Recognised for its business success, industry-leading innovation and commitment to sustainable manufacturing, Lil Packaging has taken home two major honours at the 2026 Huntingdonshire Business Awards.
Lil Packaging is celebrating a fantastic double win after being named Large Scale Business of the Year and Overall Winner at this year's Huntingdonshire Business Awards.
The awards, held on 15 October, recognised the achievements of businesses across the district. For Lil Packaging, the recognition reflects more than 40 years of growth in Huntingdonshire, alongside its ambition to transform the future of ecommerce packaging through innovation and sustainability.
But what makes Lil Packaging stand out?
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Changing the face of ecommerce packaging
Founded in Huntingdonshire in 1983, Lil Packaging has grown into Europe's largest independent ecommerce packaging manufacturer, supplying some of the world's best-known brands, including Amazon, Charlotte Tilbury L'Oréal and L'Occitane.
Its influence on the packaging industry has been particularly significant. The award-winning Lil Envelope helped provide a paper-based alternative to traditional plastic bubble mailers, with Lil now manufacturing around one million envelopes every day.
Across its innovations, the business has helped replace more than 10 billion single-use bubble mailers. Over the same period, the proportion of European ecommerce shipments using plastic bubble mailers has fallen from around 80% to less than 8%.
This is the kind of industry-wide change Lil set out to achieve: not simply producing alternative packaging, but helping businesses rethink how they send products altogether.
Sustainability backed by measurable results
Environmental responsibility is central to how Lil Packaging operates, from the materials it uses to the way its manufacturing facility is powered.
Lil is the world's first and only zero-carbon packaging manufacturer, with zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions and 100% of its Scope 3 supply chain emissions offset annually. Its longer-term ambition is to become the world's first net-zero packaging manufacturer.
In May 2026, the business achieved EcoVadis Gold, scoring 80/100 and placing it in the top 5% of companies worldwide for sustainability performance.
Other improvements over the past year include an 8% reduction in electricity consumption through voltage optimisation, despite already operating from a renewable-powered manufacturing facility.
Every Lil product carries its Plastic Free, UK Made, Zero Carbon and FSC® certified pledge. The business also funds the planting of a mangrove tree for every customer order, supporting environmental restoration beyond its own operations.
Innovation means using less packaging
For Lil, sustainability isn't just about replacing plastic with paper. It is also about challenging the amount of packaging used in the first place.
Its philosophy is simple: the most sustainable packaging is often less packaging.
That thinking is behind the launch of the patent-pending Lil Crashlock Box in 2026. Its adjustable-height design allows customers to reduce box height to suit the contents, halving the need for void fill while maintaining product protection.
Lil is also trialling a 30% lighter paperboard for its Lil Envelope range, helping reduce material consumption without compromising performance.
These developments reflect the company's S.U.R.F. philosophy: Sustainability, Unboxing Experience, Reduced Returns and Faster Fulfilment. By bringing these four areas together, Lil helps ecommerce businesses reduce unnecessary packaging, improve efficiency and deliver a better experience for their customers.
A major business with local roots
While Lil Packaging's products are shipped across the UK, Europe and the US, Huntingdonshire remains at the heart of the business.
Manufacturing in Cambridgeshire since 1983, Lil continues to invest in its purpose-built facility, local employment and regional supply chain. The business invests millions of pounds each year with regional suppliers, creating opportunities and supporting the local economy.
Its growth has been built on the people behind the operation, with a strong focus on developing skills, encouraging internal progression and creating long-term careers.
The awards recognise the scale of the business today, but also the contribution it continues to make to the area in which it was founded.
Huntingdonshire Business Awards 2026 - Recognition for the whole team
- Winning Large Scale Business of the Year and being named Overall Winner is a significant milestone for Lil Packaging.
- The recognition reflects the collective efforts of everyone across the business, from manufacturing and product development to customer service and the teams working behind the scenes.
- It also reinforces the importance of continuing to challenge convention, invest in innovation and find better ways to package the products people buy every day.
- Lil Packaging would like to thank Huntingdonshire District Council and everyone involved in organising the awards, as well as its customers, suppliers and partners who continue to support the business.
With more than four decades of UK manufacturing behind it, Lil Packaging is proud of its Huntingdonshire roots and excited about what comes next.
What awards did Lil Packaging win at the 2026 Huntingdonshire Business Awards?
Lil Packaging won Large Scale Business of the Year and was also named Overall Winner at the 2026 Huntingdonshire Business Awards, recognising its business success, innovation and commitment to sustainable manufacturing.
Why did Lil Packaging win the Overall Winner award?
Lil Packaging was recognised for its achievements as a leading ecommerce packaging manufacturer, its contribution to the local economy and its work to transform the packaging industry through sustainability and innovation. Highlights include achieving EcoVadis Gold, developing plastic-free packaging solutions and helping replace more than 10 billion single-use bubble mailers.
Where is Lil Packaging based and does it manufacture in the UK?
Lil Packaging was founded in Huntingdonshire in 1983 and continues to manufacture exclusively in Cambridgeshire. Its Huntingdon facility supports customers across the UK,Europe and the US while providing local employment and investing in the regional supply chain.
About The Author
Deborah Lill
Deb Lill is the Creative Director at Lil Packaging, where she blends over 20 years of experience in branding, content creation, and people-focused communication. With a background in Psychology and HR, she brings deep insight into motivation and storytelling, helping shape Lil’s authentic, sustainability-driven voice across platforms. Having been part of Lil’s journey for two decades, Deb has helped grow a thriving online community and continues to champion creativity, eco-friendly innovation, and family values - both in her work and in her life.
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