Molded Pulp Packaging for Art Supplies: Brushes, Paints, and Pastels That Stay Put

Brush tips crush, paint tubes split, and pastels crumble when packaging ignores their shapes. A molded pulp tray with medium-specific pockets protects each type.

The Scenario: A brush set with crushed tips

An art supply brand was shipping a ten-brush set in a cardboard sleeve. Brush tips were crushed in transit, and paint tubes in the companion kit split at the crimp.

Pain Points

• Brush tips crushed against the sleeve walls;
• Paint tubes rolled and split at the crimp;
• Pastels arrived as powder in loose fill.

The Solution: Pockets shaped for each medium

The brand adopted a molded pulp tray with a brush deck that suspends bristles, a tube channel with raised stops, and a pastel grid:

1. Suspended brush deck Bristles float above the tray floor on a pulp rail, so tips never touch.

2. Tube lock channel Tubes lie in channels with raised stops that prevent rolling and crimp stress.

3. Pastel grid cells Each pastel sits in its own cell, ending crumble-in-transit.

The Result: Tip damage gone

Crushed-tip complaints dropped to zero, and tube-split claims stopped. The brand uses the tray as a studio organizer after unboxing, a feature customers mention in reviews.