Best Packaging Materials for Protection Through Shipping - Preferred Packaging - A Division of Flexpak

By A Mystery Man Writer

Description

As a company that ships products, ensuring that those products arrive at their destination safely should be your number one priority. Choosing the right packing materials is vital to keeping your products protected while minimizing material costs and shipping fees. When you are trying to determine the best packing materials for your products there are a few questions to ask yourself, including: What is my product made of? (Clothing may not need much packing material, but glass and ceramics certainly need extra protection) Am I shipping multiple items in one package? Do I need to protect my product from specific hazards like moisture, bending, or being crushed? Depending on your answers, the best packing material will vary for each type of product. Luckily, there are several options that can help serve any of your packaging needs. We hope this list will help you determine the best packing materials for keeping your products safe: Protective Packing Materials 1) Packing Peanuts This is usually the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of packing materials. Packing peanuts have been around for decades and they remain one of the most widely-used options available due to their low cost. While they were originally made from polystyrene foam, but there is also a biodegradable version made from corn starch that is much better for the environment. Packing peanuts are used to fill any empty space inside the packaging to cushion your product. This is a good option for protecting glass, metals, electronics, and other products that can break easily. 2) Bubble Wrap Bubble wrap is a great packing material because it’s very durable. Bubble wrap can be used as filler material inside of the packaging or used as a bag to wrap around the product itself. Because it takes a lot of force and pressure to pop enough bubbles that will leave your products unprotected, bubble wrap is great for all sorts of products. Bubble wrap is available in sheets, bags, and even bubble mailers (envelopes with bubble wrap built-in), all of varying thickness. Bubble mailers offer the dual benefit of protection and packaging and can be a great option for small or flat items such as books, folded t-shirts, Blu Ray/DVD cases, and even jewelry. Another great thing about bubble mailers is that depending on their size and weight (once you have your product inside) they may even qualify as envelopes and not packages, which can save on shipping costs. 3) Packing Foam Packing foam is an incredibly versatile packing material because it has no definitive shape. Packing foam can be found in sheets, sponge rolls, foam rolls, and egg crates and can be found in varying degrees of firmness. It can be cut, folded, and even molded into almost any shape imaginable, making it suitable for practically any size, shape, and type of product. This makes it useful for protecting items with uncommon shapes such as tools or machine parts, as well as fragile or sensitive products that damage easily like ceramics, computer parts, and camera lenses. 4) Paper Paper can be a simple but effective packing material depending on the type of product you’re shipping. It is relatively cheap compared to other packing materials, and it’s useful as a filler material or for wrapping things such as books, small items, and even dishes. Common types of packing paper include Kraft paper, Butcher paper, and crinkle paper. Even crumpled or shredded paper/cardboard can be a cost-effective filler material. If you are using paper as packing material or to wrap things like dishes, you should use it generously to prevent damage. It might also be a good idea to use another packing material, like bubble wrap or packing peanuts, for extra protection. 5) Padded Dividers or Corrugated/Foam Inserts If you’re shipping multiple items in the same package, or your product needs extra protection from rattling around during shipping, using padded dividers or corrugated/foam inserts can be a great solution. These can be simple square dividers to keep products from bumping into each other during shipping or customized inserts that fit your products like a glove and make sure they stay in place. This can create a package that really stands out from your competitors and lead to a great unboxing experience for the customer. LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT PACKING MATERIAL FOR YOUR PRODUCTS? PREFERRED PACKAGING IS HERE TO HELP. Since our founding in 1985, we have become the preferred packaging supplier for hundreds of companies along the Front Range. We owe our 35 years of success to taking the time to really listen to our customers and come up with effective solutions for their packaging and shipping needs. We are fully equipped and able to design and manufacture packaging products, as well as provide generic packaging products, equipment automation, kitting & assembly, and warehouse & distribution services. To see what packaging and shipping solutions we can provide for you, call us at (303) 444-4774 or get in touch with us online today.