Packages and closures for packaging

Millimetres that ruin or save the project “A Day in the Life of a Trader” cont.

In the first part we discussed some of the problems our traders have to deal with on a daily basis. We put it forward to share the knowledge and show you that some solutions must make not only for the visual effect, but firstly for the better functionality of the packaging with the specific medium and bottle. Even the most beautiful packaging that won’t dose the cosmetic or detergent properly is doomed to be complained about, and even worse, it will be damaging to the brand’s reputation.
Our company also wants their customers to perceive us as reliable business partners. We also know that honesty brings in a reward. Advising against a certain solution is much more appreciated than a single sale and losing the customer forever.

Standard stock is not a universal solution

A trader’s job is to fulfil the customer’s wishes. However, sometimes we are more experienced than our customers. We often manage to convince them to trust us and slightly change the project in order to secure the product’s success.
We analysed our customers’ orders and created our “standard stock” with the most popular models available ‘off-the-shelf’. Their components are also those most frequently ordered – triggers, colours, tubes etc.
The products include, among others, dispensers with different tube lengths, the shortest are 160 mm (FBOG). Although it is very popular, there are instances when the tube is too long for the customer’s bottle. In such cases it is possible to contract out an outside company to shorten it. It prolongs the delivery date and increases costs, but it is a guarantee that we will have a perfect match between the closure and the bottle.
Unfortunately, we once had a situation when the Customer decided that the longer tube won’t disrupt the product’s functionality.
When the product was being closed on the production line, the tube resisted and pressed against the inside of the bottle. In consequence, the tube burst and its parts broke off. The faulty batch from the customer’s factory was complained – they suspected our tubes were made from a low quality material and that was the reason why they broke. Our quality control department diligently analysed the case and inspected the bottle, closure and medium. It turned out the batch was defective because the tube did not match the bottle.

Airless vs. viscous substances
Our wide range of the airless cosmetic packaging provides us with a wide range of possibilities when it comes to the look, capacity, dosage size or the shape of the head. Airless packaging is also great for special tasks. If a standard cosmetic dispenser has problems with dosing thick or the so-called viscous substances, a properly selected and carefully filled airless will do the job.
When we plan to use the airless that would deal with the problems other packaging can’t overcome, we should pay attention to its construction. Long story short: instead of a tube there is a piston mechanism – when it rises, it pushes the substance upward to the dispensing element.
One of our customers found out first-hand what the mentioned “careful filling” means.
A high-viscosity substance must be filled to the top of the airless packaging, but not to the point that at the closing stage the product pours out. Otherwise, the piston might not raise the medium high enough to enable proper dispensing. It may also chance that the mechanism would work only after pushing it around 30 times, which may irritate the consumer and make him think the product is faulty.
What is the recipe for success? Paying attention to small differences, expertise in the packaging structure, reliable tests and first of all, discussing the medium with our traders.

Thickness of a nail…
Another moment when the thickness of a nail is crucial is when the customer puts the closure on the bottle. If we are able to fit at least our nail’s thickness between the end of the cap and the lower part of the neck, we may be almost certain the packaging will be airtight when it comes to the closure height and the bottle. If the cap overlaps with the bottle without any gap, we may assume the packaging is not airtight, and the bottle’s neck is too low in relation to the closure. When there is a gap, it means that the gasket inside the cap tightly adheres to the bottle’s neck. When there is no gap, we might assume there is free space between the gasket and the bottle, which means the medium will be uncontrollably leaking out.
We always warn our customers about it and luckily, there are nearly zero complaints regarding this problem. However, we mention it for the sake of those who start their journey with the cosmetic or detergent products production and enter the world of the packaging. It is always useful to know a few tricks that might save some trouble.


When the mist is missing…
One of the most popular sprayers are mist sprayers. As the name suggests, it literally sprays the mist. We often see cosmetic ads where they try to tempt us with an ethereal, sensual mist. Body, hair or perfume mist sprayers that surround us with a fragrant mist… We have already stressed the fact that it is the medium that determines the closure selection. If the medium is similar in thickness and viscosity to water, we can obtain the mist effect with a classic atomiser. It is different with oily substances such as highly-concentrated serums, sun oils, or hair oils. Regular atomisers won’t spray them properly.
The nozzle will only discharge a trickle of the fluid and our consumer won’t be embraced by the mist.
Our offer includes a wide range of solutions for viscous substances, e.g.: dedicated sprayers or mini triggers that will magically transform chosen medium into a vapor.

The above mentioned examples show that theoretical knowledge and vision of the final product are often verified by the reality and technical limitations of the available solutions. Packaging is multifunctional. It secures the product in transport and use, as well as plays the visual and marketing roles. However, its main function is to satisfy the end consumer. This satisfaction always results from the product’s quality and the functionality of its packaging and closure.

And that’s why we are here for you!

We will be more than happy to share our knowledge and experience!

trust, that inspire