Packaging material is the container in which the packaged goods are packed. Accordingly, it must fulfill certain functions that are tailored to the respective packaged goods. But what else do packaging materials do and what are the most common variants?

The versatility of packaging materials and their functions

Both in your capacity as a consumer and as an employee of a company, you encounter different packaging materials every day. Over the past decades, a wide range of variants have developed in this regard, with technical innovations being used for the basics and important details.

Based on sometimes ingenious ideas, packaging fulfills a wide variety of purposes in consumers' everyday lives. The most important functions and criteria for the successful design of packaging include:

• the protection of the products,
• the efficiency
• as well as the possibility of placing advertising messages.

Protective function and base for transport

First of all, the protective function plays a role. Thus, a packaging material always has the goal of sealing off the goods from external influences and keeping them in their best possible condition. In addition, details such as the preservation of the aroma can play a role.

Packaging also plays a role in transport, and from several perspectives. For the routes to the customer or to the POS, the protective function must be particularly pronounced so that the product does not suffer any damage.

The latter could be caused, for example, by slight impacts due to uneven roads. In addition, the packaging materials must in some cases provide the customer with comfortable transport. This goal is often achieved by handles or similar.

Efficiency and advertising medium

In addition, the packaging materials have the task of achieving a certain efficiency. Hardly any consumer is enthusiastic about having superfluous packaging in their four walls and having to dispose of it.

Consequently, the better the packaging is adapted, the greater the convenience. In addition, saving packaging materials offers the possibility of easier storage and has sustainability benefits.

For the realization, the design according to individual sizes as well as the possibility of folding, as you find it among other things with our folding boxes, play a major role.

In addition, the packaging now serves as an advertising medium. Especially in highly competitive industries, they offer the opportunity to stand out a little from the competition. In order to create the best possible marketing effect, the technical possibilities of packaging design have been constantly developed over the past years and decades.

These steps include innovations in printing technology. Digital options are now available for this, which produce a very clear print image. In addition, there are finishes available for various forms of packaging that enhance the overall image even further. These include, among others:

• Slides,
• Lacquers
• as well as possibilities for embossing.

Cartons and boxes

The most common types of packaging include cartons and boxes. These often have a similar structure, but differ in details as well as in a look at the areas of application.

Cartons: Variants and applications

Cartons are made of corrugated board. There are different variants of the material, such as the E-flute, the B flute or the EB-flute - the latter is a double flute. The aim here is to create packaging that is as light as possible and at the same time stable. Corrugated board is the optimum material for this.

Many of the cartons are produced according to certain standards. These standards include, first of all, the FEFCO codes. These codes of the European Federation of Corrugated Cardboard Manufacturers are intended to ensure certain standards and enable international comparability.

The areas of application of cardboard boxes are very different. Due to their stability, they are particularly suitable as shipping packaging. Therefore, they are often used by online stores or similar companies. They are also used as packaging for heavy and at the same time sensitive products at the POS. An example of this are electronic items such as flat screens or computers.

But that's not all: cartons are also used for certain foods. A well-known and certainly common example are the pizza boxes in which your favorite Italian restaurant delivers your orders fresh and hot to your door.

In addition, you can use the boxes for various everyday areas apart from buying and ordering. Among other things, they are used as moving boxes. Here they are practical helpers in the task of packing your everyday items safely. Some boxes you can alternatively use as a simple storage box for various items.

Boxes: Options and use

Boxes also serve as a useful packaging material. They are often somewhat less resilient than cartons and are therefore used primarily at the POS or for shipping with the help of additional packaging.

In their designs they also differ. Thus, some of the boxes have a carrying handle, while others work with a folding mechanism when looking at the lid. Thus, depending on the type, boxes are used for:

• Clothes,
• Jewelry,
• Sweets,
• Baked goods,
• various other foods,
• smaller electronic products
• as well as shoes.

In many cases, the boxes are foldable and can be set up in a few simple steps. There are different models such as the insertable bottom, the insertable flap and the automatic bottom.

Bottles and jars

Two other very common packaging materials are bottles and jars. They offer the possibility of packaging liquids and other non-solid goods, such as pastes or sauces.

Bottles: Models and applications

Bottles are made from various raw materials. Glass, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE) and other types of plastic are particularly common. In addition, a distinction can be made between disposable and reusable bottles.

A particularly common use for this packaging material is for beverages. Here there are certain sizes that can be described as standard. In the case of PET bottles, these include:

• 0,33 l
• 0,5 l
• 1 l
• 1,5 l

These bottles are used for drinks such as water, spritzers, juices or sodas. Glass bottles, on the other hand, also come in different shapes. Wine bottles, for example, are available as Bocksbeutel, Bordeaux bottles or Burgundy bottles.

Common bottles for wine are mainly in a size of 0.75 liters. If you look in the wine rack of your supermarket, you will often come across this size. Alternatively, you can find wine in bottles with the size of 1 l (more rarely 0.5 l).

Besides being used for beverages, bottles are used for other purposes. So you can find them as packaging for detergents or oils. But also for food like ketchup are bottles made of glass or plastic.

Glasses: variants and use

Jars have in common with some bottles that they are made of the basic material glass. They are used in a wide variety of sizes, and are particularly common for food.

Among other things, they are used for jams or other spreads such as chocolate cream. In addition, you can often find sauces for pasta or pesto in jars in your supermarket. They are also suitable for spices and herbs of various kinds.

Tubes

Tubes are another common packaging material. They are often used for cream-like products and are extremely practical in everyday life. Tubes are made of plastic, laminate or aluminum.

Common sizes for tubes are 100, 150 and 200 ml. However, there are smaller variants that are used in the medical sector, for example. In addition to other uses, tubes are also used as packaging for foods such as mustard, mayonnaise or remoulade.

But they can also be used for various cosmetic products. These include hair gel or beard cream. Other cosmetic creams as well as medical creams are also offered in tubes.

Bags, carrier bags and pouches

In addition to this packaging, there are also bags, carrier bags, and pouches that are used as packaging materials. In some cases you will see them as primary packaging, in others as secondary.

A common example of bags as a primary packaging material are the Stand-up pouchwhich you can find in our assortment. Among other things, you can use them for herbs and spices, but also for confectionery.

Carrier bags and bags, in turn, you can use to pack your groceries and bring them home safely. They consist mainly of:

• Plastic
• Textile fabrics
• Paper

At the beginning of 2022, plastic bags were banned at the supermarket checkout to a certain extent. The goal here is for supermarkets to replace them with variants made of paper, thus helping to reduce plastic waste. Many supermarkets adhere to this rule, while others try to circumvent it by using thicker plastic bags.

Other packing materials

In addition, there is a whole range of other packaging materials, some of which you are certainly familiar with from your everyday life. Foil and paper can be used to pack various things.

You're probably familiar with this option from the meat counter - here, your purchases are first wrapped in foil or paper before the salesperson puts them in a bag. You're probably also familiar with aluminum foil and cling film from your everyday life. Foil packaging is often used to keep goods fresh. Packaging materials also include:

• Bags
• Canister
• Cans
• Crown cork
• Ampoules
• Boxes

In conclusion, this short list is yet another testament to how versatile packaging is and the purposes for which it can be used.

You still have questions about the different packaging options? Just contact us by mail or phone.

Conclusion: Great variety for different purposes

Packaging materials come in a wide range of shapes and varieties. Among the most common are other cartons and boxes, bottles, jars and tubes.

In terms of size and the material from which the packaging is made, there are major differences in the individual categories. Ultimately, a suitable selection always depends on the contents and the purpose (buyer, etc.) for which the packaging is to be used.

FAQ

1. What are the differences between the packaging materials?

   Packaging differs, among other aspects, in terms of its purpose, size, as well as when taking a look at the material it is made of.

2. Which packaging materials are particularly common?

   Packaging materials that are particularly common include bags, bottles, jars, cans, pouches, boxes and cartons.