Gain Insight About Packaging and Its Materials

Presentation and protection of products are important in modern business. Whether you are shipping, displaying or storing items, packaging materials are crucial to ensure product safety and aesthetic appeal. From simple paper bags to high-end gift packaging, every packaging comes with a purpose. 

As an experienced packaging writer, I will guide you on why understanding the packaging material is vital for businesses and how important they are important in the packaging industry. But before going to learn about the materials, let’s get some concepts about packaging and its types.

What Is Packaging?

It is the material that is used to protect and wrap products when they are ready for displaying, shipping, and storage. They ensure the items remain intact, attractive, and clean until they reach their end user. Packaging comes in various types, such as primary, secondary, and tertiary.

For example:

• The wrapper of a chocolate bar is the primary packaging.

• Secondary packaging is the box that contains multiple bars.

• Tertiary packing is the large corrugated cardboard used in shipping.

Custom packaging allows brands to go creative and spread their brand message, along with the protection of their products.

Importance of Packaging

Packaging is important not only to enhance the aesthetics of products but also to provide a range of benefits. There are many important reasons to consider packaging.

1. Safeguard Items: It provides complete protection from environmental and physical factors at the same time. Therefore, brands use packaging to enhance the shelf life of their products.

2. Right for Branding: works as a marketing tool that serves to communicate brand identity as well as information.

3. Convenience: Make it easy for users to pack, store, and ship their products, offering an easy unboxing experience.

4. Industry Compliance: Packaging is designed according to the compliance of industry and FDA regulations.

5. Sustainability: Sustainable packaging solutions are more than enough for modern consumers who prefer to reduce their environmental impact.

Different Commonly Used Types of Packaging

Packaging comes in various designs and structures. It is manufactured to specific product packaging needs and marketing targets. The following are common types of packaging that are essential for retail brands to ecommerce brands.

Tuck End Boxes

The most popular and widely used packaging type is the tuck end packaging. It is closed by tuck flaps at one or both ends. These boxes come in both straight and reversed tuck-end styles, along with snap lock tuck top boxes and 1-2-3 tuck top boxes. Tuck boxes are used to pack cosmetics, electronics, apparel, toys, confectionery items, and retail items. These boxes are popular because of their smooth functionality, quick assembly, and affordability.

Flip Top Boxes

The flip top box, also known as a magnetic closure box, is a premium packaging solution with a lid hinged to open similarly to a book. These boxes offer an unboxing that is luxurious, perfect for gifts, tech gadgets, jewellery, and perfumes.

Flip top boxes are often made of rigid cardboard, kraft, or chipboard and enhance the product's value with their elegant presentation.

Mailer Boxes

Custom Mailer boxes, also known as cherry lock boxes and popular for packing gifts, subscriptions, and ecommerce products. These boxes are designed with various strong locking mechanisms, and they do not need glue or tape for closure. Corrugated cardboard materials are used to make mailer boxes.  These boxes are lightweight and durable, and are considered safe and appropriate packaging solutions for shipping.

Display Boxes

Display boxes can be used to draw customers into retail stores. Custom display boxes have an opening top or die-cut windows that show off the products inside, helping brands to boost their sales.

Display boxes are used to display confectionery, stationery, cosmetics, personal care products and other items to enhance their impulse buying chances. These boxes are made of various packaging materials such as kraft, cardboard, and cardstock to provide protection and beauty to products at the same time.

Gable Boxes

The Gable Box is a box with handles and curved top flaps. These boxes are mostly used to package food items, party favours, gifts, and other takeaway items. Their unique design is popular because of its charming visual appeal and convenience. Custom gable boxes are available in kraft paper or cardboard, depending on their strength and customers' demands.

Pillow Boxes

Small pillow boxes come in curved shapes. They are ideal for accessories and light products. They are easy to store and assemble because of their compact design. These are made from cardstock, kraft or both. They can be customised in any colour and printing, and are perfect for small items.

Paper Bags

When it comes to the top eco-friendly packaging solutions, paper bags are an excellent alternative to reduce the use of plastic bags. These bags come in various shapes, styles, sizes, and printing according to the packaging needs of products and applications. Whether retail brands and food businesses all use brown paper bags and printed packaging bags on t large scale.

Kraft paper bags are biodegradable and are ideal to promote the eco-conscious image of any brand. They are also playing a key role in the environmentally conscious packaging trend.

Mylar Bags

Mylar bags are safe storage solutions for products, including food and cannabis items. BOPET film (biaxially oriented polyethene Terephthalate), which has excellent barrier properties, is used to make Mylar packaging bags. These bags protect edibles from exposure to moisture, light and oxygen to enhance the shelf life of items. Their heat-sealed, airtight, moisture-proof, and leak-proof features make them ideal for food items and pharmaceutical products.

Non-Woven Bags

Non-woven bags gained importance after the eco-friendly packaging revolution. These bags are made of polypropylene fibres and are the best alternative to plastic bags for shopping and grocery items. Non-woven shopping bags are lightweight, durable and reusable options. They can recycle, helping brands to reduce the use of plastic packaging.

Packaging Sleeves

Wrapping sleeves can be simple but effective. They wrap around the product or box. These sleeves are used for branding, information and product details. They can be printed with designs, logos or other products.

Paper sleeves are used to pack soaps and baked items with elegant presentation and a personalised image to get more attention from customers. Sometimes, they reduce the cost and the need for product packaging.

What Are Packaging Materials?

What are packaging materials? Packaging materials are used to create safe storage resources for products. They ensure the protection, functionality, branding, and appeal of products. They are available in various types, from lightweight paper to plastic, durable cardboard to rigid stock.

All the materials have their own specific features, durability and thickness and the right to create packaging boxes for various products.

Different Types of Packaging Materials

Different products demand different packaging materials. Let’s explore the various types of materials one by one in this section.

Kraft

When it comes to the most common eco-friendly material, kraft paper. This material is produced by the method of krafting with wood pulp. This produces a biodegradable and durable packaging for organic items.
The natural brown colour and high strength of kraft paper make it an ideal choice for packaging rustic products or those that are organic.
It is widely used in bags, boxes and packaging paper.

Advantages:

• It is a compostable and recyclable material

• Well known because of its durability and cost-effectiveness

• Customizable and minimally printed

Corrugated Cardboard

The corrugated material is made of fluted paper between two flat layers. This material is perfect for packaging and shipping boxes because it provides a good amount of cushioning.
There are different grades of corrugated boards, including A flutes, B, C, E, and F flutes. Based on durability and thickness.

Uses:

• Packaging for E-Commerce

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• Packaging for secondary and tertiary use

Advantages:

• Lightweight yet strong

• Shock-resistant

• Recyclable and cost-efficient

Cardstock

Cardstock is thinner than paper, but thicker than corrugated cardboard. Cardstock is used widely for packaging and retail boxes.
The smooth, glossy surface of cardstock is ideal for printing and branding.

Advantages:

• Printability is excellent

• Professional and sleek finish

• Compatible with lightweight products

Rigid: Premium Packaging Material

A chipboard is also called a rigid board. It is used to create premium packaging for products that require strength and sophistication. Rigid boxes are used in electronics, luxury gift boxes and electronic packaging. They retain their form and provide a premium appearance.

Advantages:

• The Premium Look and Feel.

• High durability.

• The perfect solution for fragile and luxury items.

PET: Waterproof Packet Material

PET is a thermoplastic polymer. It’s one of the best sources to create custom mylar bags and pouches, other packaging. For food items, its other type of BoPET is an ideal and food-safe material to ensure the protection of food items. Because of their moisture-proof, heat-resistant, puncture-resistant, and light protection features, PET packet materials are used to create mylar packaging bags for food, snacks, and other retail items.

Advantages:

• Recyclable and food-safe.

• Moisture, puncture, and water-resistant.

• Best to create packaging for the long-term storage of products.

Non Woven

The non-woven is a source of synthetic fibres, such as polypropylene. These are bonded using chemicals or heat to give them a smooth and durable structure. Due to their durability, breathability and reusability, they are often used as tote bags, promotional bags and medical packaging.

Advantages:

• Strong and lightweight

• Water-resistant

• Reusable, recyclable and recyclable

Most Suitable Materials for Food Items

The freshness, hygiene, and shelf life of food items mostly depend on the nature of materials and their custom food packaging. Here is the list of the most suitable materials for food items.

Kraft for Short-Term Storage

Paper kraft is a good choice for snacks, freshly baked foods and food that is consumed over a short span of time.

As it breathes, its breathable quality prevents condensation. It also helps preserve the consistency of foods. Bakeries and organic food brands can benefit from Kraft boxes or paper bags.

Cardboard for Takeaway Food Packaging

It is suitable for cold and hot takeaway foods. It is used to make pizza boxes, hamburger boxes, and food trays because of its structural stability and recyclability. Cardboard allows branding and printing to improve the experience of customers during delivery.

BOPET for Mylar Bags for Long Term Storage

BOPET  is used to make Mylar bags for the storage of food for longer periods. It can help to enhance the shelf life of food items. These bags provide excellent protection from moisture, light and air. Mylar bags can help brands to keep products fresh for several months to even years. Therefore, these packaging solutions are considered useful for coffee, tea, dry fruits, cookies, chocolates, herbs, and medicated cannabis products.

Uses of Materials In Various Industries

Packaging materials are used to create packaging for many industries.

• Food & Beverage

• Retail

• E-commerce

• Pharmaceuticals

• Cosmetics

• And other retail brands.

The choice of packaging and material directly impacts brand perception and the product's packaging needs. They also influence the shipping and storage costs, along with product protection.

Conclusion

For the production of suitable, luxury, and eco-friendly product packaging, packaging materials are vital sources. Thus, to choose the most appropriate packaging for their products, brands need to understand which type of material is best for their products and branding needs. If you need any assistance with packaging printing, selection of desired materials, or custom packaging boxes for your desired products, Instant Custom Packaging is one of the best packaging companies in the UK.