Monthly Archives: July 2014

  • The Evolution Of Packing Peanuts: Production And Usage

    Packing PeanutsMillions of packages are transported and shipped all over the globe on a daily basis. While some packages contain regular items that do not require additional care, a lot of other packages contain fragile items that need to be handled with extreme caution in order to avoid breakage. Examples of fragile items usually include television screens, laptops, desktop computers, and glassware such as plates and bottles. One way that the safety of such fragile items can be secured is through the use of packing foam which is otherwise known as packing peanuts or packing noodles because of its peanut-like or noodle-like shape.

    Packing peanuts are usually 1.5 to 2 inches in length (just like a normal peanut in its shell), and are approximately half an inch thick. These are made with either polystyrene or starch. Polystyrene is a non-biodegradable chemical that is soluble in acetone but not in water. Foams made with polystyrene are thus often used more than once by shipping stores. On the other hand, starch is a biodegradable material that is soluble in water and makes starch-based foams more disposable. Regardless of what the Packing Peanuts are made of, they serve the main purpose of cushioning any impact that may come to your packages thus protecting its contents from harm such as breakage and distortion. It must be noted that the best results can be obtained when 2 to 3 inches of foam is used to line the package container. The weight added by the packing foam to the package's total weight is often negligible.

    A Brief History

    A famous chemical company invented and started producing packing peanuts in 1965. At the time, fragile items were shipped in thicker packaging, resulting in packages which were extremely bulkier and heavier than they should have been. Since shipping costs were based on package weights and not number of packages as is still the current practice, having extremely heavy packages meant bigger shipping expenditures for both companies and individuals. Similar to the ones used today, the original packing peanuts produced in the 1960s were made with white polystyrene. However, throughout the years the packing noodles have grown to have at least three color varieties. The color of the packing peanut has been used to indicate its chemical composition. The green color is used to indicate that the packing foam is made with chemicals that are biodegradable and eco-friendly. The traditional white color indicates seventy to one hundred percent fresh or recycled polystyrene content. White foams are often used and reused over long periods of time since they do not disintegrate and are sometimes non-toxic. The last packing peanut variety is colored pink. Foams of this last variety are used less often than the previous two and are usually used for cushioning electronic devices. This is because pink packing noodles are fused with chemicals that make it static resistant. Other foam varieties are prone to getting a static cling but may still be used for ensuring the safety of fragile electronic devices.

    Alternative Uses for Packing Peanuts and Foams

    Since some varieties of packing foams are non-biodegradable and take hundreds to thousands of years to decompose, it is ideal to reuse and recycle these foams. There are multiple alternative uses for packing foams in addition to the simple ways through which they can be reused and reduced. If you ship items on a regular basis, the easiest way you can contribute to foam wastage reduction by simply reusing your packing foams. Another approach would be to contact nearby appliances or electronics stores within your vicinity and to ask them if they accept or buy used packing foams. A number of businesses already do this nowadays in line with efforts to reduce production and consumption of non-decomposable waste. Some furniture makers also accept used packing foams or noodles because these can be used to fill bags and produce the infamous bean bag. At home, you can also stuff pillow cases with used foam in order to come up with your own pillow. You can even create another one for your pets.

    Furthermore, packing peanuts can be used for hydroponic gardening. Hydroponic gardening is an unconventional form of gardening that substitutes soil with other substances. It is fast gaining popularity and one soil substitute is the polystyrene packing foam. If you are not a hydroponic gardener, you can still use old packing foams to replace the gravel that lines the bottom of your plant pots and boxes. Make sure you wear safety gloves to protect your hands when you perform this switch. This way, excess water from plant pots pass through the bottom quickly (as when using gravel) but the pots weigh much lighter making moving them easier for the gardener.

    Apart from what has already been mentioned, used foams can also be utilized to prolong the life of ice such that the time it takes for ice to melt can be increased. This can be done by stuffing packing peanuts into resealable plastic bags and lining ice chests or containers with the foam-filled bags. The foam is able to increase the ice chest's existing insulation and further lowers the temperature within the container leading to an increase in the time needed for the ice to melt. The foam-filled bags can also be used to keep food in lunch boxes cool. If you have a lot of kids, you can ask them to use packing peanuts for their arts and crafts projects. Since the non-biodegradable types are in white, children can paint over them to give the foams more flair. There are countless projects online that your kids (especially young girls) can follow. An example would be to create bracelets and other forms of jewelry from the used foams. Other creative uses would be to use the foams as refrigerator magnets or even as holiday ornaments. In the end, packing peanuts have gone through a lot of transformation not only in terms of formulation and production but also in terms of usage since its initial conception in the 1960s.

  • General Information For Buying Poly Bags Wholesale

    Poly BagsA poly bag, plastic bag or pouch is a packaging solution. Poly bags are made of a thin plastic film that is highly flexible. Sometimes, a plastic textile or a non-woven fabric is used instead. If you want to buy poly bags wholesale options are available and are usually the best option to save a bit of money. After all, it is likely that you will use a lot of poly bags, so you may as well buy them in bulk. So, for the best poly bags wholesale options are the best. It is likely that you, if you are a business, will use them for a range of options, from transporting your goods (produce, powder, food, magazines, ice, chemicals, comic books, waste products and so on) to letting your customers take their products home (in plastic shopping bags). Usually, a poly bag is heat sealed together, although some are stitched or bonded with a strong adhesive.

    Poly Bag Packages

    There are a lot of different poly bags available on the market. If you look for poly bags wholesale options should include all the different types. You could use them, for instance, to store fresh produce such as organic vegetables or other gardening supplies. They are also suitable to store snack foods or to carry your lunch in to work or school. They can be used for hardware and other harder and heavy products too, although you do have to keep in mind that it is very easy to puncture, perforate or rip poly bags. Hence, when you buy poly bags wholesale companies will generally advise you to opt for a different packaging material if you were to use it for anything sharp or particularly heavy. Very often, poly bags are created from one roll of film. A sealing machine is used to make either a vertical or a horizontal form fill. There is a range of different features and design options that you could add to your poly bags. For instance, you could have a gusset placed in them, which will make it possible for a larger amount of products to be carrier. Some poly bags can stand up, which is useful for shelves or refrigeration. Others can still be reused because their openings can be closed again, or perhaps they have an easy opening solution integrated. Poly bags also regularly have handles, which are either cut inside the roll of film, or added at a later stage. One of the reasons why many businesses prefer poly bags to other packaging options is because they use less material. Poly bags are classed as minimized or reduced packaging, because they use less materials than cartons, boxes or jars.

    Other Features on Poly Bags

    Poly bags are generally also made from recycled materials and can be recycled after use. There are a range of incineration facilities that specialize in the safe disposal of poly bags. When you purchase poly bags wholesale companies should be able to provide you with information in relation to this. The waste to energy conversion for poly bags is very good, meaning that you leave less of a carbon footprint. If left in sanitary landfills, they are benign and stable. However, it must be noted that improperly disposed poly bags do make a very unsightly litter and they can also harm wildlife, since animals may become ensnared in the handles of the bags.

    Safety Features Of Poly Bags

    Almost every poly bag is made with hanging holes, carrying handles or safety features. When you buy poly bags wholesale companies should talk to you about the safety features that these bags have. For instance, many bags have small holes in the bottom, to reduce the risk of children suffocating if they place them over their heads. However, the handles remain an issue of potential danger. Some bags, in particular the ones with reclosable features, do not have these holes punched in them, because they are designed to store things in air tight conditions. There are also a range of poly bags that are designed to be tamper proof, which is particularly useful for companies that deal in non returnable items.

    More Information About Poly Bags

    In terms of materials, poly bags can use a range of plastic films in their production. When you buy poly bags wholesale companies should be able to explain to you how the bags you are considering have been made. More often than not, they are made from polyethylene, but laminates are also not uncommon. Bags that can be used to boil products in are generally made of either polyester or nylon, since they have to withstand higher temperatures

  • Go Green With Die Cut Mailer Boxes

    Die Cut MailersThere are many names for mailer boxes. Some people call them tuck and fold mailers, literature mailers, pizza boxes or shipper boxes. As is said in literature "what's in a name"? The reality is that die cut mailers have been around for a long time, regardless of their name. They are once again gaining in popularity because they are very green. In years gone by, die cut mailer boxes were made from virgin board. They were highly popular due to their versatility in terms of storing and shipping. However, the world is going green - thankfully - and these items became a big no-no. Until, that is, they started to be created out of recycled corrugated materials. Nowadays mailer boxes are 100% recycled. This means that they are no longer white. In order for a box to be white, it has to have an outer layer and this outer layer is generally made from virgin board. Boxes that are white on the inside are fully virgin board. So, if you want a fully white die cut mailer box, you aren't being as ecologically friendly as you could be.

    You may wonder why most of these mailers have long been white outside and in. Basically, white has always been seen as cleaner, nicer and overall better. Interestingly, however, when you ship and item in one of those boxes, they tend to arrive with a lot of dirt and marks on them, particularly the die cut mailer boxes that are white inside and out. The white outer layer tends to look somewhat okay, but the inside is totally destroyed. So why would you use completely white mailer boxes? Why not step away from the thought that something is better just because it is white.

    Very often, these types of mailers look more like presentation boxes and not shipping boxes. The flaps that close and lock the die cut mailer boxes disappear into the front and/or sides of the panels. There is generally no need to use tape to store it even better. Furthermore, die cut mailer boxes give items a very attractive look, a very clean look, whether they are white or not. Anything from pharmaceutical products to collection's items can be stored in these mailer boxes. It is also possible to purchase fully corrugated panel and although these use more material and are hence less environmentally correct, they do store a lot of items and they are significantly stronger than any other type of packaging material. One of the key things with mailer boxes is that they are so easy to use. Whether you are sending a stack of papers, a video cassette or a fragile heirloom, you will know that they arrive safely.

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