4 Fundamental Factors to Consider When Choosing Packaging Materials

20th October 2016

The life of a retail product can be surprisingly complex. There are all kinds of steps and stages involved between a manufacturer sending it out and a customer getting it home. Each one is an essential part of the purchasing process and represents a hundred different commitments; from designers and marketing experts to logistics teams, haulage operations, distribution centres, vendors, retail staff, customers, and more.

This is why it’s really important to make sure that the item of value at the heart of all this - be it a hat for a wedding or a vacuum-packed sandwich – is protected throughout. With the right packaging, this is easily achieved, but how do you know which options are the best? There’s a lot of choice on offer and it can be tricky sometimes to know what to look for.

Fortunately, the experts at Venus Packaging are here to help. We’ve put together this guide to the essential features that your packaging materials need to have.

Secure and Durable

While all packaging should be reasonably strong, the amount of protection needed will of course, depend on the fragility of your product. If you’re selling food items for example, freshness is a top priority. Things like bread, vegetables, sliced meats, and baked goods must be contained, so that they don’t oxidise and age faster than necessary. Vacuum sealers are a good choice because they remove the air and hold the product securely in place.

Affordable and Easy to Use

The more complex the packaging, the longer it will take you to prepare products for sale. Customers aren’t too fond of overly fussy packets either, so keep things simple with heat-sealed ‘pull open’ bags and clear, unobtrusive shrink wrap. If the packaging isn’t integrated with your branding or brand design, make sure that it doesn’t interfere with or disrupt it. This is particularly vital when it comes to things like book covers, which need to be protected in a way that doesn’t obscure any important details.  

Always Widely Available

Packaging supplies are one of those things that you’ll run out of from time to time. While sales figures will give you a good idea of what to buy and how much, there’s no real way to predict if or when you’ll experience a spike. For this reason, we recommend working with the same packaging supplier every time. Build up a trusted relationship, so that availability is always guaranteed and you’re never struggling to find a manufacturer that can meet your demands. If you’re on the hunt for a packaging supplier, head over to our contact page and get in touch.

Eco-Friendly and Legally Compliant

You’ll also need to check that your packaging supplier is adhering to all of the necessary state and national laws. The Australian government has set up the Australian Packaging Covenant to encourage all businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and sustainable packaging is a big part of this. At Venus Packaging, we only use quality materials, so that more strength, more security, and more protection can be enjoyed with less of an impact on the environment.