a supporting structure for positioning a product within an outer shipping container takes the form of a plastic bladder shaped on one side to provide a cavity having internal dimensions matching external dimensions of the product and shaped on the other to have external dimensions matching internal dimensions of the shipping container . the air bladder may be either a vertical or a horizontal positioning elements and is typically used pairs within a single container . the air bladder is compact and can be discarded after use with minimal environment impact . in examples shown , the air bladder is of a plastic material such as polyethylene and is produced by blow molding , making it particularly suitable for disposal after use by a recycling process , thereby further reducing potential environmental impact .