Packaging is often the first point of contact between a customer and a product. As such, it can impact consumer perceptions. Therefore, choosing the most suitable type of packaging that protects the product and conveys the brand’s message effectively is essential. Clamshells and blisters are two popular packaging types that can provide various benefits, from increased visibility to enhanced protection. This article will closely examine each type’s features and applications. We will also explore their key benefits to help you make informed decisions to determine which one to use. What Are Clamshells? Clamshells are typically made from clear plastic, making the product inside easily visible to customers. The plastic is usually made from PVC, PET, RPET, or PETG, which are durable, lightweight, and easy to mold into different shapes and sizes. This makes clamshells a versatile option for packaging merchandise of different shapes and sizes, ranging from small electronic items to food products. Benefits of Clamshell Packaging Common applications of clamshells include cosmetics, hardware and tools, medical devices, office supplies, and stationery. This packaging has become increasingly popular due to its superior product visibility and protective qualities. The following are three of the most significant advantages of this packaging type in more detail: Enhanced Product Visibility The clear plastic material provides exceptional product visibility, enabling customers to inspect the product before purchasing. This feature is particularly important for products with specific attributes that customers want to see, including color, texture, or design. For example, customers can easily check the freshness and quality of food items or the features and functions of electronic gadgets. Increased Product Protection Clamshells are designed to provide a tight seal around the product, preventing contamination, tampering, or damage during transportation or storage. They can also be customized with various features — such as snap closures or tamper-evident seals — further enhancing their protective qualities. Convenient Storage and Display Generally, clamshells are lightweight, nestable, and take up less space than other types of packaging. This makes them ideal for businesses with limited storage space. Furthermore, they can be customized with hangers or hooks, making them easy to display on pegboards or store shelves. What Are Blisters? Blisters are packaging designed to protect and secure products by encasing them in a plastic bubble or cavity. The bubble is typically made from PVC, PET, RPET, or PETG plastic and is sealed to a cardboard backing or sheet. This design provides secure and tamper-proof packaging that can protect products from damage and contamination. Benefits of Blister Packaging The common applications of blister packaging include pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, stationery, food products, and medical devices. It offers a range of benefits to manufacturers and consumers alike. The plastic bubble or cavity design provides excellent product protection and can help prevent damage during storage. Here are three more advantages of utilizing this packaging type: High Degree of Customizability Blister packaging offers manufacturers customizability, making it an ideal choice for companies looking to stand out on store shelves. The plastic surface allows for easy printing of branding, logos, and designs, providing an opportunity to showcase a product’s unique features or benefits. This can help products catch potential customers’ attention and stand out. Versatility Blisters are highly versatile and compatible with a wide range of products. They can be designed to fit products of various shapes and sizes, from small electronic components to large hardware items. This feature allows manufacturers to use a single packaging solution, reducing the need for multiple designs and lowering packaging costs. Security and Transparency Blister packaging offers a unique combination of security and transparency. The rigid plastic shell creates a protective barrier around the product, preventing tampering and theft. At the same time, the clear plastic material allows customers to see the product inside, giving them confidence in its authenticity. Choose Jamestown Plastics for Innovative Retail Solutions Looking for the best packaging solutions for your products? Jamestown Plastics has you covered! One of our patented products — Clamtainer® — is a frustration-free clamshell addressing concerns around single-use and sustainability. It reduces plastic consumption and provides customers with a reusable and recyclable packaging solution. We also offer Click It Card®, a versatile and sustainable alternative to traditional blister packaging. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you create innovative and sustainable retail solutions for your business!
Reshoring and Nearshoring In recent years, global supply chains have encountered challenges such as trade conflicts, political volatility, natural calamities, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, numerous companies in the United States have had to reconsider their supply chain approaches. For instance, some are halting decades of outsourcing and offshoring by bringing their production back home or closer to [...]
Medical Thermoforming Applications Thermoforming is a versatile manufacturing process that entails heating plastic sheets to a malleable state and then forming it with molds. Its significance in the medical field stems from its ability to produce cost-effective, lightweight, and disposable products that meet stringent quality requirements. Moreover, its accessibility, dependability, and efficacy make it indispensable for delivering safe [...]
Heavy Gauge vs. Light Gauge Thermoforming Thermoforming is a versatile and cost-effective manufacturing method to create plastic parts and products. One key consideration in the process is choosing between heavy gauge and light gauge materials, which refer to the plastic sheet’s thickness. Both options have distinct benefits, contingent upon the specific project application and requirements. In this blog article, we will examine [...]
Buffalo Business First: Clamtainer® revolutionizes packaging industry Buffalo Business First: It’s an exciting time at Jamestown Plastics, thanks to a brand-new product line with a catchy name and an innovative design that continues this company’s reputation for excellence. Clamtainer is a game changer in the field of transparent “clamshell” packaging and a vast improvement over flimsy traditional methodologies. Retailers and consumers alike are [...]
Electronics Thermoforming Applications While the origin of thermoforming can be traced back to the 19th Century, it was the mid-20th century when it was first introduced to the electronics sector. The process entails heating plastic sheet and shaping it into a specific form to manufacture various electronic products or packaging for those products. This approach has revolutionized the [...]
Understanding the Plastic Manufacturing Process Click to Expand Plastic is a versatile material that can be molded into a wide range of shapes and sizes, making it ideal for various applications. From food packaging and containers to medical equipment and car parts, plastic manufacturing plays a crucial role in the production of items. The process begins with the selection of raw [...]
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: How to Incorporate the 3R’s Into Any Business That Deals With Plastics There is a lot of plastic in the world, with 31.9 million metric tons of plastic waste being improperly disposed of globally. Luckily, green packaging is making an indent in our society, but until it’s fully implemented, it is important to do the most we can, at both a manufacturer and consumer level, to reduce [...]
The Ultimate Guide to Plastic ManufacturingIn the plastics industry, each polymer option presents unique mechanical characteristics. As a result, it is possible to fabricate almost anything with every material, and most plastic manufacturing processes cover a vast array of product development requirements. In […]
Thermoforming 101: The Process That’s Revolutionizing Product DesignThermoforming is a manufacturing process that shapes plastic sheet into specific forms using heat and pressure. It is commonly employed to produce various products, such as packaging, trays, containers, and automotive components. This method offers cost-effectiveness, rapid production cycles, and the ability to easily create complex shapes. What is thermoforming? In this article, we will answer [...]
What Is Thermoforming? Thermoforming transforms thermoplastics through a series of processes, including heat, vacuum, and pressure, applied to a plastic sheet material. It utilizes a variety of machines to produce plastic products, including high-speed in-line thermoforming lines with robotic automation, light-gauge roll-fed machines, and larger sheet-fed machines for heavy-gauge products. This process allows parts to be produced with lower [...]
Industries Leveraging Custom Plastic Thermoforming Plastic thermoforming has become increasingly popular as a top manufacturing process in various industries. Using heat and pressure to shape plastic sheet into proper forms provides an efficient and cost-effective solution for product manufacturing. Moreover, it presents numerous benefits over alternative manufacturing methods, including decreased tooling costs and improved material efficiency. Here are some of the [...]
Why Plastic Medical Trays Are Essential for Safe and Sterile Procedures Click to Expand Plastic medical trays are often used in healthcare settings to assist in keeping those areas contamination-free. These trays can also be used for organizing and sterilizing healthcare instruments and equipment, transporting medications and supplies, for specimen collection (providing a clean and secure environment for handling biological samples), or found within labs. Plastic medical [...]
Automotive Thermoforming Applications As the automotive industry continues to evolve, the need for fuel-efficient and lightweight vehicles has grown exponentially. This has led to a renewed interest in thermoforming, a technique that has existed since the 1940s. It is the process of producing parts by heating thermoplastic sheet material until it becomes pliable, then forming it into a [...]
Dunnage Trays: Protecting Products Every Step of the Way Click to Expand Dunnage or packaging trays are specialized containers used in the manufacturing and logistics industries to securely hold and transport products or components. They are made from materials like plastic or metal and are designed to protect items from damage during storage or transit. Moreover, their configuration often matches the form of the things [...]
Material Matters: Choosing the Right Medical Tray Plastic for Safety and Durability Click to Expand A medical tray serves a variety of purposes in healthcare settings, primarily in holding sterilized parts and equipment. It is also used for organizing and transporting medical instruments or facilitating efficient workflows during medical procedures. A medical tray plastic is a specialized material used to manufacture these trays. This blog discusses the types of [...]
Choosing the Right Plastic Products Manufacturing Partner Click to ExpandPlastic is one of the most preferred manufacturing materials due to its durability and ductility, with different components used in the medical, automotive, electrical, aerospace, marine, and construction industries. In particular, the plastic thermoforming process has upsides over other plastic, metal, and FRP manufacturing techniques, including low tooling costs and faster product development. Establishing [...]
Why Thermoforming Could Be The Best Choice For Manufacturing Your Product Click to ExpandThis blog will cover the basics of thermoforming and how it helps different industries stay on top of the market with its practical and financial benefits. What Is Thermoforming? Thermoforming transforms plastic sheet into a 3-dimensional shape using heat, vacuum, and pressure. In this process, plastic is heated to its softening point and then [...]
Unlocking the Future of Design With Plastic Thermoforming Techniques Thermoforming is a manufacturing process employed to shape thermoplastic sheet into specific designs. This method involves heating plastic sheet until it becomes pliable, then forming it over or into a mold to achieve the desired shape. Its versatility and efficiency make it a preferred choice for creating products ranging from disposable containers to intricate parts [...]
