Different packaging supplies are available to ensure your shipping process is efficient and safe. Learn more about popular options to protect your products and elevate the customer experience.
Cardboard
This includes the brown cartons you see packaging beverages and kombucha or boxes for laundry soaps and detergents. This sturdy material has a clay-coated surface for printing and a top ply of bleached fibers.
Poly Bags
You’ve probably seen poly bags in action before, whether as the bag sliced bread comes wrapped in or the clear plastic bags that hold sand and stone chippings when you remodel your driveway. These versatile packaging supplies are an excellent choice for food, parts, and other retail products. They can be printed to promote a brand or offer additional information on the development inside. Creating high-quality poly bags starts with suitable resin heated and extruded into a thin film. Polyethylene (PE) is the most common type of film used for poly bags, and five different types are based on their durability, weight, thickness, and more.
Low-density PE is typically found in produce bags in grocery stores. Linear low-density PE, or LLDPE, is less expensive than LDPE and is often used for bulk packaging. Medium-density PE is a middle ground between the two. At the same time, high-density PE is perfect for shipping products and heavy-duty bags that need added resistance to puncturing or tearing. Finally, polypropylene is also less flexible than PE but crystal-clear and is food safe.
Lay-flat poly bags are available in various sizes, lengths, and thicknesses (gauges). When selecting an extent, it’s essential to consider the width, length, and gauge, with heavier gauges typically reserved for industrial-grade products that require extra protection from sharp or heavy objects. Many bags feature reclosable features such as zipper tracks or slider zip closures, known as zip lock bags, resealable plastic bags, and secure bags.
Poly bags are a common and convenient packaging item that is used worldwide. Millions of packages are shipped with polybags daily, and they help protect contents from mildew, mold, rust, and other contaminants that can ruin products when they get sent from one place to another.
There are several different types of polyethylene, and the type used for making poly bags varies by application. LDPE, for example, is ideal for lightweight items that don’t require strict visibility or puncture resistance, such as food packaging and coverings for clothes at the dry cleaner. LLDPE has more branching than LDPE and is used in poly bags that need higher tensile strength and puncture resistance.
Once it’s assumed that a product is safe to ship, the poly bag is melted to separate any hidden contaminates. After the melting process, the resin is chopped up into pellets and can be used for making new poly bags. The reprocessing and recycling of poly bags help reduce waste and conserve resources.
Paper
Incorporating paper-based packaging is smart for businesses that want to keep their products safe and intact while keeping shipping costs down. It also adds a touch of artisanal quality to an unboxing experience for consumers. It’s also an eco-conscious option because the virgin pulps used to make it are FSC certified. That means the trees are harvested and processed in a sustainable manner that’s manageable, ethical, and, best of all, renewable.
In general, paper is made from the wood of a tree or plant, which is then treated with chemical and mechanical processes to create its distinctive look. This process is relatively energy efficient, using much recycled water and requiring little to no fossil fuels. It’s also recyclable, extending the natural resource supply, reducing landfill space, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from methane released in landfills.
Paper-based packaging can also help reduce food waste, as the material locks in flavors and prevents pests from getting inside. Additionally, it’s a good choice for products that need to be well-sealed, like flour and spices. It’s a popular option for cereal boxes, carton beverage packaging, and other items such as ice cream cups and microwave popcorn bags.
Shrink Film Tubing
Shrink film tubing is a form of shrink plastic with an expanded thermoplastic sleeve that contracts when heated. It can enclose items or create a seal for tamper resistance and identification. This type of shrink plastic can be made from various materials, including polyolefin and PVC. It also has an adhesive liner that melts to fill voids and add strength.
It is often used to wrap cylindrical products like bottles and polls, but it can also be applied over two packages or parts to create a multipack. This packaging solution offers great flexibility as it can be custom printed and cut to suit specific product sizes and shapes. In addition, it works well with both manual and automatic equipment.
In most cases, shrink tubing can be sealed using a heat gun. It can also be affixed to other types of packaging, such as bags or pouches. This makes it easy to create ready-to-use packages for your customers that are safe for transport and storage. To reduce the risk of shrink film tears, consider switching to a different type of plastic or increasing its thickness. In some cases, this may help you eliminate the problem. Another common cause of tears is improper product positioning, so it’s essential to be careful when inserting your item into the packaging.