What’s there is to know about materials that go into food packaging

There are a number of reasons that could cause you to look into the kind of materials needed to package a variety of foods. Whether you are a chef looking to develop your recipes, a company that manufactures food or a start-up food business just looking for ideas to store your products, your hunt on sourcing the right materials is one you should be vigilant with. There is a very wide variety of choices when it comes to food packaging. The materials you choose to go with are based on the type of food you are are dealing with, the flexibility or rigidness of the materials you are sourcing, how the materials can be obtained, price, the efficiency of the models you are looking for as well as its adverse effects on the environment. Here are some of the options you can choose to go with.

Flexible Pouches- These are among the fastest growing food packaging materials in the market today. They are environmentally-friendly, leave a lower carbon footprint compared to the other packaging materials and take up less space during storage. Consumers love the packaging as they are lighter, shatter-free and give them an opportunity to get a feel of the contents inside the pouches before purchasing them. To manufacturers they are cheaper to make, easier to store and cost less during shipping given that they weigh much less.

Glass containers and jars- These are among the most known and loved food packaging materials. Glass has an extensive shelf-life and the fact that it is transparent allows the consumer to view and inspect the product before purchasing it. It is also 100% recyclable and re-usable. However, it should be noted that it has a very high carbon footprint and is expensive to ship as it is heavy. It is also prone to easily breaking causing dangerous situations to rise due to the harmful broken pieces.

Clamshell packaging- These materials are made from plastic, recycled paper, paperboard or styrofoam. They are usually used to package foods that do not have a long shelf-life such as sandwiches, meats and salads. Plastic clamshells are recyclable but compostable ones are not. 

Metal cans- These are another form of food packaging materials that are globally famous and have been used since the early 1900’s. Tin cans are mainly used to package fish and meat while aluminum is more popular when it comes to beverages. They are fully recyclable and have a higher shatter resistance compared to glass. 

Plastic bottles- These are the most commonly used when it comes to packaging items such as water and beverages. You can find them at almost any store and are convenient to use. They are recyclable but usually end up in landfills due to adhesives and labels not being removed. 

Papered boxes- They are a hip way of packaging products such as cereals, pasta, soup mix and snacks. They are fully recyclable and leave a lower carbon footprint compared to glass and metal.

According to the type of food you want to package, your budget and the long-term effect of the material on the environment, you are now aware of the choices you can go with when it comes to food packaging.

5 Ways to Package Seafood

Deciding what the best seafood packaging material can be challenging. We are here to help you find the right packing solutions for your business. The food industry is vast and ever-changing, but the packaging is always reliable. If you want to be a company that strives for consistent and adequate seafood packaging, then continue to read. 

There are plenty of options for seafood that are brought to us from around the world. This means there is an equal amount of packaging options to place the delicious meat inside. If you are manufacture seafood then you want the best packaging available. This will ensure the freshest and safest catch is delivered to your clients. They will be grateful for the efforts you put into keeping the product at a high quality. 

If you have been looking for the best information on seafood packaging materials then you have come to the right place. We will explain the different types of packaging and you can decide which fits best for your business. Here are five packaging solutions that will provide your company with an excellent product. 

Skin Packaging

Skin Packaging is one of the most popular packaging solutions. It is used to pack fillets or strips inside a vacuum-sealed plastic package with a paperboard backing. The backing comes in a variety of options such as a heat-sealable function. The heat seal gives the product extra bonding so the package is airtight and provides the freshest outcome. 

This unique packaging transforms itself into the shape of the fish rather than the fish take form to the packaging. This way the fish keeps itself natural shape without damage. Different types of products use skin packagings such as chicken breasts or pork chops. All keep the freshest outcome with this packaging. 

Flexible Pouches 

This nifty packaging solution is flexible and reusable. The product is generally made of plastic or foils and they stand up all on their own. They are environmentally friendly which makes these packaging solutions socially popular. It is proven to lower our carbon footprint and does not load up landfills like the other packaging materials. This is a great option if you decide to go eco-friendly. 

Strapping Material 

Strapping material is found in abundance with all different shapes, sizes, and materials. This material can either be packaged hands-on or with a machine. This material is mostly used to package an abundance of food. Such as already packaged and prepared frozen food placed on a pallet. This will keep all the packaged food together. 

Individually quick frozen

Just in the name, the seafood is frozen individually and packaged. This is beneficial when the food is a mixture of seafood that needs to be combined to make a quick dish later. The best part about quick frozen packaging is the speed at which the food freezes yet keeps the same freshness and taste of the food. 

Cans

Last but the first of its kind. Canned foods have been around for centuries and continue to provide freshly packaged seafood. However, it is rather expensive compared to other packaging options. 

With all these packaging options available we hope you find the best suited for your business. There are plenty to choose from and many provide optimal solutions to packaging food. 

Prices for Custom Boxes

If you need custom print boxes for your business or another purpose, you will find that it’s no longer something that costs a huge amount. It used to be, back in the day, that you had to special order custom printed boxes especially from a company that does that. It was often something they weren’t set up for so they asked a large amount of money for you to do it. This is no longer the case. These days, it’s much more common to ask for boxes to be printed with special logos or messages on them. Even smaller companies will print this kind of thing these days. It just helps for you to establish branding with your customer base, otherwise, they might forget who you are. And, considering how important it is for you to establish a working relationship with the people you depend on for business, custom printing of boxes is becoming a critical part of everything you do in your business. Making the right choice when it comes to printing boxes for your benefit, it comes down to knowing what to do about the particulars.

Order Size and Box Size

The exact size you want for your custom printed boxes is important. It’s important when it comes to the size of the boxes, but it’s also important when it comes to the size of the order, just how many boxes you’re ordering, as well. You ant the box size to be able to hold your products, but you don’t want it to be so big that you end up spending way more on shipping than you want. It’s also going to be cheaper if you order a standard size box rather than something totally custom. When it comes to how big the order is, most places will say that you have to order a minimum number of boxes. This is often around 500. The company has to produce new print plates in order to get your custom order printed, so this is just what’s required in order to end up ahead with the costs of doing that. 

Colors

In order to establish a proper identity for your brand, you have to use colors that make your logo and ideas distinctive and instantly recognizable by your customers. The plates used for this look a bit like rubber stamps and you can use them to print text or line art directly onto your custom boxes. You need multiple plates for different colors, including for each color, so if you have a lot of colors in your brand, which can be useful for standing out from the crowd, one of the keys to your success, then this is what you’ll have to do. This should be factored into how you think about and negotiate the prices. 

Making the Right Call About Customized Boxes

At the end of the day, you’ll have to factor in options including shipping costs, colors, order size, size of boxes for your brand, and more in order to make sure that you’re going to end up ahead when you look at the cost for customized boxes versus what you gain from them in terms of boosts to profit and recognizability. It is most often worth it, given what you gain, but it is important to think it through. 

The Many Beneficial Uses of Chipboard

Chipboard paper is a highly useful and versatile material that is beneficial for use in packaging. It is also commonly referred to as paperboard. Chipboard is composed of 100 percent recycled paper that is then formed into layers. After this, the layers are glued together into a smooth, firm sheet. Chipboard sheets are durable and come in a wide variety of different thicknesses/densities. It is a material that is ideal for a wide variety of uses such as scrapbooking, crafting, commercial/industrial uses, and packaging/shipping.

Chipboard’s Uses in Packaging/Shipping

The use of corrugated cardboard is indeed highly prevalent within the realm of packaging and shipping. It is not always necessary to go this route though. In many cases, chipboard is a better option. This is the case when dealing with items that do not require the same kind of protection that is provided by corrugated cardboard. It is particularly useful for packaging and shipping out apparel items or any other items that can ship successfully without the protection provided by corrugated cardboard.

Chipboard differs from corrugated cardboard in the fact that it is not hollow. This means that it is thinner when compared to the corrugated cardboard alternative. Though this is the case, chipboard can still be formed into shipping materials such as cartons, boxes, and sheets of various strengths and sizes. The bottom line is the fact that chipboard can be a money-saving option as well as a space-saver. These are all key reasons why it is such a popular option these days.

Uses for Chipboard Pads

Chipboard can be made into highly useful pads. The pads can be inserted into any type of shipping mailer as a way to offer additional protection and support to the items being sent out. It is an ideal way to protect items such as artwork, documents, and photos, among many other possibilities. 

Chipboard’s Usefulness as Apparel Boxes

Shipping out apparel items is one of the most popular uses of chipboard. These items often do not require the level of protection and support afforded by corrugated cardboard. In the case of shipping out apparel, chipboard is often an excellent option and one that is more cost-effective than using cardboard. Using chipboard apparel boxes helps you to keep the items neatly folded and presentable for their journey to their destination.

Chipboard Is Ideal for Gift Boxes

Chipboard is also a great choice for gift boxes. Gift boxes and folding cartons made from chipboard work great for items that are lightweight and small. This includes items such as spare parts, jewelry, gifts, and business cards, among many other possible items that can be shipped this way. These gift boxes/folding cartons come in a wide variety of different shapes and sizes so you are sure to be able to find ones that will meet your requirements.

Chipboard Is a Material That Is Always Useful to Have Around

As you can see, chipboard is a material that is highly versatile and useful for packaging and shipping needs. Whether you run a business that routinely ships out products or you are simply looking for a cost-effective shipping material for personal uses, chipboard is often your best option. 

The Different Ways To Ship Packages 

It is essential for companies who ship packages to their customers via mail to have their products packaged professionally. If the package arrives in a professionally packaged box or envelope, this usually impresses the customer and displays the professionalism of a company. Professional packaging also allows a company to market its products and communicate its brand. The proper packaging should also protect whatever product is being shipped, so no damage occurs to the product in transit. Most packages are shipped in the following ways: in envelopes, corrugated cardboard, internal packaging, chipboard packaging, and poly mailers. 

There are many different types of envelopes that a business can use to mail any important papers. One of the best envelopes that can protect against natural elements such as rain and snow is called a rigid mailer. Rigid mailers are used to mail objects that need to be kept flat. A bubble mailer will be the best option if a company wants to mail a more bulky object. Corrugated cardboard is the most commonly used packaging around the world. This packaging is a cardboard box that has multiple layers of paper on the inside and paper rolls. These paper rolls are known as fluting. The more layers of paper and the more paper rolls, the better the product inside the packaging is protected. Corrugated cardboard packaging is efficient and low-cost because it is usually made of recycled paper. This is also the best way to perform basic shipping. Companies can get the most sustainability and value from shipping with corrugated cardboard from different ways to ship packages. 

Internal packaging is the material that a business may put inside the package to keep the product being shipped safe and secure. The three most common types of internal packaging are foam, styrofoam, and kraft paper. Foam is very easy to use and it is cheap. Foam is also one of the best ways to protect and ship items that can easily be broken. The downside to using internal foam packaging is that it is not sustainable or recyclable. Styrofoam can protect anything, but it is not sustainable and cannot be recycled as well. Kraft paper is the best option when it comes to internal packaging because of its sustainability and recyclability. If a company is shipping food products such as cereal and other items purchased at a grocery store, chipboard packaging will be the best type of packaging to ship these products in. Chipboard packaging is only used to ship lightweight products because it is a lighter type of packaging. It is highly advised not to ship any breakables or heavy objects using chipboard packaging. 

Poly mailers are a type of envelope that is self-sealing. These envelopes are suitable for shipping because they can be returned and used multiple times. They also do not take up a lot of room in a mailing or delivery truck. Poly mailers can also be a form of advertising because a company can put its brand or logo on the front and backside of the envelope. As you can see, there are many different options when it comes to shipping a package. These options are available to businesses as well as ordinary people. The whole goal when shipping a package is to protect it from natural elements and human error.