Paper or Plastic: A Fresh Look at Protective Packaging

Across the board, companies are factoring the environment into the packaging decision-making process. This includes everything from raw materials to energy to efficient transportation and distribution.

Regardless of what a company manufactures or distributes, typically, the need exists to get products from point A to point B without having quality, shelf life and structural damage issues. To help achieve that objective, some form of protective packaging is usually involved.

In the past couple of years, major protective packaging technology improvements have been commercialized. Today, plant and warehouse personnel have an even greater number of types to choose from, depending on product and shipping requirements.

Protective packaging options come in many forms. However, boiled down to the basics, they tend to be either paper- or plastic-based.

To achieve the maximum balance of product protection and cost effectiveness for your product, operation, corporate philosophy, budget and/or shipping environment, it is important to review options with a protective packaging professional well versed in the pros and cons of both material forms. In the meantime, here are some basic protective packaging descriptions and guidelines to help you gauge options while adding to your packaging knowledge base.

Plastic-Based Packaging

Bubble or air-cushioning

These products feature rows or cells of “bubbles” with trapped air locked between layers of low-, linear-low density or co-extruded polyethylene film (with or without recycled content). Bubble protective packaging material provides shock and vibration protection, interleaving, surface protection, wrapping and void-filling functions.

The material is resilient and flexible, making it a viable protective packaging solution for virtually any product, ranging from delicate, lightweight objects such as ceramics and housewares to heavier, bulkier electronic components and glassware, including computers and office equipment. Bubble packaging with anti-static properties is frequently used to protect the latter.

There are many variables to consider when selecting the right bubble or air-cushioning product for your specific application. You need to consider the bubble cell size (typically, from 1/8- to ½-inch) and structural composition (monolayer film, coextrusion, lamination, etc.) to provide adequate product cushioning. Usually, larger bubble cells are used to protect bigger products, while smaller cells are used for smaller parts.

Within the past couple of years, bubble products that address environmental concerns have entered the marketplace. Some products feature pre-consumer waste content (industrial scrap), while other products combine up to 40% post- and pre-consumer waste.

In addition to content, size and structural concerns, packagers need to evaluate performance when comparing air-cushioning options. For example, how secure is the cell seal? Has the seal been compromised, and has the air leaked out before the package reaches its destination?

Inflatable bags/air pillows

Unlike bubble protective packaging, which is typically used to wrap and cushion components, bags or air pillows are used for blocking and bracing, cushioning or top and side void-fill, depending on the particular application.

The lightest weight void-fill option, they are typically created on demand at packing stations, via a stand-alone unit (versus bubble packaging, which is delivered to the plant in perforated rollstock) and then inserted into a box. Deflated, rolls of air-pillow film take up less than 1% of the inflated volume, allowing manufacturers to maximize truck and warehouse space. The bags or pillows tend to feature much larger air chambers than bubble packaging, although smaller, “hybrid” cells can also be made by purpose-built units.

This “systems” approach to creating inflatable bags is typically found in distribution center environments. Line operators reach up and tear off the appropriate number of pillows for whatever void-fill task they are executing. Designed to keep items securely in place, air pillows provide protection for a broad range of products.

Packagers can chose from a variety of materials, widths and perforation dimensions (usually every 6 to 12 inches), depending on application requirements. Bio- and oxo-degradable options also are available.

Foam products

There are a broad range of foam protective packaging products to suit a spectrum of needs. Foam structures typically are made from polypropylene or polyethylene and available in a wide variety of densities and thicknesses (ranging from 1/32-inch sheets to 4-inch planks).