Packaging affects everybody’s lives in some way on a daily basis. Packaging could be used in various ways using various materials. Some of these ways include: medical packaging, food distribution, pharmaceutical packaging, electronic devices, material items, etc. At any given time, any of these items need to be distributed from one place to another. They have to go through extensive research in order to be packaged in a way that will keep the particular item safe. The main goal of packaging is to protect the contents from damage and leaking. One of the most commonly used materials in packaging is plastic, or polymers.

Plastics are so commonly used in packaging because it is easily molded or transformed. As packaging is made, various plastics and their properties enable many packaging choices made along the way. This includes color, weight, size, shape, utility, printing, protection, and so on. A polymer is defined as a substance that has a molecular structure consisting chiefly or entirely of a large number of similar units bonded together, e.g., many synthetic organic materials used as plastics and resins. Some of the most common polymers include:

polyethylene terephthalate

high density polyethylene

polyvinyl chloride

low density polyethylene

polypropylene

polystyrene

Packaging using plastic materials is the most desired form of packaging due to its many benefits. Plastic is ideal for producers because it is a lightweight material and is easy to manipulate, extrude, and form into any shape you want. This makes it easy to package unique items that wouldn’t normally fit into basic structures. Here is a picture of different products that has been packaged with plastic polymer in distinct ways:

As one can see, each product is packaged in a specific way according to their shape and size. The metal lock, eyelash curler, and children’s toy are covered in plastic outlining their shape. Companies such as Sunrise Packaging believe it is important to properly package an item, because not only does it need to be appealing to consumers, but it also needs to be functional for shipping. This directly shows how important packaging is to industries across the world as well as how useful plastic polymer items are to packaging. Polymer plastic is also useful for packaging food. The barrier resins that plastic packaging provides help to preserve freshness and extend shelf life. By preserving foods in polymer packaging, food companies are able to reduce waste, which is beneficial to the environment.

References

https://www.plasticpackagingfacts.org/

http://www.sunpack.com/category/thermoforming-blog/blister-pack/page/5/

http://www.dupont.com/