No matter what type of product you sell, it more than likely needs a package. But what type of packaging should you choose – plastic, cardboard, glass, aluminum? Depending on your product there are many options, but at Indepak, we’d like to talk a bit about why rigid plastic packaging might be the best choice.
What Is Rigid Plastic Packaging?
When it comes to plastic packaging, there are three main options. You can create a package entirely out of rigid plastic, or you could use a combination design that incorporates plastic and paperboard or cardboard. You also could opt for flexible plastic packaging, which often is used for specialty food items and some household items.
The Benefits of Rigid Plastic Packaging
At Indepak, we create custom plastic packaging using rigid plastic materials. We also can create designs using a combination of paper and plastic. Here are a few benefits that set rigid packaging apart from flexible packaging.
1. Rigid Plastic Packaging Is Versatile
We can create rigid plastic packaging in just about any shape imaginable. We can create cavities that fit around your product perfectly. When it comes to design, rigid plastic materials definitely earn an A for versatility. Flexible packaging typically just resembles a bag or pouch, and it’s really only suitable for certain food products and a few other household items, such as storing dishwasher detergent pods. Rigid plastic packaging can be suitable for a wide range of products, including food, medicine, electronics, toys, personal care items, office supplies, tools and much more.
Cardboard packaging can be transformed into many shapes, but not at the same level as plastic materials, and complicated cardboard designs can be extremely expensive to create. Glass and aluminum packaging also are expensive and not suitable for many products beyond specialty foods.
2. Rigid Plastic Packaging Is Highly Protective
If you drop a glass jar, it shatters. Aluminum cans can be dented. Cardboard can be crushed or damaged easily. Drop a flexible plastic bag, and the contents could be damaged, as well. Rigid plastic, on the other hand, is highly impact-resistant. If a package falls off a store shelf, the plastic protects your product and can absorb the impact. Durable packaging means less product damage, and this has a positive effect on your bottom line.
If you want the ultimate level of protection, rigid plastic materials are the best option. Flexible packaging is not as moisture-resistant as rigid materials. Likewise, cardboard can be damaged by moisture. Glass and aluminum are more resistant to water and moisture damage, but as stated above, they can sustain other types of damage.
Additionally, we can create plastic packaging, such as clamshells that are highly tamper-proof. Custom clamshell packaging is an ideal choice for high-value retail products, tools, office supplies, electronics and toys, all items people often target for theft. While it’s fairly easy to open a box, opening a clamshell package is not as easy, which makes the product harder to steal or damage.
3. Rigid Plastic Packaging Is Affordable
Plastic materials, in general, are highly affordable packaging materials, and it’s not just because the materials are inexpensive. Rigid plastics are extremely lightweight and cost less to transport than any other packaging material. We also can create designs that are as small as possible, allowing you to ship more products per shipment. This can reduce your shipping cost and reduce the amount of fossil fuel needed to transport your goods.
4. Rigid Plastics Are Easier To Recycle
Flexible packaging proponents will tell you that this type of packaging is more eco-friendly than using rigid plastic materials, but that’s just not the case. While flexible packaging can take up less room in a landfill, that’s literally the only place it can go.
Currently, flexible packaging cannot be easily recycled. In fact, most curbside recycling programs do not accept flexible packaging. On the other, most rigid plastics, especially PET and HDPE, can simply be tossed in a recycling bin. Rigid plastics also are recyclable, again and again, which makes this a more sustainable option than flexible packaging.
At Indepak, we can create packaging using easily recyclable materials. We also can create packaging using recycled content. This can be either post-consumer or pre-consumer recycled content. We also can use starch-based biomaterials for some packaging projects. Combination designs, such as trap blisters, are yet another sustainable packaging option. For these designs, we use a combination of paperboard and plastic, which reduces our overall use of plastic.
Types of Rigid Plastic Packaging
Blister Packaging
There are many types of blister packs, including trap blisters, face seal blisters, full face seal blisters, trap blisters, full card blisters and those blister packs used to hold single-dose medicines. We can design any type of blister packaging you might want and are experts with these combination designs.
Clamshell Packaging
A clamshell is actually a type of blister pack that folds onto itself, but it’s often set aside in its own category. These can be used for a variety of food products, including fruits, vegetables, deli sandwiches and bakery items. Clamshells also are an ideal choice for many retail products. At Indepak, we can design clamshells, mock clamshells and tri-fold clamshells.
Thermoformed Trays
Rigid materials can be used to create trays for thousands of products. At Indepak, we produce custom plastic trays for medical kits, specialty food products, tool kits, electronic items and many retail products. We can design a simple tray with just one cavity or something complex with multiple cavities to hold many parts.
Need Plastic Packaging? Contact Us Today
At Indepak, we’ve been a leading provider of rigid plastic packaging for more than 50 years. We can create rigid plastic packaging for a wide variety of industries, including specialty foods, personal care, medical & pharmaceutical, electronics, agriculture and more. If you need any type of rigid plastic parts or packaging, including blister packs, custom clamshell packaging, thermoformed trays or something else, give us a call at any time.
