Untangling the World of Packaging: Your Friendly Guide to Understanding the packaging industry 📦

Have you ever felt lost in a sea of technical terms when talking about packaging? Don't worry, you're not alone! The packaging industry has its own language, and it can sometimes feel like a puzzle. But fear not, because we're here to help you decipher it.

In this friendly guide, we've compiled the most common terms you'll find in the world of packaging. Forget complicated definitions and boring technicalities. Here you'll find clear and simple explanations, visual examples, and even some fun facts to help you become an expert in no time.

Packaging Industry Glossary

A

• Adhesive: A substance used to bond two surfaces together. In the packaging world, adhesives are essential for closing boxes, sealing bags, and securing labels.

B

• Bag: A flexible container made of paper, plastic, or other materials, used to carry and store products.
• Biodegradable: A material that decomposes naturally by the action of microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi.

C

• Cardboard: A thick, sturdy material made from cellulose fibers. It is used to make boxes, cases, and other types of packaging.
• Corrugated cardboard: A type of cardboard made up of several layers of paper, including a wavy layer that gives it strength and rigidity.
• Compostable: A material that breaks down into compost (organic fertilizer) under specific conditions of temperature, humidity, and the presence of microorganisms.

D

• Packaging design: The creative process of conceiving and developing the visual and functional aspects of a package.
• Display: A structure designed to showcase products at a point of sale.

E

• Label: Printed material that is attached to a product or package to provide information about the product, brand, ingredients, instructions for use, etc.
• Packaging: The process of conditioning and protecting products for transport and storage.
• Package: A container or wrapping that protects, contains, and presents a product.
• Primary packaging: Packaging that is in direct contact with the product.
• Secondary packaging: Packaging that contains one or more primary packages.
• Tertiary packaging: Packaging used to group several secondary packages for transport and storage.
• Container: Synonym for packaging.

F

• Film: A thin, flexible sheet of plastic used to wrap products or create bags.

G

• Basis weight: The weight of paper or cardboard per unit area, expressed in grams per square meter (g/m²).

I

• Printing: The process of transferring an image or text to a substrate, such as paper, cardboard, or plastic.

M

• Packaging material: Any material used to manufacture packaging, such as cardboard, plastic, paper, glass, metal, etc.

P

• Palletization: The process of grouping products on pallets to facilitate transport and storage.
• Folding carton: A type of cardboard box that is delivered folded and is easily assembled without the need for adhesives.

R

• Recyclable: Material that can be processed to create new products.
• Reusable: Packaging that can be used multiple times for the same purpose.

S

• Sostenibilidad: Enfoque que busca minimizar el impacto ambiental de los empaques a lo largo de su ciclo de vida.

T

• Die-cutting: The process of cutting and creasing materials such as cardboard or paper to create specific shapes and designs.

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