Foam packaging has a range of benefits over other types of packaging and is used across a wide variety of industries for transporting, protecting, and displaying a whole host of components and complete products.
But, what are the other types of common packaging available, and what benefits does EPE (Expanded Polyethylene) foam packaging provide, that these other types of packaging don’t?
Below is a list of 3 non-foam materials for packaging you’ve probably come across when buying certain products, as well as the reasons they don’t provide the same benefits as EPE foam materials, when used for packaging.
Most of us would have received a product packaged in a box, with its components separated with corrugated cardboard inserts, usually slotted together to form each compartment.
Whilst cardboard packaging is fairly lightweight and can be cut to fit the product, it often has a flimsy structure, and lacks resilience to dampness. In contrast, foam packaging materials, such as Plastazote or Evazote, have gone through various foam processes in the foam manufacturing stage, and are both rigid in structure, and provide products with a damp-free environment.
Bubbled plastic is usually made up of two sheets of plastic, bonded together and filled with air, to create the recognisable, individually spaced bubbles, that some of us enjoy popping as a form of stress relief.
Whilst bubbled plastic packaging provides a certain level of protection to fragile objects, its airtight structure means it can’t provide the same temperature control as foam, and when bubbles pop, protection is diminished, unlike a closed-cell foam material such as Evazote, which naturally springs back, even after continued impact.
Although a very simple packaging solution, crumpled paper, when used in large amounts, can provide reasonable protection to a product, whilst also allowing for air to flow freely around the product for temperature control.
Unlike crumpled paper, foam packaging, such as Ethafoam, isn’t only a more stable packaging option, it’s also reusable and a recyclable foam, making it far more environmentally friendly and cost-efficient for a variety of foam products, including packaging.
Despite the various types of packaging materials available, few have the number of benefits foam, particularly EPE foam has, meaning that more and more businesses are choosing foam packaging over traditional packaging solutions.
The standout benefits of foam packaging, such as Plastazote, Ethafoam, Stratocell, or ARPLANK etc., include:
Recyclability – Foams like ARPLANK, are 100% recyclable.
Reusability – EPE foam packaging, such as Ethafoam, can be used multiple times, and after continuous impact, without degradation.
Shock absorbency – Because of its closed cell construction, EPE foam has the ability to absorb shocks, therefore cushioning the product and reducing the effects of vibration.
Moisture controlFew packaging solutions provide the outstanding moisture control that foam packaging provides, making it the ideal solution for the packaging of damp sensitive products, such as electrical or food items.
