For every product, no matter what type or kind it is, packaging is an integral part although it's wise to use a minimal amount of packaging to cut down on costs and waste. When it comes to this particular need, the materials available for use include cardboard, plastic, paper and even some of the metal-type materials. Follow on for the basics on packaging and its common types.
Perhaps you often hear of people saying that they bought soup or chili packaged in a tin can whereas in reality, these are not cans made from tin at all. It has been a practice for several decades now that canned items including vegetables, soups and sauces are actually packaged in cans produced from aluminum. Although tinplate steel was once the material, since the late 1950s it has been aluminum that is commonly used for canned goods.
Compared to tinplate steel, aluminum is more advantageous being less expensive and not as difficult to make however it still is corrosion resistant. Add the fact that this is the most abundant metal on Earth. Do you know that aluminum is so recyclable that in fact two-thirds of all aluminum produced is still being used and reused as of today? The sad part though is that only half of the material ever makes it to the recycling bins.
Take a look around and surely you'll find plastic to be the most commonly used material for packaging. Even when you look inside those products you see with cardboard boxes you will find the foods are wrapped in waxy plastic bags, such as cereal, cookies and crackers. A resin code, typically identified by a number in a triangle, will tell you which type of plastic was used for your plastic packaging.
Since plastic materials of all types are the most commonly used material in food packaging you might as well be familiar with the one responsible for holding liquid products like water and soda and that called polyethylene terephthalate. Another type, the high-density polyethylene is what makes other types of plastic bottles, milk jugs, plastic bags and containers for storing food. As for other plastic packaging products like that handy plastic wrap, plastic grocery bags and those rings that hold a six-pack of soda together, these items were made using low-density polyethylene.
These plastics are transformed into products through a process known as thermoforming. Large, thin sheets of plastic are heated to a specific temperature and then forced into molds either using injection molding or vacuum forming. Once the plastic has cooled, the excess plastic is trimmed away and recycled to make new thermoformed products. The finished product is then removed from the mold.
Perhaps you often hear of people saying that they bought soup or chili packaged in a tin can whereas in reality, these are not cans made from tin at all. It has been a practice for several decades now that canned items including vegetables, soups and sauces are actually packaged in cans produced from aluminum. Although tinplate steel was once the material, since the late 1950s it has been aluminum that is commonly used for canned goods.
Compared to tinplate steel, aluminum is more advantageous being less expensive and not as difficult to make however it still is corrosion resistant. Add the fact that this is the most abundant metal on Earth. Do you know that aluminum is so recyclable that in fact two-thirds of all aluminum produced is still being used and reused as of today? The sad part though is that only half of the material ever makes it to the recycling bins.
Take a look around and surely you'll find plastic to be the most commonly used material for packaging. Even when you look inside those products you see with cardboard boxes you will find the foods are wrapped in waxy plastic bags, such as cereal, cookies and crackers. A resin code, typically identified by a number in a triangle, will tell you which type of plastic was used for your plastic packaging.
Since plastic materials of all types are the most commonly used material in food packaging you might as well be familiar with the one responsible for holding liquid products like water and soda and that called polyethylene terephthalate. Another type, the high-density polyethylene is what makes other types of plastic bottles, milk jugs, plastic bags and containers for storing food. As for other plastic packaging products like that handy plastic wrap, plastic grocery bags and those rings that hold a six-pack of soda together, these items were made using low-density polyethylene.
These plastics are transformed into products through a process known as thermoforming. Large, thin sheets of plastic are heated to a specific temperature and then forced into molds either using injection molding or vacuum forming. Once the plastic has cooled, the excess plastic is trimmed away and recycled to make new thermoformed products. The finished product is then removed from the mold.
About the Author:
Lenna Stockwell enjoys blogging about how stuff is made. For further information about custom packaging solutions or to find out more about food packaging design, please go to the Indepak site today.
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