What you should be considering when selecting plastic for your products packaging.

There are many things you should consider when selecting what type of plastic container you will use. The factors range from color, shape and size to the ability of the plastic to resist damage from extreme heat, extreme cold, or chemical breakdown.

Things to think about when selecting a container:

  • Permeation / Barrier
    • Does the container resist content from escaping, or allowing anything into the bottle that may harm the contents?
  • Sorption Characteristics
    • The action of soaking up or attracting substances.
  • Chemical Resistance
    • Are the contents of the bottle going to break down the plastic?
  • Stress Crack Resistance
    • How likely is the bottle going to break?
  • Rigidity / Flexibility
    • Should the packaging be stiff or bendable.
  • Impact Resistance
    • The likelihood the package will break.
  • Sterilize
    • Can the packaging withstand sterilization process?
  • Recyclable
    • Can the package be recycled?
  • Temperature Resistance
    • Is the packaging going to breakdown if exposed to extreme heat or extreme cold?

Decided which factors are the most important to you and your product? Some of these factors may not apply to you at all, or there maybe other things you want to consider beyond these listed. Each product is unique, so testing the product in the packaging is the only way to truly know if it is the best packaging choice for your product.