What Are the Different Types of Product Packaging Supplies?

Product packaging supplies are used by manufacturers to protect their products and to make them more attractive to the consumer. There are many different kinds of product packages; some common types are blister packs, plastic bags, paper bags, and clear tubes. Some companies use cardboard or plastic boxes. The product packaging supplies are typically chosen to be a good fit with the product being sold.

For many kinds of items, clear plastic tubes work well. These can hold any number of small items, depending on the size of the tube relative to the size of the item. Dice, paper clips, thumbtacks, and nails can all be packaged in tubes.

Plastic bags are one of the more popular types of product packaging supplies. The choice of sizes is almost infinite, and bags can be adapted for flat items, multiple items, and items that have odd or irregular dimensions. Depending on the product, bags can either be heat sealed or may have zipper seals. In some cases a bag with a zipper seal will be heat sealed above the zipper, creating a tamper-proof consumer-friendly package that can be opened and closed many times. This is often ideal for food items such as lettuce and cheese.

To minimize problems with items being stolen or broken, product packaging supplies consisting of a hard plastic shell can be used; this is often referred to as a blister pack. In some cases the package may be clear on both sides, but other times there may be a shaped piece of plastic glued or stapled to a sheet of cardboard printed with product information. Product packaging supplies such as these may need to be custom made so as to fit the item properly. Blister packs are notoriously hard to open and are rarely tampered with before being taken home by the consumer.

Boxes can hold almost anything, but they are not suitable for many types of items, since much of what is in them may be hard to see. They do make good product packaging supplies for paper goods such as stationery or other products where there are many of the same or a similar item. Cardboard boxes with a clear plastic top can be used to show off the contents, and boxes work well for items with many differently-shaped parts such as games. Shaped cases, a type of plastic box, are commonly used to package tools for sale, the advantage being that the packaging can also be used to store the item once it has been purchased.