PET is a lightweight, transparent, strong, and durable plastic commonly found in the packaging of soft drinks and soda bottles. PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate and is also known by other abbreviations like PETE, PETP, PET-P, PETG, or APET. It was first created in North America, in the mid-s, in a fibre form branded as Dacron. In the late s, chemists discovered that they could stretch a thin sheet of PET plastic and create PET film. By the s, scientists had developed the technology to blow, stretch and mould PET into bottles. Being a versatile, stretchable, and durable product, modern day PET is found in everything from clothing and garments to vehicle parts, food containers, video film and more!
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What is PET used for?
PET plastic is manufactured in two primary forms, fibre and resin. PET fibres are known as polyester and are used to make cotton like fabric, one of the world&#;s most popular textiles used for making shirts, jackets, pants, dresses etc. PET resins are small pellets that can be melted into a liquid and moulded or extruded into items of any shape. You use these PET products for several household tasks like cooking, cleaning and storage. For instance, water, juices, soda and all types of drinks are packaged in single use and 2 litre PET bottles. Some examples of PET usage include:
Food and beverage containers
Microwaveable containers
Shampoo, body wash, hand wash bottles
Automotive wiper arms and engine covers
Solar panel lamination
Video, photo and packaging films
Why is PET important in food packaging?
Because of PET&#;s unique properties, it is rapidly becoming the world&#;s preferred packaging material for foods and beverages. PET plastic is widely used in the packaging of:
Salad dressing and condiments
Nut butters, honey, and other types of spreads
Vitamins and tablets
Baked products
Fresh produce
Ready meals
All kinds of hot and cold drinks
Being a very versatile product, PET is globally the preferred choice for food and beverage packaging because:
It is 100% safe for food packaging
It can be microwave and dishwasher safe &#; so customers can eat straight from the box.
It is lightweight, cheaper to store and transport and very cost-effective
It can insulate food and keep it fresh for much longer than other types of packaging material.
How is PET made?
The PET manufacturing process begins with the drilling of crude oil. Next, refineries distill and refine the oil into several components &#; two of which are ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid(PTA). These two substances are esterified to eliminate water and dry them thoroughly. They are then further processed under high temperatures and pressure with more chemicals in a process known as polymerisation.
The end product is a spaghetti-like PET strand called a polymer chain. These chains are further stretched, quickly cooled and cut into small PET resin pellets.
Is PET plastic recyclable?
Yes. All PET products are recyclable and can be placed in yellow bins for collection. Recycling plants have the equipment to wash and treat PET plastic products. They use machines to grind the PET material into &#;flakes.&#; Flakes are purified using water, heat, and disinfectants and converted into RPET or recycled PET pellets. RPET is used in products like carpets, shoes, fiberfill for sleeping bags, and to make new containers. For example, Australia&#;s largest PET recycling plant in Victoria recycles tonnes of PET plastic every year.
How can PET be a sustainable material with petroleum in its manufacturing process?
PET life cycle studies have consistently shown it to be a highly sustainable material with a favourable environmental profile. Although PET&#;s raw materials are derived from crude oil, approximately 40% of that energy is captured within the PET polymer chain for reuse in recycling. Moreover, PET is strong but lightweight, allowing more products to be delivered with less weight, less packaging, and less fuel for transport. Hence, the environmental impact of PET compares favourably to aluminium, glass and other container materials.
Is PET safe for food storage?
Yes. PET is approved as safe for contact with foods and beverages by the FSANZ, the regulatory authority for food safety in Australia and New Zealand. The safety of PET for products related to food, beverage, medical, and pharmaceutical applications has been repeatedly demonstrated through extensive studies, regulatory approvals, testing, and widespread acceptance for more than three decades. PET does not contain toxic chemicals like:
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a different type of plastic unrelated to PET
&#; Despite the name terephthalate, PET is chemically very different from Phthalates (plasticisers) which are much lighter in weight.
PET does not contain chlorine hence cannot produce dioxins
In fact, PET does not contain or leach antimony, or any other carcinogenic products, even when exposed to radiation and temperature. Hence it has been used to make microwave and dishwasher safe products for the last 20 years.
How does PET compare to other types of packaging material?
PET compares very favourably to other packaging materials and is more sustainable than many of them. Let us compare
PET vs glass
Similar to glass, PET is a very strong and inorganic material that does not chemically react with foods, is resistant to micro-organisms, and does not biologically degrade. However, PET also brings several benefits not found in glass.
&#; PET plastic is lighter than glass making packaged products cheaper to carry and transport.
PET plastic is shatterproof, making it safer and simpler to handle.
PET plastic blocks oxygen more effectively than glass, making it easier to reseal.
Products packaged in PET plastic last longer than those in glass.
PET vs PP
PP or Polypropylene plastic is another commonly used food packaging material. Due to differences in the manufacturing process, PP is more opaque than PET. Opaque packaging limits product visibility and impacts the customer experience. Food manufacturers prefer transparent PET packaging because it makes consumable products look more attractive on the shelf. This increases sales and also brings more positive customer feedback.
PET also brings additional benefits over PP like:
Products packaged in PET plastic last longer than those in PP plastic.
PET plastic provides better insulation and keeps food warmer for a longer time.
PET products are easier to brand and customise, making them cheaper for wholesale purchases.
PET vs paper
PET is actually a more sustainable packaging choice than paper. The manufacturing costs of producing and recycling paper are much higher than PET plastic. Moreover, paper just cannot be used to store food long-term because it cannot keep the food fresh. You can read more about the paper vs plastic debate to explore further.
How can Multisteps help with PET packaging?
Built on over 20 years of experience and a network of loyal customers, Multisteps has the capabilities and expertise to meet all your packaging needs in the required capacity and time frame. Moreover, we have invested heavily to bring premium sustainable PET packing solutions to you. By doing this, we reduce wastage through breakage and poor quality. We design our PET packaging products to be:
Fully recyclable and suitable for kerbside recycling
Fully customisable, so they meet all your requirements
High quality because we use electronic devices and sensors for automatic quality control.
Contact us today to discover how Multisteps can save you time and money in your food packaging!
Sources:
https://www.phite.com/pet-production-process
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyethylene_terephthalate
https://www.packagingstrategies.com/articles/-new-choose-plastic-initiative-promotes-benefits-of-pet-packaging
Flexible packaging is the cost-effective, reliable solution to reduce costs and keep products safe and fresh. This industry has shown tremendous growth as flexible packaging manufacturers have introduced cutting-edge technology and advanced packaging materials to preserve and protect an ever-growing list of products while more and more brand owners are using or exploring ways to use flexible packaging for their products.
Companies like LPS industries have made a great contribution to this industry by supplying different types of flexible packaging to brand owners in a long list of markets. The industry is a multi-billion-dollar business in the US and generates more than $30 billion in sales every year.
With so many flexible packaging manufacturers in the market, it is becoming harder for brand owners to find the best supplier based on their specific needs. Here are three questions you should ask a flexible packaging manufacturer to determine if they are right for you.
1. What Is Their Production Capacity and How Will They Ensure Timely Delivery?
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Industrial PET Film Manufacturer.
Brand owners use flexible packaging for many different products but the two constants are to protect and preserve. Whether the product is a consumable for humans or pets, a chemical for lawn or garden use or packaging for medical tests or devices, you should have a clear understanding of the manufacturer&#;s production capacity, turnaround times and reputation for meeting delivery dates. Ask questions of your potential flexible packaging manufacturer about how they ensure the timely delivery of the packaging. This step is crucial when your company is producing time-sensitive items, such as food or medical supplies. An indicator of smooth sailing is if your manufacturer has a quality certification, e.g., ISO. This is emblematic of a company being built upon a framework of repeatable, measurable processes to ensure consistency and reliability. Your flexible packaging manufacturer should also be able to demonstrate knowledge and experience producing the packaging your type of product requires.
2. What Is Their Knowledge of and Experience Working with a Wide Range of Materials?
It&#;s critically important that your flexible packaging manufacturer is knowledgeable about the wide range of materials available to cost-effectively construct packaging to your exact performance specifications. There is a multitude of combinations of materials that when laminated, can deliver the protection your product requires. What&#;s important is an exact match of performance to your product&#;s protective specifications. For example, a layer of foil is considered the highest level of protection. The moisture and oxygen transmission rates for flexible packaging including foil will almost always be the lowest, i.e., best, but beware of packaging overkill. While foil is a great protective barrier and certainly has its place in packaging for medical tests and devices, it is expensive and is likely not requires for food, snacks, pet food and treats and a multitude of other applications. A knowledgeable manufacturer can recommend a combination of films that will create a strong protective barrier engineered to your exact protective specifications. These can include &#;untreated&#; films, films with special barrier coatings applied and even polymer films with a layer of metal, usually foil, applied in the manufacturing process. Other options include the use of a relatively new type of polyethylene that has been specially treated to add strength and support so it can be used to construct stand up pouches and meet the requirements of being 100% recyclable.
Another benefit of choosing a knowledgeable and experience converter is they will have an inventory of premade films constructed to deliver varying degrees of protection but without the outer layer (the one that carries the graphics) applied. Some of the benefits of this are (1) the manufacturer has produced large quantities, which has the effect of lowering the cost per square foot vs. producing on an order-by-order basis that may require a higher MOQ and (2) the need to print and laminate a single layer of film to be added to the stock film translates to a faster turnaround for an order. One additional benefit is that the experienced manufacturer can be a great asset in evaluating and recommending a structure to meet your requirements after evaluating and your specifications when initially presented. This avoids the expensive and time consuming corrective actions that occur only after the product is packaged and is on the shelf. It is far better to receive this feedback before the packaging is produced than learn about a problem from consumers who are dissatisfied.
3. Is it A Vertically Integrated Company?
If your flexible packaging manufacturer is vertically integrated, it means they can perform all the functions required to package your flexible packaging roll stock and if required, convert the roll stock into bags or pouches with value-added features. These operations may include the following.
A full-time graphics department to support the creation of the final artwork as used on the packaging
Producing the printing plates used to print the graphics
Printing the substrate in advance of laminating
Laminating multiple layers of materials
Slitting the laminated master rolls into smaller widths to fit on converting equipment
Extruding the zipper that is used for recloseable bags and pouches
Converting the roll stock into bags or pouches
If a company integrates all these functions within its own four walls, it will reduce the overall cost, enhance the quality of the final product and improve the timeliness of the end-to-end-process. You should also look for a flexible packaging manufacturer that has a process in place for 100% traceability across its supply chain and throughout its manufacturing processes. This setup will ensure timely delivery of your product, and in turn, increase your customer&#;s satisfaction level.
Other Important Concerns
While selecting your packaging provider, you should check their years of experience in the field. Having a quick look at available customer feedback can be quite helpful as well. This feedback can highlight some essential company attributes including:
How responsive is the manufacturer towards its clients?
How easy is it to contact them on an ongoing basis?
Does their organizational structure support fast decision-making?
Do they have a reputation for delivering product on time?
Do they have a reputation of consistently and dependably producing quality products?
Do they have an independent, internationally recognized quality certification such as ISO ?
Bottom Line
Today, how you package your product can help you differentiate yourself from the competition. The global economy has allowed products to be transported from all corners of the world every day. Selecting the right flexible packaging manufacturers has become quite crucial. When selecting your flexible packaging manufacturer and provider, you should ensure that the organization has all the necessary attributes to effectively support your short-term as well as long-term needs.
The company is the world’s best Industrial PET Film Supplier supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.