What Are The Types of Packaging?

There is multiple kinds of packaging, how hard can it be, right? Wrong. Types of packaging exist to assist with different kinds of products to be packaged, shipped, and mailed off to the right consumer. Check out our quick list of the 5 most common types of packaging.

Pack your grandmother’s invaluable China in the wrong types of packaging, and you might be sending those dishes off to their deaths. Here, we explore the different types of packaging and their uses to provide you with an easy-to-follow guide for which to choose and when!

Clamshell Packaging

Bet you didn’t know that that salad container you get with lunch everyday is actually called “clamshell packaging,” did ya? Clamshell packaging is one of the most common types of packaging for fresh food products that don’t have a long way to travel. The packaging provides easy-to-lock clips, but the plastic is too flimsy to be packed and stored. This packaging is best used quickly, but if you’re food is good, then that shouldn’t be a problem!

Blister Packaging

Despite its nasty name, blister packaging is among the more common types of packaging found for pens, medicines, and other packaged dry goods. The blister itself refers to the convex shape of plastic that is usually glued to a cardboard backing to create a seal. For example, any pens that you buy in bulk are sealed in a “blister” and then opened by tearing away the cardboard. Other common examples of blister packaging include toothbrushes, Q-tips, and thumbtacks.

Flexible Packaging

Anybody hungry? Flexible packaging comes in many forms and types of packaging, but is most commonly used as for chips and candies. That bag of chips you are currently reaching for is a perfect example of flexible packaging. Other types of packaging that qualify as flexible include plastic seals on bottles or jars, the wrapper around multiple packs of gum, and cookie packaging. Without flexible packaging, snacking as we know it might not even exist (okay, we can’t prove this, but you get the gist)!

Box Packaging

How much more self-explanatory can we get for types of packaging that state their genre in the name? Box packaging refers most specifically to boxes whose lids are an extension of the length of the box. In essence, boxes like the mailers from Birchbox are the best representations of box packaging. The idea with box packaging is to not lose the lid, and to have all items securely contained inside without worry of a lid popping off.

Seal Packaging

Another member of the “self-explanatory” types of packaging, seal packaging refers to self-sealed packages that one usually finds with dry goods such as rice. Pasta, rice, candies, and coffee beans usually come in sealed packaging, which is also usually a clear plastic. The idea with seal packaging is to keep the dry goods fresh and prevent any premature drying out or expiring.

There you have it – the main types of packaging you will find in your everyday life. Any questions about how to pack something up, let us know in the comments and we are happy to help you out!