7 Packaging Types You must Know Before Creating Your Product Strategy

The way your package looks has great importance in today’s highly competitive business environment.

Packaging has become an inevitable aspect of branding a product. Business owners now look for creative packaging companies so that their product packaging will look unique right away and boost sales and branding efforts.

They need packaging designs that can grab eyeballs and make people buy a product even if they are not in need of it at present. This is why the art and science of packaging is so important when it comes to branding. Now companies look for custom packaging that can create a visual as well as psychological impact on the customer.

And for this reason, new packaging designs have high demand in today’s market. Common packaging products include boxes, cartons, cans, bottles, bags, envelopes, wrappers, and containers. According to experts, the industry of packaging will be booming in the coming years in Asia and companies will be vying with unique branding and packaging ideas to win the attention of the customers.

Different Packaging Methods

1. Anti-corrosive packaging

This packaging method is highly useful for protecting product that might be damaged due to corrosion or other kind of exposure to climatic changes.

Products get extra protection in anti-corrosive packaging with the use of materials such as VCI bubble film, paper, oil, chips, and bags.

This packaging is highly recommendable while sending products to very distant places.

The products that are transported internationally covering different time zones and climatic conditions need extra protection.

It may take day or even months for the products to reach their destinations. A careless packaging may damage the product and make the money spent on it useless.

Therefore companies take this very seriously and ensure that their products are delivered with proper packaging. Anti-corrosive Packaging can be used in the following cases: • Exporting/shipping goods by sea or moisture prone environments • Storing metallic goods for extended periods of time • Manufacturing metal goods sensitive to corrosion • Shipping any unassembled parts • CKD shipment e.g. of cars • Temporarily laying off machines, planes, etc.

2. Pharma packaging

Pharma packaging or drug packaging is one of the most vulnerable areas in packaging where a small mistake could invite hazardous consequences.

This packaging method usually considers factors like drug safety, identity convenience, and The packaging of drugs, medical equipment, surgical devices, blood and blood products, liquid and dosage forms, powders, solid and semisolid dosage forms, all come under this category.

Since it is related to life-saving drugs and devices, the packaging should follow strict international standards and guidelines to ensure they are safe for the customer to use without fear.

3. Plastics packaging

Plastic packaging is used to store easily perishable goods from the changes in climatic conditions or other external threats.

This packaging does not allow air, dust, or moisture to sneak in and damage the product. This packaging method can be used to store food products, soft drinks, mineral water, etc.

Plastic packaging can cause environmental problems if it is dumped carelessly and without a proper system to recycle or reuse. Many companies that opt plastic packaging now have their own recycling facilities.

Plastic packaging is lightweight, durable, cost-effective, and versatile.

Rigid Packaging/HDPE/PET

Both PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) and HDPE (high density polyethylene) are more rigid plastics that can be used for packaging.

They are capable of resisting moisture and provide a strong structure for packaging that will not break or deform easily. Most water and soft drink bottles are made of PET. Jugs used for oil packaging, milk cartons, and most bottle caps are all made by HDPE.

These materials are comparatively harder than PET.

4. Flexible packaging

As the name suggests flexible packaging is the method of packaging using flexible materials. Low-density polyethylene and linear low-density polyethylene are the materials used for the packaging of primary and secondary products all over the world.

This packaging method is widely used for creative food packaging that can preserve food materials for a longer period of time. Flexible packaging is also environmental friendly and provides extended shelf life for food products.

The printing quality is high for this type of packaging. Since this packaging is lightweight and uses less energy and water during production, this can be considered as a very sustainable way of packaging.

This must be the reason why it is extensively used now in the packaging of food products worldwide. The amount of waste produced during this kind of packaging is comparatively very less.

All these qualities make flexible packaging a wonderful choice to protect food products for an extended time period.

5. Paper/Paperboard/Fibreboard

Paper can be used in many different ways while packing a product. You can use paper as labels, wrappings, bags and more.

Paper packaging is a good environment friendly alternative because unlike plastic, it poses no threat to the nature and environment. But since it is a fragile material, you cannot rely on paper packaging as much as other packaging alternatives.

The products may get damaged easily if not used immediately.Paper packaging is used for developing creative packaging designs for soap packaging, gift packing, cake packaging etc.

Paperboard is a little harder than paper. This material can be used to create various product box designs.Cardboard boxes are sometimes also used for cake packaging and gift packing.

Cardboard boxes are mainly used as mailing boxes, cartons, and other packing boxes. They make the packing stronger and also make the transportation of products easy by contributing to effective space utilization.

6. Aluminium Packaging

The most popular form of aluminium packaging is cans and containers. Companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi etc. have a greater role in popularizing this method of packaging.

Some perfumes also use aluminium packaging. This packaging can be used for keeping liquid products under high pressure as in the case of beverages and perfumes.

Aluminium foils are also used in food packaging as barrier protectors or sealing containers. According to The World Counts, the world’s beer and soda consumption uses about 200 billion aluminium cans every year.

This shows that aluminium packaging is a great choice for certain type of products. But producing aluminium is not that easy. The production of aluminium cans and containers require huge energy.

This is a disadvantage while speaking in terms of energy consumption.

7. Glass Packaging

Although plastic packaging has become more popular these days, they could not totally replace the traditional glass packaging. Glass packaging is still more prominent in packaging alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Some companies prefer glass as their packaging material, especially; wine companies choose glass for wine packaging. This is mainly because glass is a 100% recyclable material.

Glass can be recycled as many times as you can without any change in its quality. Some companies use glass for packaging just to have a classy look for their product.

Many expensive products use glass instead of plastic or other cheaper materials for giving a luxurious feel to the customer.

If you want to stand out in the market and make an impact in the market you should not only focus on the quality of your product. You should also invest on innovative packaging designs.

Retail product packaging companies can provide competitive custom packaging designs for your products. It is just like serving a great food in a great way by garnishing it and giving importance to the presentation of that food.

You should also think well before choosing packaging for your product. Consider factors like the product type or product nature, how long you need to protect it from getting damaged, your budget, the market trends, the niche or domain your products belong to and so on.

So make sure you have a very good expert to advise you regarding your product packaging. This will be the first step you need to ever take before you go for product packaging.

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