In a world where international shipments are becoming more abundant and commonplace, finding the right protective packaging materials becomes a vital task.
Protective packaging can make the difference between a successful shipment or one marked by economic loss and loss of goods. Therefore, it is advisable to know which protective packaging types exist and to know how to choose the most suitable one.
Protector Packaging: what it is and why you need it
Protective packaging refers to the use of various packaging materials to safeguard and protect a product from the threats that arise during the distribution cycle.
Protective packaging materials can range from corrugated board to more complex and robust materials, such as steel
Protective packaging products can function as primary or secondary packaging, depending on the type of goods to be protected.
Protective packaging can be designed for any type of goods and its objective will always be the same: to guarantee the safety of the product during its transport, handling and storage.
Damage to the product during transport leads not only to economic losses due to the loss of the product but also to a bad image in the eyes of the final consumer.
Using protective packaging solutions is today one of the most important ways to ensure that goods arrive at their destination intact.
Through packaging research, transport simulation or product study, it is possible to establish the most suitable protective packaging materials for each product and thus secure the goods.
What types of protective packaging exist?
There are different variables that make the most suitable protective packaging materials vary for each case.
As such, packaging research processes have also focused on developing different protective packaging types suitable for each situation. These are some of the types of protective materials for boxes that are sent, for example, through Amazon:
Packaging shavings can be made from different materials (paper, cardboard or plastic) and have varying thicknesses and sizes.
They are used as fillers for materials that are transported in groups, usually inside a cardboard box.
Packing shavings thus make use of the empty space to prevent goods from moving freely by creating a cushioning effect.
Padded dividers are another protective packaging material that functions as boxes with compartments for the organization of the transported products.
They are generally used for the transport of small and fragile products (e.g. electronic products).
Through the three-dimensional structures of the padded dividers, it is possible to organize products whose transport may otherwise be incompatible.
Bubble bags and bubble wrap
Bubble bags and bubble wrap are one of the best-known protective wrapping material solutions.
The air bubbles that makeup bubble bags and bubble wrap act as a cushion for goods, protecting them from shocks and other threats during transport.
In addition, they serve a dual function by acting both as protective packaging and as protective wrapping material.
Packaging foam is one of the broadest protective packaging types.
Packaging foam, which can take many different forms, offers optimum protection for a wide variety of goods.
This is one of the protective packaging materials that offer the best protection guarantees.
In addition, it allows for great customization, since it is possible to adapt the packaging foam to a large number of packaging options.
Wrapping paper is a type of paper specially designed to protect certain goods during transport and handling.
It is thus used as a protective wrapping material that supports different variants (e.g. Kraft paper).
Generally, this protective packaging is accompanied by adhesive tape to seal the product, and it can be used in large quantities to protect goods.
How to choose the best protective packaging material
The packaging industry has produced different protective packaging types to meet the needs of each commodity and product.
The different protective packaging materials will be more or less suitable according to different variables.
On one hand, the type of product to be protected will determine which protective packaging is necessary. In this sense, protective packaging solutions will be more or less thorough depending on the fragility of the product to be transported.
On the other hand, the different distribution cycles of a product must also be taken into account in order to choose the most suitable among the protective packaging types.
The means of transport (road, train, airplane, boat, etc.) and the chose route to determine the type of threat that may compromise the safety of the product.
As such, a study of these variables is necessary to determine what type of protection and protective packaging materials are necessary to ensure the safety of the product.
At Safe Load Testing Technologies, we have been at the forefront of research in the packaging industry for 20 years.
Our commitment to innovation has led us to help many companies ensure the safety of cargo during transport and avoid losses.
We can help you to choose the most suitable solutions for the optimization and validation of packaging for the type of product and its transport route, through innovative transport simulation systems.
Get in contact with us to work together on optimizing your product+packaging system to reduce damage, costs, improve load stability, be more sustainable and any goals that may be presented to your packaging.