Custom clamshell packaging can be a great option for many products, and over the course of the last 50+ years, we’ve designed plastic clamshell packaging for a myriad of food and retail products.
No matter what type of product you sell, we can design a package that meets your product needs as well as your budget. Here’s a quick look at clamshells in general.
Benefits Of Plastic Clamshell Packaging
1. Protective - When it comes to retail products, electronics and personal care products, sealed clamshells are perhaps the most tamper-resistant and tamper-evident packaging option available.
2. Affordable - The plastic materials we use are some of the most affordable packaging materials available, and the light weight will reduce your shipping and transportation costs.
3. Versatile & Attractive - We can create a custom clamshell packaging design that displays your specialty food item or retail product to its best advantage, and consumers are far more likely to purchase products they actually can see prior to purchase.
4. Recyclable - Just about every material we use at Indepak is recyclable, and that includes the materials we use to create your clamshell packaging.
Industries We Serve
Clamshells and the specialty foods industry go together like peas and carrots, so to speak. Clamshell packaging is the perfect option for items such as fresh fruits and veggies, deli sandwiches & other deli items, sushi, bakery goods and much more.
We have a variety of food-compliant materials we can use to create your food clamshell packaging. Whether you need takeaway containers, produce clamshell packaging or something else entirely, we can help. We also can create custom trays with multiple cavities and lids, which might be a great option for those large deli trays, veggie trays and cookie trays.
Personal Care
For personal care items, such as razors, cosmetics, lotions and other items, clamshell packaging provides an ultimate level of theft and tamper protection while still allowing consumers to read all about your product and its benefits.
For some less expensive and lightweight personal care items, we might recommend blister packaging, which can be bit less expensive. However, if you have a higher priced or heavier item, custom clamshell packaging is probably your best option.
If you produce items such as gaming equipment, headphones, cellular phones, cellular accessories or other retail electronics, theft and tampering can be a huge problem. With a sealed clamshell, we can increase security while still allowing customers to see your product.
No matter what you sell, be it toys, office supplies, hardware or something else, we can design a quality custom clamshell that fits your needs and budget. We also can design clamshell packaging that includes a custom thermoformed tray to hold individual components of your product.
For instance, if you sell hardware kits with multiple sizes of screws, bolts and nuts, you might want a clamshell with many different compartments so that consumers can keep everything organized.
Clamshell Packaging Materials
At Indepak, our facility includes multiple lines industrial thermoforming equipment, allowing us to process many different types of plastic materials and meet the needs of a wide range of clients from many industries. Here’s a quick look at just a few of the types of plastic we can process.
PET/PETG
Polyethylene terephthalate is approved for food contact by the Food & Drug Administration, and, of course, it might be an option for your retail clamshell packaging as well. PET is a highly recyclable material, as well providing an excellent moisture barrier to protect your products.
PP
Polypropylene can be an excellent option for many products, including food clamshell packaging. PP is moisture-resistant and chemical-resistant, not to mention durable, impact-resistant and lightweight. When it comes to the specialty foods industry, PP can be a great option because it can handle a wide range of temperatures, allowing you to refrigerate, freeze or microwave the package and what’s inside.
HDPE
High-density polyethylene is one of the most durable plastics available. It’s also highly chemical and moisture-resistant, which adds another layer of protection for your products. In addition to being used for retail packaging, HDPE is also approved for food contact, so it’s an option for our specialty foods clients.
PVC
Polyvinyl chloride can be a good option for many retail products. It’s highly affordable, lightweight and durable. PVC is approved for food contact, as well as for items such as over-the-counter medications, although with medicines, we usually are talking about blister packaging and not clamshells. PVC can be a good option for many retail products, including consumer electronics, tools, etc.
Sustainable Options
We can design custom clamshell packaging using starch-based bioplastics and we also can create packaging that incorporates recycled content. Nearly all of the materials we use at Indepak are recyclable, so we definitely can come up with an eco-friendly solution for your packaging project.
Types of Clamshells
There are actual several types of clamshells, including:
Hinged Clamshells - These are the classic type of clamshells, with a custom front and back that are connected with a hinge. For retail products, we can add a hang tab, so that retailers can hang your product on a hook.
Two-Piece Designs - We also can create a two-piece clamshell without a hinge. For this type of packaging, the two halves will be sealed together once the graphic card and product have been placed inside. Again, this can feature a hang tab, so that retailers can either stack or hang your products.
Tri-Fold Clamshells - These include a base so that the packaging can stand on a shelf, but they also include a hang tab. This is one of the most versatile clamshell designs as your product can either stand or hang, depending on what’s available at each retail store.
Clamshell Sealing Options
We have many different options for sealing up your clamshell packaging. If you need a strong, tamper-resistant seal, heat sealing and RF welding can be excellent options. Button seals/bubble locks and rail seals are other options to consider, these are easy-options that might be well suited for food products or products where you want to make it easy for consumers to close and open the container more than once.
If you need any type of clamshell packaging, give us a call at any time. We also can create thermoform trays, blister packaging and other types of thermoform plastic packaging. We also offer services such as inventory management, package fulfilment and on-time shipping to provide total packaging solutions for each of our clients.
