The Flexible Packaging Blog

Reviews, trends, and tips covering all things flexible packaging to protect your products and your bottom line.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Packaging Design

By: Nathan Dube
December 10th, 2020

Perhaps you have been packaging your products in blister packs for many years and are looking to see if there are any new updates to blister packaging technology. Or, maybe you are a start-up looking to package your first-ever product in blister packs and are curious about this type of packaging and its related items. Generally speaking, there are two types of blister packs. Those that have a paperboard backer and those that have a plastic backer. When thinking about using blister packs to package your products, you will generally have to choose between one of these two options. But which backer is better for you? Does one work better than the other? Which one is better for the environment? Does it really make a difference which one you choose? These are just a few of the questions you likely have running through your head while you are pondering packaging your products with blister packs. Industrial Packaging has helped countless clients implement carded packaging solutions such as blister packs for many different types of applications. Through our many years of experience with the different kinds of blister packs available, we will be able to help you choose the one that is right for your products. In this article, we will explore the differences between blister packs and the materials commonly used to create the backers for this type of packaging material. We will also assist you in choosing the appropriate blister pack backers for your unique packaging needs.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Food Packaging

By: Nathan Dube
November 26th, 2020

Most of the time, food packaging applications are driven by capitalist endeavors and by profits. However, that is the last thing that comes to mind when reading this heart-warming tale. Recently, the Eastfield Mall's employees took it upon themselves to package meal kits for families in need. The Mall's crew got to work packaging hundreds of meal kits for local family's who were struggling to put food on the table. The meal kits were packaged in cardboard boxes and stacked on pallets prior to being delivered to the Eastfield Mall where the Mall's employees worked hard to pack the trunks of folks finding it hard to make ends meet. With each kit featuring over thirty pounds of food filled with items such as fruits, veggies, milk, eggs, and meat, the Eastfield Mall was able to provide 1,000 family's with the much needed provisions. In this article, we will explore this thanksgiving miracle of food packaging made manifest by the kindness of others in a time where help is needed more than ever.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Environment

By: Nathan Dube
November 24th, 2020

When it comes to packaging materials, plastic is so common. It is found in practically every packaging application you could possibly imagine. There are literally billions of tons of plastic in our world today. There are even millions of pounds of new plastic being produced every year! And while some companies such as Coca-Cola have stood their ground in defense of using plastic, many companies are being told by their customers that plastic needs to be phased out to make way for more environmentally friendly options. You are probably here because you are researching plastic packaging alternatives. Maybe you are the owner of a new start-up, or perhaps you have been in business for decades and are trying to meet the environmental demands of your consumer base. Regardless of what factors set your search in motion, you know that you need to find potential replacements for plastic packaging. With over 60 years in the packaging industry, Industrial Packaging has seen thousands of different types of materials come and go. We’ve helped countless businesses optimize their packaging design when making the transition to environmentally friendly alternative packaging materials. In this article, we will take a look at a few different varieties of sustainable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly plastic packaging alternatives that are sure to draw the attention of your customers and prospects alike!

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Packaging Design

By: Nathan Dube
November 19th, 2020

Have you ever bought a product, only to get home and find that opening the packaging is not only complicated, it is darn near impossible? Well, you are not alone! Wrap rage is a common reaction experienced by millions of people after buying a new product to enjoy only to find that the packaging is overly complicated to remove. At the end of the day, the customer ultimately ends up with a flustered sense of agitation. It is a surprisingly common phenomena despite the fact that many people have called upon companies to stop packaging their products in hard to remove materials. And yet, many companies continue to package their products in complicated packaging supplies that require scissors or more robust tools to open the package. In a world where the unboxing experience is considered a "make or break" element of the customer experience, this should not be the status quo. However, it is an on-going problem for many consumers to this day. With over 60 years in the packaging industry, we have plenty of experience helping companies optimize their packaging design process to protect and preserve their product, to entice the eyes of buyers, and yes, even to help negate wrap rage.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | The Business of Packaging | Food Packaging

By: Nathan Dube
November 3rd, 2020

There have been many industries hit hard by the pandemic. "Non-essential" businesses of many kinds have had to shut down for weeks, sometimes months on end. And while various different types of businesses have taken a hit during 2020, the restaurant industry was hit particularly hard. Initially, many restaurants were completely shut down. Then various states began staged re-openings across the country. But restrictions and limitations were imposed on the already struggling restaurant industry as it attempted to regain some of the losses that they had accrued. Once back open, most eateries were limited to lower capacities based upon state laws. Even with re-opening opportunities, many dining institutions saw a dramatic decrease in attendance. And while this situation proved quite challenging for this section of the food industry, it was quite another story for others. For example, with many former patrons of restaurants choosing to stay home and cook rather than go out for a night on the town, many supermarkets experienced a massive boost to normal business. Necessities such as food and toiletries in particular flew off store shelves at a rapid pace. And while pre-made or serve-yourself items such as hot-food or salad bars were shut down, pre-packaged foods, particularly frozen foods, ultimately saw a huge boost in sales. This resulted in many supermarkets having to stock up more than usual in an effort to meet the demands of the supply chain. And the story was no different when the pandemic met HEB supermarkets. And while the HEB team was more than happy to work hard to meet the rising demand, they took notice of their fellow food industry professionals in the restaurant scene. And that is when HEB supermarkets stepped up to help out their fellow foodie friends and help them to make ends meet. In this article, we will explore this wonderful story about people helping people and how a kind gesture was able to help some restaurants to stay afloat while they battle COVID.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials

By: Nathan Dube
October 27th, 2020

If your business has a packaging line or a shipping department, you probably go through a lot of stretch wrap (also known as stretch film). If you are starting a new business and are preparing to build out your packaging line and a shipping department, you will be using stretch film when you are up and running. One of the most common questions we get from start-up businesses, and even some seasoned veterans is, what is the difference between hand stretch film and machine stretch wrap? If you are using exclusively human labor for stretch wrapping, you will need to use hand stretch wrap. If, on the other hand, you want to automate or semi-automate the process, you will need to run some form of stretch wrapper, which requires machine stretch film. Industrial Packaging has helped thousands of clients identify the appropriate type of stretch film for their packaging and palletizing needs. This article will explore the differences between hand stretch film and machine stretch wrap (also called machine stretch film) and help you choose the right option for your packaging line and palletizing operations.