Packaging
Packaging comes in many forms. It is very much part of our everyday lives and is used for a wide variety of purposes.
Packaging and its many uses
Polythene packaging is used for everything from storage to branding and from protection to maintaining hygiene. It takes on all sorts of shapes and sizes, from the finest film display bags used to make products look special, through to thick plastic sheeting used on building sites or in home decoration to protect surfaces.
Good quality packaging can be made from a vast array of regular or biodegradable polythene, designed to perfectly suit the job that the packaging is designed to carry out - and that’s a long list of jobs.
Packaging is used to keep food fresh, to keep products dry, to carry our shopping, to post our mail, to collect our rubbish, to keep our clothes free from dust and dirt, to protect items in storage or transit and much, much more.
Plastic packaging is used in every walk of life, from the home to the workplace. It has become such an integral part of 21st century life, that it is hard to imagine what life would be like without it.
Types of packaging
Listing every type of packaging would take a very long time so, instead, here is a list of some of the most commonly-used types of packaging.
Carrier bags
Polythene carriers are used by millions of shoppers to carry their shopping home. Made from clear or coloured polythene with a variety of handle styles - including patch, vest, clip close and grip seal handles - and with biodegradable or starch-based compostable alternatives.
Waste bags
Waste bags do the dirty work of the polythene packaging world. Designed for office, home, garden or workplace to suit a variety of tasks, from cheap ultra-light black sacks to heavy duty rubble bags and clear polythene sacks to printed specialist hazardous waste bags.
Display bags
Made from crystal clear polypropylene - a high clarity, eco-friendly and cheap alternative to cellophane - display bags provide a fantastic way to display products for sale. Flower sleeves, greeting card bags, sweet bags and header bags all make their products sparkle!
Mailing bags
Strong, lightweight and waterproof mailing bags offer a fantastic solution to any personal or company mailing needs. Perfect for regular post or courier delivery, mailers are easy to use with an in-built adhesive strip. Range includes coloured mailers, printed mailers, heavy duty mailers, high security mailers and padded mailers.
Bubble packaging
The most popular protective packaging is bubble wrap - polythene sheets consisting of lots of tiny bubbles that protect items when wrapped around them. Perfect for keeping fragile items safe in transit or storage. Available in a range of sizes and also pre-made into bubble bags.
Food bags
Food bags are used for the display, storage and transportation of food. Commonly found in markets, supermarkets and food stores, food bags allow customers to keep their food fresh and separate from other food as they transport it home.
Plastic sheeting
Plastic sheeting, also known as builders rolls, is very popular in the building trade. Available on the roll in various sizes and thicknesses of polythene, plastic sheeting folds out to cover large areas and protect surfaces from the possible damage that occurs on building sites and during house renovations.
Printed packaging
Maximise your company’s branding opportunities with your own tailor-made packaging, designed with your company logo, colour scheme and/or marketing messages. Printed carrier bags and printed mailing bags are the two most popular solutions to give your business that extra touch of professionalism.
What people are saying about Plastic Packaging
Welcome to Recycled Packaging Limited
Recycled packaging only works well when the material is matched to the job, not only chosen because it carries a recycled label. A box manufactured with recovered fibre can still have superb stacking strength, nevertheless only if the board grade, moisture content, and converting quality are controlled properly. On a busy packing line, weak flute recovery or poor glue performance can lead to crushed corners, poor seal quality, and damaged consignments before the case even reaches the pallet. Warehouses also need to think about stock rotation and storage conditions, because recycled board can lose strength if it sits in damp air for also long. The practical reply is to specify recycled packaging with the same care as any other pack format, or the savings can disappear in handling damage.
The Future of Rigid Plastic Packaging to 2022
Rigid plastic packaging demand in Western Europe tells a simple story about what converters and emblem owners retain selecting for safe, tidy presentation and handling. The volume pattern from 2012 to 2022 recommends a market that has not stood still, with changes shaped by lighter pack formats, substitution between materials, and the pressure to balance product protection against recycling targets. Rigid packs still suit trays, pots, tubs and bottles because they grasp shape in transit and on shelf, which reduces crushing and handling damage. For production planners, the lesson is that material selection is being judged on weight, appearance, stock efficiency and stop-of-life performance at the same time.
Recycled Packaging
Recycled packaging performs optimal when the all supply chain treats it as a practical material selection rather than a branding line. A list of products listing should make the board grade, polythene suppliers content, fibre mix, and likely stop use plain, because recycled material can behave differently from virgin stock amid converting, filling, and transport. Some grades crush more easily, a few grasp print less sharply, and a few recover well after use if the design retains mixed materials to a minimum. Warehouses also need to think about storage, since damp, rough handling, or poor pallet wrapping can undo the earns. The proper specification retains waste down without causing avoidable failures on the line or in transit.
Delivering perfect thermoformed plastic packaging
Plastic packaging works optimal when it is formed around the product rather than forced to fit after the fact. A well-manufactured tray, insert or protective shell grasps items proper, cuts rubbing in transit and reduces the chance of damage at the packing line, in the warehouse or after dispatch. That matters only as much for small proper parts as for larger or more awkward products, because poor fit wastes material and creates avoidable rejects. When the plastic is matched properly to the shape, handling becomes easier and the all consignment travels with less movement. Good specification saves trouble later.
Recycled packaging only works properly when the recycled content is matched to the job, not only chosen for the label. Paper sacks, board boxes and mailing packs manufactured from recovered fibre can handle a lot of daily use, nevertheless the grade, thickness and building still have to suit the load and the journey. A light mailer for documents is a alternative job from a corrugated box stacked on a pallet or a bag carrying mixed office stock. Good specification reduces handling damage, cuts waste and retains the dispatch area running smoothly. When the material suits the task, recycled packaging becomes a practical buying selection rather than a compromise.
24 photos of ridiculous plastic packaging that will make you scream then take action
Plastic packaging can create serious waste problems when it is used carelessly, particularly if it ends up in the gross place after sale. A loose film wrapper or a poorly designed pack may keep safe the product for a short time, nevertheless it can become litter, add sorting costs at the recovery plant, and damage a emblem's reputation with buyers who notice waste on the shelf and in the bin. Better packaging selections beginning with the job the pack must transport out, not only the see of it, so the proper gauge, format, and level of protection can cut waste without harming shelf life or dispatch performance. That practical balance is what retains packaging useful instead of troublesome.
Where can I buy packaging?
Manufacturers and suppliers of packaging include:
Buy Packaging
Online store offering a wide range of polythene and alternative packaging. Buy direct from manufacturers at discounted prices and receive free delivery in the UK. You can also order bespoke packaging to suit your specific needs.
www.buypackaging.co.uk
Discount Poly Bag
Big UK polythene packaging company division dedicated to poly bags and plastic packaging offering excellent products at competitive prices. Poly bags sold direct from the suppliers. Also provides bespoke packaging services to help you with your custom retail packaging.
www.discountpolybag.co.uk
Discount Poly Bags
Discount Polybags provides a guide to source discount poly bags and other polythene packaging for different materials, sizes, colors and closures. Whether it is dust protection, surface protection, moisture protection you will be able source the correct plastic bag for the job.
www.discountpolybags.co.uk
Discount Polythene Bags
Great online resource for discount polythene bags. Includes a list of major suppliers of polythene bags, along with a list of popular products and a very handy buyers' guide to help you get hold of quality polythene bags but at cheap prices.
www.discountpolythenebags.co.uk
Plastic Bags Direct
Useful directory of plastic bags and packages, from plastic shopping bags to food packaging. Including details of what plastics are, their composition and the best places to buy them online.
www.plasticbagsdirect.co.uk
E-Polybags
Online polythene packaging retailer with a wide range of option for polythene bags, plastic shopping bags, carriers and much more. Also offering a printed carriers bags service and alternative eco-friendly packaging, all with free UK delivery.
www.e-polybags.co.uk
Printed Bags
Website providing you with the best suppliers of discount plastic carrier bags including patch handle, varigauge, flexiloop and more. Also offering eco-friendly alternatives and a promotional printed carrier bags service.
www.printedbags.org.uk
Bags
Find the lowest prices for plastic bags, packaging bags and polythene carrier bags from a selection of suppliers and manufacturers.
www.bags.uk.com
Bag Suppliers
BagSuppliers.co.uk provides a huge range of polythene packaging all at competitive prices. You will also find a selection of top suppliers of polythene bags and plastic packaging, research and resources and eco-friendly alternatives to polythene.
www.bagsuppliers.co.uk
Research & Resources
There is plenty more detailed information about packaging available online, including details of the manufacturing process and a list of the huge variety of plastic packaging available. To find out more, please visit:
Plastic Bags
Find specialist packaging websites containing lots of helpful information on this free online directory specialising in polythene packaging, where you can post your own product listings for free.
www.plasticbags.uk.com
Packaging Knowledge
In-depth news and information resource specialising in plastic packaging. Find out facts and read detailed articles on a variety of packaging products.
www.packagingknowledge.com
Goldstork
"Best of the web" directory containing useful hand-picked information and interesting and unusual websites specialising in polythene packaging.
www.goldstork.com
The eco-effects of packaging
Food manufacturers and supermarkets are often criticised for the amount of packaging that food is sold in. Critics claim that in a day and age when we are trying to be greener we should be trying to use less packaging, but often forgotten amongst the criticism are the reasons why packaging is used on food in the first place.
Packaging helps food stay fresh for longer and it helps protect it during transportation. We live in a world where people expect the same choice of food on the supermarket shelves 365 days of the year. Of course this means that food often has to be shipped long distances, for which good quality packaging is essential.
What’s more, even with current levels of packaging, the UK already produces 7.2 million tonnes of food waste every year, compared to 4.9 million tonnes of packaging (Waste & Resources Action Programme, 2012). If fresh food wasn’t packaged well, it would go off even sooner and more of it would be wasted, so perhaps we should focus on reducing the amount of food we waste and not on the amount of packaging on our food.
Of course, the greenest solution would be for everyone to live off their own land, to grow their own food and hunt their own meat, but we all know that this is not going to happen.
The next best solution, and one that is more attainable if people have the necessary will, is to buy more local food and more seasonal food. Both of these actions would reduce food miles as well as the amount of packaging required for the food, which would mean less of a carbon footprint from transporting the food.
Reducing the amount of packaging we use for our food is important, but it currently serves a very useful purpose in a society where having a choice of food is seen by many as a right and not a luxury.
