Cardboard vs Plastic: Which one is Better?

By: AlexHales

For a business to prosper, the business owners need to take a lot of things into consideration. A lot of things are required for a business to function properly and flourish. One of these things is the packaging.

It is responsible for customer satisfaction and at the same time, it also makes the company’s products appear more put together and sophisticated.

The kind of packaging that you have for your products affects the quality of your service, and it also shows your customers what you are going for.

One debate that goes around is whether plastic is a good packaging product or whether cardboard is the best thing to use. When it comes to this debate, there are quite a few things that need to be kept in mind. We judge both the products by their following features:

  • Durability
  • Recyclability
  • Style

How Does cardboard work?

Cardboard is one of the most used packaging materials in the industry today. It is used by small businesses as well as by larger industries. Moreover, it is even used in households where it is used for custom packaging of goods during moving and transportation.

Many businesses get custom-printed boxes with no minimum limit for their packaging and shipping of their products to customers. Along with packaging, companies also use these materials for transportation and for storing their goods.

Cardboard has the following points that make it a good choice:

  1. It can be recycled, and the recycled cardboard has the same amount of strength as the new one.
  2. Cardboard can be made for different purposes, such as corrugated packaging and rigid box making.
  3. The cardboard can be customized according to the needs of the company.
  4. Cardboard packaging materials are also quite cheap for usage, and most companies tend to go for this easy solution.

However, there are instances in which cardboard cannot recycle. If the cardboard has become wet or it is soiled, it can no longer be recycled and it if gets wet while the products are in it, it can also damage the product.

How does Plastic Packaging Work?

Plastic packaging is not used much. It is used in very few instances, but when it is used, it is employed for those products that are high-end or need to be kept safe from mechanical stress. Plastic packaging also has its benefits.

  • Plastic is quite durable, and it can keep the product safe from all external and internal factors.
  • It also protects the product from water since no damage is posed to the product even when the packaging gets wet.
  • Plastic packaging can be customized in a lot of different ways, and plastic can be molded to make the packaging of different shapes.

However, the downside to using plastic for packaging is that plastic cannot be recycled.it can be used by the customers for other purposes such as for keeping their smaller accessories or for decorator purposes. It cannot be recycled to make new plastic-like cardboard can be recycled to make new paper.

It accumulates in the environment and the burning of plastic releases harmful compounds and gases into the air, which is hazardous to the health of people.

Also, plastic is a more costly option compared to cardboard which is why most small-scale businesses tend to go for cardboard. Plastic may seem like a good choice for those businesses that have the budget.

Which one is better?

To choose which one of the two is better, you have to look at your needs. If you have a business that is high-end or your products need extra support due to their fragility. Then you need to go for plastic since it is the best solution for you.

On the other hand, if your products do not need to be kept with a lot of support and you want to save your the cost of packaging then cardboard is the best option.

Therefore, both products are good for the purpose they  for and whichever one you decide to get is based on the requirements of your company and your product.

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