Packaging is an important part of the shipping and receiving process. Without it, your product would be at risk of damage, which could lead to a loss of revenue. You might think that there’s only one type of packaging material out there, but in reality, any different types have their own pros and cons.
Below we’ll cover basic information about each type so you can decide what works best for your products!
Plastics
Plastics are a material that includes polymers, which are long chain molecules made up of repeating units. They’re used in packaging and containers, as well as consumer goods such as toys, electronics and clothing. Plastics are durable and lightweight, making them ideal for shipping large quantities of goods across the globe.
Plastic can be recycled almost indefinitely—it just needs to be diligently sorted first. The three main types of plastic packaging include:
Glass
Glass is a rigid, brittle and heavy material. However, it can be both lightweight and strong at the same time. It’s a good insulator that also allows light to pass through it. This makes glass suitable for both food and beverage packaging as well as other products like cosmetics or pharmaceuticals where light transmission is important.
Tinplate or Steel
Tinplate or steel is a combination of steel and tin. It is used to make cans for food and beverages.
Tinplate is an alloy with low carbon content, which gives it high ductility, toughness and good formability. Tinplate can be easily formed into complex shapes that are difficult to achieve with other materials such as aluminum or plastics. Tinplated steel is usually bright mill-finish on both sides (B/C) or galvanized on one side (G/Z).
Paper and board
Paper and board are made from wood pulp. This material is used to make boxes, cups, bags and many other types of packaging.
Paper and board can be made from recycled or virgin pulp. Recycled paper is less expensive than virgin pulp because it has already been processed once.
Paper and board have a variety of uses when it comes to packaging. They are often used for food packaging as well as for non-food items such as magazines or newspapers.
Flexible packaging materials
Flexible packaging materials are made from a variety of different materials, including paperboard, plastic and metal foils. These can be used to package a wide range of products, and they are often used as the outer layer on multi-layered packaging.
Flexible packaging is useful for items that need to be sealed tightly or otherwise contained carefully. For example, if you’re shipping fragile items in boxes or bags that could get crushed easily during transit, flexible packaging might provide extra protection.
There are many types of packaging materials and they can be used to store or transport a wide range of products. The most common types include plastics, glassware, tinplate or steel cans and paperboard. In addition, flexible packaging is also a popular choice because it offers greater protection but is still lightweight enough for easy handling in stores or delivery trucks.