4 Reasons Plastic Packaging Remains King
Think back to every purchase you've made during the last week and consider how many times an item was packaged in plastic. There's a reason for that… several in fact. While it is highly affordable, your decision to use plastic packaging will come down to your product. Will your product sell with a plastic veneer? If you're uncertain about whether plastic is right for your product, here are 4 more benefits of plastic packaging besides the cheap price tag attached to it.
Lightweight
Plastic has always been valued for being relatively light when compared to other materials with similar benefits. This is particularly attractive to businesses considering plastic packaging since their commodities are likely to require shipping at some point between packaging and sale. The lighter the packaging, the cheaper the shipping costs. Everyone from retailers to postal carriers to customers can appreciate the lightweight nature of plastic packaging.
Physical Protection
More than a handful of plastic types are used in packaging processes. While plastics in general adhere to a few telltale properties, certain plastics skew those ratios. The result is that you could have plastics as flimsy as a sandwich bag or as rugged as the type used in housing electronic components. Chances are that a good portion of your car is even made of tough plastic. This brings us to our next benefit of plastic packaging: physical protection. Certain plastics can be very resistant to violent force yet remain lighter than other hard materials such as metal. In most cases, these plastics will be molded into a specific shape to provide maximum protection for your product.
Flexible
Speaking of molding, plastic is also prized for its high degree of flexibility. Consider blister packs that seem to cling to the contours of the product within. This optimum flexibility is perfect for accentuating an item but it also contributes to a resilience that further protects the contents. If you're less concerned about protection but more about ease of portability, the flexibility of plastic packaging will still play a vital role. Think back to the sandwich bag in our last example. It may not be able to stop any violent force but it will remain lightweight and compact when you're packing your lunch.
Sustainability
Believe it or not, plastic packaging is very sustainable. If you're concerned that investing in plastic for your product isn't a green enough option, look into all of the types of plastics that can be recycled and work with one of these plastics. Have you ever seen a recycling bin that wasn't filled to the brim with plastic milk jugs and soda bottles?
If you're looking for an affordable, lightweight, protective, flexible and sustainable material for packaging your product, you're going to have a hard time finding anything as effective as plastic. With so many types of plastic from which to choose, you've only begun the process of narrowing down the best packaging material. However, if you consider your product in relation to the packaging material, you'll just need a bit of research to reach the best conclusion.