There are a lot of options that you can choose from when it comes to the packaging of your products. It seems good news, but not when you realize that you are not good at picking the right packaging options. In this article, we are going to discuss two broad categories of packaging to make it easy for you to choose what fits your requirements. Those two categories are flexible packaging and rigid packaging.
The difference between these categories may be related to sustainability, environmental impact, and other considerations.
Flexible packaging can be a great option in a lot of applications, but it is also worth talking about packaging applications that benefit more from rigid materials. So, let’s discuss both of the packaging categories briefly.
Flexible packaging
Flexible packaging comprises malleable materials in its making. That’s the reason it is called flexible. Examples of flexible packaging include shrink film, stretch film, seal bands, flexible pouches, and clamshells. Materials that build up flexible packaging include plastic, paperboard, foil, wax-coated paperboard, and many other materials.
The reason most of the companies consider flexible materials for the packaging of their products is that these materials cost less, and they do not hurt the environment. This packaging is suitable for the packaging of several products that include coffee, meat, fish, poultry, drinks, industrial powders and liquids, and many other types of products.
Pros of flexible packaging
Speaking of the advantages of flexible packaging, the first one is related to the environment. Since it uses a lesser amount of materials, there is less carbon footprint.
With a higher malleability, flexible packaging is easy to use. That means you can avoid wrap rage, which typically occurs with other types of packaging materials.
Flexible packaging, such as pouches, have edge-to-edge sides, which make it easy for the companies to do a little branding work with the help of printed graphics and texts.
Cons of flexible packaging
There are some limitations of flexible packaging that you must take into consideration. Those limitations include:
- Can affect the flavor of packed food
- Little resistance to extreme temperatures
- Not easily recyclable
- Might take more than a thousand years to degrade completely
Rigid packaging
Rigid packaging is opposite to flexible packaging. It features stronger and heavier materials. The materials used in the making of rigid packaging may include glass, hard plastic, cardboard, metal, and several other materials. Examples of rigid packaging include pickle jars, whip cream cans, yogurt containers, and hummus containers.
Pros of rigid packaging
- Materials used in the making of rigid packaging hold superior strength.
- Some of the rigid packaging materials are more suitable for luxurious packaging.
- It has a remarkable ability to preserve the food’s flavor.
- It uses easy-to-recycle materials.
Cons of rigid packaging
- More expensive than the flexible packaging
- Has a higher carbon footprint
- Increases the packaging costs
- Takes up more space in landfills if not recycled properly
The Packagers' Club 