Month: October 2021

Keep Up With The Latest Packaging Trends In 2021

Humans – one of the handful species that has made the most of evolution; that has adapted like no other. With every century, every decade, every year, and now, with every day, we welcome new innovations; well-led revolutions that contribute to changing the world for the better, bringing us comfort and convenience in their truest forms.

As people evolve, so do their ideas and perceptions; consequently, so do their needs and wants. To meet the desires and better address their concerns, industries evolve as well. Consumers now look for multiple things in a product – from an exceptional visual appeal to an equally functional value – they seek perfection.

Now, the fact remains that a product’s journey from production to distribution to marketing to finally landing on a consumer’s shelf is a long one. So, how do companies ensure that these products bring the expected value to the consumers, without it getting lost in transit? The grander question – in a competitive world full of products similar to yours, how do you ensure that your packaging is the one that is superior in quality, both in terms of appearance and usage?

One of the most effective ways to do so is flexible packaging, a fine result of innovation and technology. As highlighted before, evolution is everywhere, even in the packaging sector. Every year, we see new trends that flood through the gates of this industry. To help you keep up with them, here is a curated list of flexible packaging trends in 2021.

Top 5 Packaging Trends In 2021

According to Trivium Packaging’s 2021 Global Buying Green Report, 54% of the consumers that were a part of the survey take sustainable packaging into consideration when buying a product. People today are making conscious choices when it comes to consumption of products; they are actively opting for products that are designed, keeping the preservation of nature in mind. To cater to this rising demand for sustainable products, industries have to adapt to these all-new lifestyles and evolved perceptions of the consumers, paving the way for sustainable packaging trends. Let’s explore these new trends in packaging-

1. Reusable Packaging:

Packaging that can be returned or reused has been tried and tested on a small scale in the past as well. But it is now, with the evolution of technology, that it is possible to implement it on a larger, more significant scale. Crates, drums, pallets, and bulk containers – all of these packaging products can now be reused. Thanks to packaging that comes with zippers and seal top closures, consumers can keep using them for multiple things before they are discarded. Multiple firms belonging to different industries are now inclined towards this trend. After the consumption of products, the packaging can be returned back to the company. There are many tools out there today that ensure the smooth running of supply chains when it comes to returns.

2. The Rise Of Bioplastics:

This is the most significant one on the food packaging trends list. As the name suggests, bioplastics are born out of biodegradable materials such as starch, proteins, and polylactic acid (PLA) – a natural polymer made from corn starch or sugar cane. Of all the options available, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most recyclable one. It is essentially produced from feedstocks. But it is possible to replace some of its petroleum-based components with bio-based alternatives. Despite its many features, polyethylene packaging films and products also serve as a cost-effective solution. They are the ideal alternatives for disposable packaging.

3. Use Of Edible Films:

This one easily tops the list of the most innovative solutions so far. Be it films or coatings, the materials used to produce this kind of packaging are safe to be consumed along with the product. Here are the materials that are generally used – polysaccharides, proteins, and waxes. These have the unique ability to create a constant coating or film. These films not only improve the shelf life of the product, but also contribute to reducing the level of wastes produced by the packaging industry. Although it is still a fairly new phenomenon, it is being steadily accepted by multiple industries and certainly has carved a bright future for itself.

4. Refillable Parent Packaging:

The concept of refillable parent packaging is as simple as it gets – the company or its branch makes the product available in one place in bulk. Customers bring the necessary containers of their own and fill it up with the product. Organizations belonging to the personal care and cleaning industry are already implementing measures that are in line with this concept. Apart from reducing the plastic and compact packaging waste, it also helps firms cut down on the transportation and manufacturing costs.

This concept does require a lot of strategic thinking in terms of access to the target audience, but when implemented correctly, it can do wonders for the sustainable packaging industry. While refillable parent packaging revolves around retailer-to-consumer bulk buying, bulk dispenser refilling is a similar trend for the wholesaler-to-retailer market. Even the smaller grocery chains are keeping an open mind and welcoming this trend with open arms for the love of environmental sustainability.

5. Quality Coupled With Sustainability:

Taking the eco-friendly road no longer means that you have to pay an extra price or compromise on quality. In fact, both these aspects – quality and sustainability – go hand-in-hand when it comes to flexible packaging. Recyclable packaging materials like polyethylene allow you to adorn your products with attractive designs and patterns. It also helps companies explore and experiment with their packaging strategies, and allows them to set their product apart from the rest of the competition. Thanks to technological advancements, your products can be easily wrapped in eye-catching packaging, enhancing its chances to be the chosen one among all that are sitting on the shelf.

Ecoplast Ltd, Your Go-to Packaging Film Suppliers In India

Looking for the right film packaging solution? Ecoplast India, one of the leading packaging film manufacturers, is where you are sure to find it. With over 40 years of experience in the industry, we offer a comprehensive line of surface protection films for Stainless steel, UPVC, Aluminium Composite Panels, Aluminium sections/profiles, PVC and Carpets, and more. Here are our premium products:

• Ecogen™ – Lamination Films
• Ecoprotect™ – Surface Protection Films
• Ecobond™ – Adhesive Films
• Ecoprime™ – Speciality Films

Browse through our extensive range of surface protection films online and select the one that best suits your requirements. If you have been in search of the right surface protection film suppliers in India, contact us at: +91-22-2683 3452 / +91-22-2683 1403, or drop an email at: [email protected]

Tailored For Excellence: Types Of Lamination Films For Packaging

Material, color, texture, shape, size, lifespan – any and every product out there comes with its own unique properties that allows it to best serve its purpose. To best protect these products and extend their lifespan to the fullest potential, their packaging has to be tailored to suit the multiple characteristics.

Moreover, there are instances with flexible packaging applications where a single material falls short on keeping the product protected for long. To address this, a composite made up of two or more layers of the material is ideal for better performance. This is where laminated films and packaging prove to be innovative solutions.

You come across common examples of laminated films almost every day – flavoured beverages, food items such as sauces, and preserved foods and powders are often found in such laminated packaging. These films usually comprise a multi-layer structure, with one of the polymer films or paper supporting the aluminium or metalized films. They are also designed to provide an excellent odour or aroma barrier; which is why they are also called Barrier films.

Apart from improving the durability of the products, lamination films can also beautify it in a way that it ultimately adds to enhancing the overall user experience. Since the product’s appearance is the first thing that a consumer notices, the premium films can vouch for its superior quality, helping the product stand out on the shelf crowded with many similar ones. One of the most common film lamination processes involves blending various polymeric films with other films, foils, papers, and so on with a polymeric adhesion agent.

The flexible packaging industry is a vast one, sheltering categories and subcategories of products. In the case of lamination films, there is an impressive range of options that you can choose from, in accordance with the specifications of your products, Let’s explore the primary types of lamination films–

Different Types Of Lamination Films

1. Cold Lamination Films:

Cold lamination happens to be one of the most recent innovations. Cold adhesive is essentially pressure-sensitive. It is ideal for laminating products that may be heat-sensitive; for example: vehicle wrap vinyl. Cold laminating films come with superior adhesive qualities, and they can be applied over product surfaces by simply leveraging pressure, instead of heat. It is the responsibility of a release liner to protect the adhesive until it is ready to be applied, usually on a cold-roll laminator.

These films are most suitable for lamination on printed, unprinted and paper boards as well as for carton lamination. While they usually are on the higher side of the price range as compared to hot laminating films, they can be a more affordable solution if you use lighter machinery like non-heated laminators.

Key Features:

• Static & aging resistance
• Mould-proof
• UV protection properties
• Excellent air tightness

2. Thermal Lamination Films:

Technically speaking, the term ‘thermal’ is strictly reserved for double-sided encapsulation running at 130˚C. But today, people associate the term with any and every heated lamination process, making it a more general phenomenon. Thermal lamination films are surface coated with resin or a thermal adhesive that melts even in low temperature. This property of the film facilitates the process of paper products lamination simply by applying pressure and heat.

This type of lamination film is commonly used for single-sided applications like lamination of commercial products and packaging printers. Its malleability feature enables the laminator to separate and burst the sheets apart with ease. In addition, a thermal lamination film is compatible with coating techniques, such as spot UV, embossing or foil.

Key Features:

• Superior malleability
• Gives structural strength & thickness
• Ideal for regularly used products
• Receptive to embellishments

3. BOPP Lamination Films:

These lamination films are born out of a base material called BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene). Biaxially oriented Polypropylene is one of the most sought-after packaging materials out there, owing to its key features – foldable, soft, recyclable, easy to write-on and easy to wipe off the writing as well. Despite its many benefits, it is a cost-effective solution. The lamination is done by coating the adhesive on the film, followed by wet or dry bonding it to the product surface. Sometimes, BOPP is laminated with a layer of foil coating to help improve its performance.

These films are ultra-durable and boost an excellent resistance to moisture. They also have the added benefit of clarity, making it the ideal choice when it comes to retail packaging. Given that these films are available in multiple shades, thicknesses and finishes, they work wonders when it comes to enhancing a product’s visual appeal. Some other common uses include packaging for pesticide products and personal care and hygiene products.

Key Features:

• Superior moisture barrier
• High transparency
• Excellent gloss
• Great chemical resistance

4. PET Lamination Films:

Moreover, this type of film also has high tensile, tear, and impact strength that is retained even after lamination. The most common uses are menu cards and office or college ID cards. If your project demands durability, and heat resistance, then these films are your best bet. They are also available in matte and gloss finishes.

Key Features:

• Tough & flexible
• Excellent scratch resistance
• General purpose overlaminate
• Good thermal stability

Ecoplast Ltd, One Of The Top Lamination Film Manufacturers In India

With 40 year of experience in the industry, Ecoplast Ltd. is one of the leading lamination film suppliers in the country today. Our films are specifically designed for high-speed lamination, come with excellent anti-static qualities, and are recyclable. The films also have strong adhesive anchoring, paving the way for great paper bonding. We have a range of offerings when it comes to lamination films. Our EcoGen™ collection features the following premium products:

•  C4 Grade Lamination Film – EcoGen™ 100 – A
•  C8 Grade Lamination Film – EcoGen™ 101 – A
•  1 Layer Grade Lamination Film – EcoGen™ 102 – A
•  2 Layer Grade Lamination Film – EcoGen™ 103 – A

If you are looking for reliable lamination film packaging for your products, contact us at: +91-22-2683 3452 / +91-22-2683 1403, or drop an email at: [email protected]

How To Choose The Right Packaging for Your Product?

The lifecycle of a carefully crafted product does not end after you have given it that final touch. In fact, the end of the production process is merely the beginning of the product’s journey towards serving its true purpose. Its adventure actually begins when it sets out to address consumer needs and wants. But, with the many hassles of production, distribution and marketing, how do you ensure that your product retains its beauty and the best of its functionality at every stage, and is handed to the end-consumer in all its glory?

Here is where professional packaging for products comes to the rescue, and swiftly so. The next important question that comes to mind is – how to choose the right packing for your product? Given that the world of versatile packaging shelters impressive options, picking the right packaging can get a little challenging. To help you the same, here are the key points that you just consider, before taking your pick-

5 Tips To Choose The Right Packaging For Your Product

1. The Ideal Material:

The very first step of packaging a product is to determine the material that best suits the characteristics of the product to be protected. Of all the packaging options available in the market, Polyethylene is one of the most-sought after materials, and for all the right reasons.

What is a Polyethylene (PE) film? It is a plastic film made from ethylene. Because of its wide use, polyethylene has many names in the market – ‘plastic sheeting’, ‘polyethylene sheet’, ‘poly sheeting’, or ‘poly film’. Polyethylene sheeting is your best bet when it comes to plastic protection. The best part is that these films can be tailored to perfectly fit into a project’s requirement. This is done with the help of additives such as U.V. inhibitors, fire retardants, and other anti-static additives. Despite the long list of benefits, it is the most cost-effective packaging material out there.

2. Determine Your Budget:

Since first impressions matter most in the selling of products, do not hold back on allocating a significant budget for packaging. Determine the scope of your budget and stick to it. Once you have solidified the packaging budget plan, do not budge, no matter how taken you are with a certain option. This set amount will help you decide on This will determine what kinds of materials you can use, and what you can spend making your design as enticing as possible.

There are many budget-friendly options available in the market, too – polyethylene packaging, as mentioned above. These films are durable, flexible, functional, budget-friendly and above all, sustainable.

3. Product & Market Study:

To find the right packaging, you must first study the properties and the make of your product well – the material it is made of, its size, shape and texture, the environment it is going to be stored in, as well as the duration that it is to be protected for. If the product is made of two different materials, you will have to be all the more careful.

Apart from studying your product, also make sure that you conduct a thorough research on the market. This is a must-do if you are new to the industry. Take a peek at what the competitors are doing. Monitoring the success of their packaging strategy can help you build one that works better. This practice is to merely take inspiration from brands that are selling similar products, and not to simply replicate their strategy.

4. Attractive & Convenient Packaging:

When it comes to consumption, consumer experience is what matters most. If they like the look and feel of the product, they are more likely to give it a fair chance. In addition, if the packaging facilitates the use of your product, it will stand an even better chance of being picked off the shelf (for example: the ease of opening, storing and carrying the package).

The key to customer satisfaction is a survey that will help you understand what would appeal to your intended audience. Conduct short surveys to understand the latest trends among your target audience. From the materials to the colours – this research should help you adorn the product packaging with details that will reel them consumers right in. When it comes to flexible packaging, the possibilities are endless. You can create packages with attractive designs – different textures, patterns and colors. You can easily print your brand logo or some quirky words on the packages. There are many companies that offer custom packaging options as well.

5. Explore The Package Styles:

Today, flexible packaging is available in multiple styles. Each style is designed to protect a particular kind of product, and to serve a specific purpose. Here is where you can allow your creative side to take over. But, while picking the right style, also ensure high functionality. You can select the ideal one in accordance with the properties of your products. These styles can keep your product protected, while also keeping them approachable. Here are some promising options in terms of style:

• Straight Tuck End
• Hexagon/Octagon
• Display Box
• Sleeve Box
• Pillow Box

To resume, here are the important questions that you must ask yourself before setting your heart on a certain kind of packaging for your new product:

1. What is your packaging budget?
2. What packaging material would best suit your product?
3. What are the exact dimensions of your product?
4. Is the texture of the product rough or smooth?
5. Will the product be placed outdoors or indoors?
6. What shape of box do you want?
7. What coatings / textures do you want?
8. Do you need your packaging to fold?
9. Do the shortlisted packaging options respect your brand tonality?
10. What designs will attract the target audience?
11. Will the film be exposed to higher temperatures?
12. How and where will your product be stored?
13. Is the packaging material aligned with the transportation plans?
14. How heavy is the item you will be putting inside the package?
15. What other functionalities do you want the package to have?

Ecoplast Ltd, One Of The Leading Packaging Films Manufacturers

If you have found yourself asking how to package your product in a way that it is best protected, and best displayed as well, packaging solutions by Ecoplast Ltd are your best bet. With 40 years of experience, and an extensive range of premium packaging products, we are one of the leading flexible packaging companies in India.

We hold expertise in designing and manufacturing Surface Protective Films that protect products such as steel, aluminum panels / profiles, carpets, tiles, glass, and all kinds of substrates from dust, scratches and other environmental impacts.

Here are our offerings:

• Ecogen™ – Lamination Films
• Ecoprotect™ – Surface Protection Films
• Ecobond™ – Adhesive Films
• Ecoprime™ – Speciality Films

To get packaging for your product, contact us at: +91-22-2683 3452 / +91-22-2683 1403, or drop an email at: [email protected]