Cardboard Vs. Corrugated 

When choosing the packaging materials that customers want, it’s imperative to look at the products that you’re ordering, and the product protection needed. You may wonder corrugated or cardboard, and here, we’ll go over what they can do for you, and how they help you control your business as well. 

Corrugated Box 

Corrugated box is a box with cardboard sheets that are present on both sides. This also involves specific kinds of kraft materials that do make up different sheets. Corrugated boxes that are ruffled, fluted, and corrugated are also in between two line boards which are flat. The material is a bit more durable and it can withstand some of the tougher conditions. The layers also enhance this for the reasons listed below. 

  • It’s durable 
  • It’s lightweight with the best strength to weight options 
  • It’s cost effective 
  • It protects the products, it’s friendly towards the environment 

Once you have the box formed, you can ship practically anything. Packaging doe design these corrugated shipping items in order to fit the needs of the products that are shipped, and the hazards of such too that come about, including sock, moisture, vibration, or compression to that comes with this. 

Cardboard Box 

A cardboard box has but one layer of cardboard, which is what cereal boxes, pasta boxes, and cards you send to others usually include. This involves all sorts of items that are made with heavy paper, and this is something that usually is made with heavier paper pulp and is not layered. This can work in some situations, but they’re not strong enough to withstand normal transit if you do have to take it long distance. This is great for smaller products, but if the package can’t handle being shipped thousands of miles away, you might want to consider a different product. 

The differences 

The differences don’t seem like much but it’s the difference between a [package riving safely in a way that’s good of the reputation of the businesses and arriving messed up and damaged. When you look at cardboard, you need to understand that they’re also made from materials which are different, and also it can be a difference for those looking for something that want to change their shipping means and purposes. 

It also is something that businesses looking for an alternative to cardboard want to get. This isn’t just something that your products deserve to have, but this is something that the customers deserve, and expect too. 

Corrugated is a lot more durable, and it does withstand the shipping that’s out there, simply because they’re light enough to be broken into smaller pieces after it’s shipped. Corrugated boxes also come in a variety of different sizes, and also, you can choose the best product and size for this, and cardboard doesn’t have as many options, and is much more limited, since you usually have a one-size-fits all sort of approach for this. 

That may work for some products, but if you ship a variety, this is something that can be a little bit worrisome, and it can put your package at risk for damages too. With that said, if you don’t’ have corrugated shipping boxes, you might want to look into tis for the sole reason of it’ll be good for you as a business, and it’ll also showcase to others that you care about the business at hand, and everything that comes with it too. For a lot of people, having this on hand is vital, so definitely look at corrugated cardboard boxes for your packaging needs, whenever you may need it. 

Are Packing Peanuts biodegradable 

No matter what type of business you’re in, packaging peanuts are a great way to protect cargo. But a lot of businesses try to make efforts to reduce the impact of the environment, and packing peanuts are something that a lot of them try to upgrade. That’s why a lot of them are switching over the packaging peanuts. What does this mean though, and how do you know if the packaging peanuts are biodegradable. 

Non-biodegradable Vs. Biodegradable. 

Traditional packaging peanuts are composed of polystyrene, which is called Styrofoam, and while it is not biodegradable, there are alternatives that are made of corn starch and wheat. The polystyrene ones don’t break down when they’re discarded, and instead spend years in our oceans, other water sources, and the landfills too. In fact, it can talk half a millennium in order to actually decompose all of that. Recycling for this is also very limited too since Styrofoam can only be repurposed into what it’s already being used for, or something similar. Organic material, of course, can be broken down once it’s properly discarded, and discarding this is a lot better for the environment in the long haul. 

Ways to tell if it’s biodegradable

The first and most obvious option is the color. The plant-based biodegradable ones come in a lot of shades, such as green and tan, with the traditional ones being a pink or whitish color. A simple sight test is all that you need, but if that’s not enough, you can always run this under water. They do break down with water if they are biodegradable, whereas with normal packaging peanuts, absolutely nothing will happen. 

Finally, they’re edible. Packaging peanuts that aren’t biodegradable won’t be, and you probably shouldn’t eat it, but the biodegradable ones are edible, although they probably taste bad, so you probably shouldn’t. You definitely will want to keep this in mind. 

Why use biodegradable 

Biodegradable is in, and it’s something that’s ultimately the superior option for the world, compared to normal packaging peanuts. Styrofoam and other uses offers more greenhouse gases and other energy, and it’s something that can actually subject the users to bad carcinogens that aren’t healthy for anyone when being manufactured. Since the materials used to make this are natural, not toxic to humans and the environment, it’s much more environmentally friendly compared to others. 

In fact, they’re safe too if you accidentally ingest them, and a lot of people like that in the event a kid or whatnot gets ahold of it. It also does not hold a static in the same way that Styrofoam does, so the pellets won’t be sticking to your body or the area around you, and also won’t be a problem with the items that you choose to protect. 

Overall, biodegradable packaging peanuts are the way to go, and they’re something that a lot of people can benefit from when they’re trying to get the most out of this, and also to help them really benefit from this as well. So if you want to definitely ensure that you’re getting the results that youwnat, and you also are able to really take care of your packaging in a way that benefits everyone, consider using biodegradable packaging peanuts as an alternative, for they’re better for the environment, better for you, and can really be a great way to get the benefits that youwnat out of this, and something that’ll truly benefit the people that utilize this in the long haul, and to create safer packaging options for those who wish to use this type of packaging. 

Optimizing your Shipping Warehouse 

Most people use a warehouse management type of system to help with the processes that take items from point A to point B. with a third of them expecting fast shipping from brands, you need something that actually helps with the needs that you have. For example, software that’s automated, a shipping courier that works, and also other kinds of management software for your warehouse will help you get to your goal. But how else can you optimize your shipping to make it better? 

Using automated Software 

One thing that does help a lot of shippers is automated software. Why? It lets you look at the procedures for shipping, collecting data, getting rid of inventory misplacement, shipping problem, or loss as well. Automated warehouse software does reduce chances of the product getting mixed up or lost, and also reduces your costs for labor, and even expenses for operation. So, in order to keep up with others, consider using the automated warehouse platforms for the business. 

Use the right platforms  

The right shipper matters, and with more and more expecting fast shipping, you need something that does suit the needs of the business. However, shipping rates do add up in most cases for you and your business. Instead, try to find a platform that works with high volume packages, and discounts that’ll help reduce the costs for you, while also giving you the right shipping tools and benefits. 

Some places can offer super steep discounts, and if you go through a shipping company, you can definitely save some money. You also can look at shipping rates, taxes and duties, and other tools that are designed to help improve the shipping operations too. 

Consider a Warehouse Management Software 

This is something that helps with making sure that you get the efficiency and visibility for this. Youkan enhance the productivity of your warehouse by offering differ incentives, including automatic updates on the inventory, barcode scanning, another other ways to help make sure that you get the least amount of human error possible, and also maintaining the right amount of packaging, picking, and even shipping concerns as well. 

Place the Inventory strategically 

This is something that is really good for those who work with customers worldwide. You want to make sure that you have a strategic inventory, or else you’ll be sending orders to different locations, instead of one place, and it does impact the efficiency of everything. 

The closer to customers, the cheaper the shipping costs can be, and sometimes, by looking at fulfillment places, you can have the items there, so that they reach customers in the right locations within a certain period of time. For example, if you’re going to be giving items to areas on the other side of the country, consider using a fulfillment center nearby to help make things a whole lot faster.

That, combined with lower shipping rates do benefit the business, and also works to help with scaling this. A fulfillment center can also handle the nitty gritty of shipping, making it faster and more efficient for you as well. With that said, it’s important to properly optimize everything. Warehouses and other facilities need this, in order to ensure the proper way that you’re able to handle all of this. With all of that in place though, it does make everything better for you as a business, and in turn, will be able to help you get the most that you can out of this, so that you can scale and benefit from everything that you need to do, and implement too. 

What is PCR Packaging and How is it Used? 

Getting the correct materials is a priority for those looking to boost stainability on all sorts of areas. Packaging experts and brands need materials to offer product sustainability and encouraging solutions which are impactful. Post-consumer resin packaging is one of the new eco friendly solutions, but what is it? 

The Overview 

Post-consumer resin is basically made via PET bottles or other plastics that are recycled in order to create this solution of plastic. There’s much more to this though. It does need some other materials in this, and it uses fresh materials as well to help keep it sustainable. 

How it compares to other eco-friendly types of Plastics 

PCR is one of the many options for bioavailable plastics. There is also post-industrial resin which is made from processed waste, crates, and pallets too, making it biphasic, and it is renewable as well, made from plants that are there. 

Other plastics are coming out as both biodegradable and compostable, but there is not much known about hos sustainable they are in a general sense. But with all of these options, PCR has become one of the more popular kinds of options over various different industries as well. 

The benefits 

There are benefits to PCR plastic packaging that are meant to be mentioned. Due to the fact that they’re using reprocessed plastic rather than virgin materials, this is much more sustainable for your environments too. As PCR starts to become more and more widespread, packaging is definitely looking for more eco-friendly options on these materials. Adding this is one of the best things you can do for something that creates desirable packaging. 

With more customers wondering what exactly goes into packaging, and how brands can help with this, post-consumer recycled plastic offers ways to offer commitment and sustainability too. Plus, it’s super affordable as well. 

While many options are becoming more expensive, and many businesses struggle with adopting this, PCR plastic actually doesn’t have that problem, making it one of the more affordable options for those who want to decrease their carbon footprints as well. 

The limits 

There are limits through. It is not to be used in medical or pharmaceutical packaging because there is always risk for contamination along with a bit of inconsistency across every part of the process of recycling as well. It also is hard to shape and mold, so if you’re someone who has a specific product that requires specific boxes, you should not use this. 

Some brands have figured out ways to work around this through using packaging that’s a mixture of both PCR along with other kinds of materials and avoids using virgin plastics as a result of this. A lot  of major brands are slowly using this more and more for the fact that it’s sustainable, and easy for you to work with, including Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, and also Keurig and Target. There are mor and more brands getting into this. 

Hopefully, through this it helps to make PCR packaging not just more popular, but also quite affordable, and through this, both small brands and medium brands can definitely get all of the benefits that they can out of this, and also helps to ensure the proper packaging is there. 

This is definitely something that more and more brands should look at as a packaging option, and if possible, try to afford this too, as it can offer a ton of amazing benefits for you as a person, and also for you as a company too, depending on what you choose to do with this as well. 

Exploring the different Packaging Kinds 

So you’ve decided that you want to do your own packaging in-house, but you need the right machinery for this. You want to make sure that you get the right thing, as the wrong machinery renders this unusable. Here, we’ll go over each of the different packaging machinery kinds out there and what this means for you as well. 

Different Kinds of Packaging Machinery 

There are a bunch of different packaging machinery types out there, with the main total of these discussed here. The most common kind include: 

  • Heat sealing 
  • Bagging 
  • Shrink tunnels 
  • Conveyers 
  • Machines for strapping 

Other equipment not normally mentioned include: 

  • Labelers 
  • Bundlers 
  • Flow wrappers 
  • Pouch openers 
  • Case erectors and leaders 
  • Specialty in-feeds 
  • Friction feeding 
  • Vertical FFS 
  • Band sealer 
  • Taper 
  • Stretch wrapper 

This is but the most common kinds of machinery that are normally used on most packaging company spaces, and here, we’ll go over each of the main ones. 

Heat Sealers 

This is used to seal products of the shrink film, with the heating part of this causing a shrinking, followed by a seal. After this is sealed, it then moved down the line. The beauty of this, is that they do come in different kinds of shapes, prices, and sizes, with the devices being either manual, automatic, or semi-automatic types. They are best for frozen items, DVDs, electronics, games, and other sorts of consumer foods that are out there. 

Shrink Tunnel 

Shrink tunnels or heat tunnels are another main part of the line of packaging. Basically, they’re devices that are ovens that shrink the different containers that are sealed by many of the sealers used before. Conveyers do move the products directly from the sealer itself to the tunnel. This is an integral part of this, and not something separate. 

As the product goes from the conveyer belt to the sealer within the heat tunnel, the trunnel heats this up, and then, it circulates, which causes the film to shrink once more. There are also single along with double chambers that are based on the speed and size of this. Once this leaves, it moves on from the current line of packaging, and then is prepared to be shipped. 

Bagging 

Bagging is used to package roll or poly bags, with most of the baggers either being semi-automatic, or automatic in terms of machinery. There’s another called drop baggers, which feature fans that blow the air, helping the bag to open before filling, and they are usually directly put on the wicket. This basically auto feeds all of the bags via the device, and the operator assisting with this will insert it into there, and usually, this is done directly by the equipment. 

Conveyers 

Then there are conveyers, which include rollers or belts, made from rubber, plastic, or metals. When products come down this, it goes from one end to the other end via this, and usually, they’re powered with an electric motor of varying speed. Some are just pushed by workers to the next area, and it’s definitely something that a lot of people use in order to better understand each of these devices. 

Strapping 

Finally, there are machines for strapping which apply strapping to objects to secure them, offer pallets, and offer the right containment of loads. These are usually known as tensioners too, since they can create tension through the strapping to the product. These are the most popular kinds of machinery, and you can get this here to help with your next packaging experience.