm changing the way our online shopping is wrapped has won a national award for its sustainable packaging.

Flexi-Hex produces sleeves made from 100% recycled paper in a honeycomb structure which avoids any need for single-use plastic.

It is not the first paper-based packaging company, but its patented honeycomb sleeve has led to them winning the Game Changer award at the British Chamber Business Awards.

Judges said "Sam and Will have transformed the packaging industry" with their innovative design Credit: Flexi-Hex

More than 150 businesses from across the UK were nominated by Chambers across eight categories and the Porthleven based Flexi-Hexi also bagged the overall winners award - the first company in Cornwall to do so. 

Twin brothers Sam and Will Boex came up with the idea, after noticing the surfboard Sam bought arrived covered in plastic.

Sam said: "I opened the box up and the board was is covered in lots and lots of bubble wrap. That bubble wrap will probably end up in landfill because they difficult to recycle and ended up developing this product we now call Flexi-Hex."

The business started in 2018 and, five years on,the team has recently sold its five millionth Flexi-Hex sleeve.

The honeycomb structure is what makes the Flexi-Hex so strong and so unique Credit: ITV News

The majority of the sleeves are bought to protect glass bottles during delivery but managing director Will says the sleeves can be scaled to any size package. "It's a really simple idea. It's basically creating two honeycomb layers glued together by card rails. But we hold the hold the patent on that design puts us in a really good position moving forward."

The products have tested against industry-recognised methods to make sure they protect fragile products but the marketing team have had fun seeing the pressures the sleeves can withstand.

Brand and strategy director Bella Collins says her "favourite" part of the job is doing the drop test because "we get to chuck our bottles off of a set of tall buildings or cliffs and seeing them survive".

Helston Rugby Club 'helped' product testing to see if an easter egg could survive being passed around in their packaging Credit: Flexi-Hex

Those tests have included dropping packaged bottles of gin from the clifftops in Porthleven and handing a Flexi-Hex wrapped easter egg to the players at Helston rugby club.

On winning the award, Will Boex says they were "hugely supported" by Cornwall's Chamber of Commerce as they've grown their business to be used by businesses all over the world.

"It's just great to have a network of people who have been there and done it and, and a sounding board on some of the difficult decisions as we move forward," he said.

Chief executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce Kim Conchie says the businesses has "blossomed" over the years.

“It’s wonderful to see such a brilliant firm thriving here in Cornwall. We know that this success story will help inspire many more companies in the county.”