Packages and closures for packaging

Feel it the way we feel it! 5 functions of packaging

Our favourite subject is of course… packaging.
It’s our passion, job, reality and entertainment.
From dusk till dawn our Polpak team members dose, pack, send packaging and receive new inventory. We send e-mails, make phone calls and gossip about one thing only.
Packaging, dispensers, sprayers… oh, we love them. We know everyone has their own relish, although it’s hard for us to understand how one can be unemotional about packaging!

Maybe you will catch on our passion once you know the importance and many functions of packaging.

The Great Protector

When your product is finished and tested, it’s time to match and choose packaging. It’s essential to know that packaging is not only about the look and marketing purposes.

The first and primary function is to protect the product against external factors, which means it’s important to choose suitable material for packaging. Packaging or dispensers cannot react with the medium.
In this case overall migration test results are important, hence Polpak cooperates with the best laboratories in the country. The aim is to test the polymeric packaging material for reactions with food and cosmetic simulants.
It’s unacceptable to exceed set standards. The limits on the overall migration are regulated by the EU law aimed at producers of food contact materials and packaging from plastic. Same applies to packaging for cosmetic products. Packaging producers believe that if suitable, restrictive food standards are not exceeded, then the consumers will be safe.

During the packaging or label refinement process we may overly focus on the elaborate external look and forget about the practical functions. Our refinement elements such as stickers are exposed to frequent contact with liquid and may start to peel off.  The packaging will no longer please the eye and the consumer will assume that if the product is strong enough to destroy the packaging, it may also irritate skin.  These concerns may be naturally unfounded because even distilled water causes delamination, but producers should foresee it at the project stage and go for simple solutions in order to eliminate any cause for customer’s suspicion.

The Way Paver
Once we have chosen the packaging for our material in terms of migration and the best protection, we should consider ease of use and comfortable dispensing of our product.
Thick eyeshadow foundation closed in a tiny, deep jar with inside full of unreachable grooves? Why not! But only if you don’t want your customer to use the foundation or buy products from the same range ever again. In other case we strongly DO NOT recommend this type of combination.
We’d say that application of cosmetic products or detergents should be a pleasure! But let’s be honest and say it like it is: application should not cause a headache or get on our nerves.
Here we should add a footnote – does not apply to CRC solutions. Child resistant closures are special products with safe closures preventing potential hazards to children or accidental spilling. However, when choosing these special solutions, we need to consider the purpose and our material.

Mr. Shelf-Shout vs. Mr. Blend-In
One of our recent articles focused on earth tones and minimalistic approach to packaging design. From time to time we inform that our products are available in almost any colour included in Pantone colour guide.
One could say we’re double-minded, but we really know that every product requires individual approach. We need to consider the target group, the store and the product’s final destination.
We will choose different packaging for a shampoo dedicated to little princesses aged 3-5, and different packaging for older consumers. Exclusive car care products require different aesthetics than everyday products, for instance dish soap.

Colour is not everything – shape and form may also make your product stand out. You can boost it chicness or do the exact opposite: everything depends on your final goal. Amber glass bottles resembling pharmacy style of the 1920s or funny futuristic silicone packaging – you choose the times! You can also veil the inside in mystery and hide it in a paper tube. There are many solutions to
customise your packaging and effectively bring out the original character of your product.

Fount of knowledge

We personalise our products not only with different colours and shapes of packaging, but also with labels. However, their main role is to inform the consumers. EU laws and directives clearly state what should be included on labels and we simply cannot overlook it. Of course we can freely use the remaining space, let’s just not get carried away. The key lies in the balance.

Eternal cycle of life
We are no strangers to eco-subjects and we all know we don’t treat the Earth with due respect. On one hand everyone knows their sins against mother nature, but on the other hand we sometimes lack knowledge, eagerness or possibility to change our habits.
If you’re introducing new products to the market, be aware, but also make your customers aware. Maybe labels are a good place to inform them about the packaging’s life after your product’s life?
Recycling or up-cycling? Provide your customer with information about what to do with empty packaging.

Packaging