What Is a Packaging Material?
Packaging materials are used for wrapping, decorating, protecting, and transporting objects. These materials come in various forms, such as food containers, trays, plastic bags, paper bags, film packaging, paper napkins, and cushioning materials, covering a broad range of applications in manufacturing and sales, particularly in the food industry.
Uses of Packaging Materials
Packaging materials play a crucial role across many industries. Functionally, they can be divided into industrial packaging for transporting or storing goods and commercial packaging for enhancing product sales. Industrial packaging focuses on protection, delivery efficiency, and cost, while commercial packaging emphasizes aesthetic appeal to boost sales.
Industrial packaging examples include laminated products used for moisture and rust proofing, suitable for precision instruments, electrical appliances, paper, wood, clothing, and metal products. These are also used as export packaging and packing materials. Laminates often incorporate materials like aluminum foil, polyethylene (PE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
Commercial packaging, such as gift wrapping, allows for creative design tailored to consumer preferences, using materials like paper, cloth, polypropylene (PP), and cardboard.
Principles of Packaging Materials
The packaging materials industry is continually evolving, especially with increasing research into plastics, driven by concerns over crude oil consumption and marine pollution.
Plastics, organic polymeric materials with plasticity, can be molded into various shapes upon heating. They are mainly categorized into thermoplastics and thermosets. Commonly used plastics in containers and packaging include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
Plastics are also valued for their barrier properties, preventing harmful substances like gas, moisture, and odors from affecting the packaged contents. Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) is a notable barrier material, although its usage is decreasing due to environmental concerns. Alternatives such as inorganic vapor-deposited films, polyamide, and three-layer nylon with ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) are gaining prominence.