Master It Quickly! A Comprehensive Analysis of 18 Common Plastic Packaging Raw Materials

In the packaging industry, plastics dominate due to their lightweight, durability, and low cost. But do you know the characteristics and applicable scenarios of different plastic materials? Maode Packaging has compiled a list of 20 common plastic packaging raw materials to help you quickly select materials and avoid pitfalls!

I. Basic General-Purpose Plastics

1. LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene)

-Characteristics*: Soft, transparent, good moisture resistance, but poor oxygen barrier properties. Suitable for making cling film, soft tube packaging, etc.

Applications: Food bags, medicine soft tubes, bottle cap liners.

2. HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene)

-Characteristics: High hardness, acid and alkali resistant, suitable for blow molding, commonly used in milk bottles and detergent containers.

3. PP (Polypropylene)

-Characteristics: High temperature resistant (up to 120℃), lightweight, microwaveable, widely used in food containers and retort pouches.

4. PS (Polystyrene)

- Characteristics: High transparency, easy to process, but brittle; mostly used for disposable tableware and blister packaging.

5. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

- Characteristics: Strong barrier properties, high plasticity, but its chlorine content raises environmental concerns; commonly used for pharmaceutical blister packs and shrink films.

II. High-Performance Engineering Plastics

6. PET (Polyester)

- Characteristics: High strength, good transparency, strong pressure resistance; the preferred material for beverage bottles (such as mineral water and carbonated drinks).

7. PVDC (Polyvinylidene Chloride)

- Characteristics: Excellent barrier properties (water vapor, oxygen); commonly used for the inner layer of composite films for sausages and cooked foods.

8. PA (Nylon/Polyamide)

- Characteristics: High temperature resistance, puncture resistance; suitable for vacuum packaging of meat and high-temperature sterilization medical packaging. 9. PC (Polycarbonate)

- Characteristics: High transparency, impact resistance; used for baby bottles and optical instrument packaging, but with a higher cost.

10. ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene Copolymer)

- Characteristics: High strength, chemical resistance; widely used for electronic product casings and precision instrument packaging.

III. Special Functional Plastics

11. EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate)

- Characteristics: Good flexibility, low-temperature resistance; used for frozen food packaging and cushioning materials.

12. OPP (Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene)

- Characteristics: High transparency, strong anti-counterfeiting properties; commonly used for snack bags and label films.

13. PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate)

- Characteristics: Oil-resistant, high-temperature resistant; suitable for automotive parts and electronic component packaging.

14. EPS (Expanded Polystyrene)

- Characteristics: Lightweight cushioning, commonly known as "foam plastic," widely used for shockproof packaging of household appliances. 15. PLA (Polylactic Acid)

- Trend: Biodegradable material, an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastics, suitable for disposable tableware and biodegradable packaging.

IV. Environmental Protection and Recycled Materials

16. Recycled PET (rPET)

- Advantages: Carbon emissions are reduced by 55% compared to virgin PET; the EU has mandated that beverage bottles contain 30% recycled materials.

17. Bio-based PE

- Development: Synthesized from plant raw materials such as sugarcane, reducing dependence on petroleum, it may become mainstream in the future.

18. Water-soluble Film (PVA)


V. Material Selection Tips

- Food Packaging: Prioritize non-toxic materials such as PE, PP, and PET, and avoid PVC (which contains plasticizer risks).

- High Barrier Requirements: Choose PVDC, EVOH, or aluminized composite films.

- Environmental Trends: Pay attention to EU and Chinese policies and gradually increase the proportion of recycled materials used.