Whether you are an Etsy store owner with a home-made organic body scrub or a large company in the food industry, searching for plastic packaging solutions can become a very frustrating process. You’ve probably researched the web for “plastic container manufacturers”, ”53 mm” or “bulk plastic jars” and trusted Google like your best friend. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of options offered for product packaging. However, if you’re a bit like me, you would want your customer to not only love your product, but to love the packaging in which it comes. You might have a certain packaging-look in mind for your product or you might still be in the process to pinpoint your desired product look, but wherever you are in the process, this article is for you. We’ve all heard that packaging is important, but did you know that 95% [i] of new products fail each year? We cannot blame packaging alone for that percentage because that wouldn’t be right, but we can emphasize the importance of standing out from the crowd. So to help you out, here are some things to take into consideration before you make a final decision…

1. Know your Product

You know your product better than anyone else. You also know exactly what you want it to look like as a store-product. But before you start, ask yourself: What package volume and size do I believe my product would benefit from? With your concept and that question in mind, start estimating the exact dimensions for your finished product. What millimeter diameter would best represent the look I’m going for? How many ounces should each end-product hold? And will there be more than one size available for my end-product? Look around you, know your market and do your research so you can stand out from your market.

2. Consider Your Options

Alright so honestly, your options are endless. Big or small opening, tall or short jar, ribbed or smooth cap. I’m going to try to help you out by narrowing down your options to stock items. Yes, of course I’ll still give you ALL your options. Depending on the look you’re going for, there are 6 types of jars to pick between that offers different benefits in both appearance and use: Regular Wall, Thick Wall, Double Wall, Blow-molded PET Jar, and Snap Lock Containers. Most popular - and in stock, are the  Regular Wall Jars and   Thick Wall Straight Bottom Jars in which you also can get a custom color.  (Read more about all types here)

What Color is your brand?

If your brand is Coca Cola, your color is obviously red. That’s probably not your brand name tough… You might not have that distinct of a brand color, but all brands - believe it or not, have a color. It’s used as recognition and a trademark, and carefully designed to bring customers to associate that color with the brand. So if this is important to you, consider looking into custom colors (Go to Custom Colors here).

Polypropylene V.S. Polystyrene?

Our stock items come in Crystal Clear Polystyrene and Clarified Natural or White Polypropylene. So, what’s the difference?You might recognize the material Polystyrene from the old CD cases or plastic cutlery. Polystyrene is widely chosen by clients who want a crystal clear jar for their product and aren’t too concerned with how brittle the plastic is compared to Polypropylene. If you’re after a super clear jar to present your product, polystyrene is what you are looking for. However, Clarified Polypropylene might be a better option if you need a jar for acids, chemicals, essential oils and other liquids as Polypropylene offers a better resistance and is not as brittle or heat sensitive as Polystyrene (PS). Polypropylene (PP) is the more durable option and often chosen by clients in laboratories and cosmetic industries. And yes, they are both BPA-free.

Custom Materials

If you are interested in a custom material for your packaging other than PP and PS, here are some good alternatives recommended by plastic professionals: HDPE, HDPE PCR, ECOPURE and SAN. HDPE is a high-density polyethylene and known for its large strength to density ratio.HDPE PCR is the recycled HDPE that’s been decontaminated and reground for new plastic packaging. ECOPURE is a plastic additive that helps allow plastic parts to break down in landfills faster. This additive can be added to any plastic jar of your choice in the molding process upon request. However, be aware that minimums may apply. SAN is a stronger version Polystyrene(Styrene-acrylonitrile resin) and it has excellent clarity, combined with increased chemical resistance properties.

3. Order Samples

Action Time - Order Samples!

Before you go ahead and order any cases of jars, make sure you have tested the jar with your product. The best thing recommended is to order a bunch of different samples – like the Mystery Sample Box from Parkway Plastics- and see which one that holds up to your product testing. You don’t want to end up having to toss a case of jars away, or even worse, lose customers because you didn’t test your packaging. You know your product ingredients and its end-purpose and therefore, always ensure compatibility by ordering samples!

[i] http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/31/brand-flops-apple-ford-pepsi-coors-cmo-network-brand-fail.html