How to Ensure Your Package is Protected

Have you ever received complaints about a package with damaged items? How about one that's disorganized or missing products?

Protective packaging is one of the most important components of a business. It sets a precedent for the quality of your goods and how you treat your customers, and with modern technology, it's easy to ensure your packages are protected.

In an increasingly digital world, businesses have had to shift their focus toward a virtual landscape using tools like eCommerce shipping and online shopping. These days, customers expect fast shipping and environmentally-friendly packaging and practices without compromising the quality or safety of the product. So, companies must adapt to new demands and constantly evolve their business methods.

These days, sustainability is a big component of choosing packaging materials and for the overall shipping and delivery process. Since many customers want more eco-friendly packaging and products, companies must meet this high demand in order to avoid losing business.

Not only is sustainability important to keep customers coming back, it's also essential to help protect the environment. Product damage harms the environment, so it's vital to protect your packages and make sure they safely reach their destination. That way, you won't lose money on damaged goods while also reducing your eco-footprint.

To give you an idea of the benefits of package protection, here are some features of modern packaging types:

Many companies offer different options for package protection, or they use certain methods for products that are fragile or sensitive to temperature. Modern technology allows for options like cushioning, void fill, blocking and bracing, surface protection, and wrapping.

Cushioning uses something like packing peanuts or bubble wrap to protect the product once it’s in a box. Void fill closes up free space, absorbs shock, and protects delicate items. Blocking and bracing locks items in place and enmeshes them to prevent damage during shipping and delivery. Surface protection is especially helpful when multiple products are shipped in one box, and wrapping contains, envelopes, and protects fragile items.

These are just a few ways companies have evolved their packaging practices to ensure the protection of each order. Now, we’ll take a look at some popular packaging materials and their benefits, organized by type.

Maybe a customer ordered books online, and you use air-filled bubble bags in your box when you ship the order. Or perhaps someone bought a fragile vase, and it comes enveloped in bubble wrap. Air protection is beneficial for a variety of products, and most often the material can be reused or recycled.

The most popular types of packaging foam are spongy and protective. Foam is a common choice for package safety because of its aesthetic appeal and cost-effectiveness.

There are many different types of foam in a wide range of colors and sizes, including types such as:

• Foam-in-place
• Rolls of foam
• Engineered foam
• On-demand foam
• Cohesive foam
• Microfoam

Modern cardboard boxes are actually made of corrugated fiberboard, which is manufactured from a type of heavy paper that is both sturdy and lightweight. Using paper to protect your items or using corrugated paper to store items for shipping is another way to make sure your products are protected.

For sensitive products like food, using film might be the best way to protect them. Shrinkwrap film can prevent food and other temperature-sensitive products from going bad, as well as keep the odor and flavor fresh.

There are two main types of packaging film:

• Cohesive film
• Temporary protective film

Now that you have a better idea of different modern packaging types and how your products can be protected, you’re equipped to understand how to package items in different ways and the benefits of each protective material. Customers can rely on businesses and manufacturers to keep their packages protected and safely deliver them to their door.