What are the 7 main plastic (resin) types?

There are really 7 major plastic types: HDPE, LDPE, PP, PVC, PET, PS and other. Please see Plasticology 101 for how these plastics are used, what recycling streams they can enter, properties like clarity and temperature thresholds and other great resources on understanding the comparative properties of these plastic (or resin) types.




Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
PET or PETE (or the obsolete PETP or PET-P) is of the polyester family and is used in beverage, food and other liquid containers. PET can be semi-rigid to rigid and is very lightweight. It acts as a good barrier to alcohol (requires additional "Barrier" treatment) and solvents. It is strong, impact-resistant, and naturally colorless and transparent.

Common uses: soft drink bottles, cooking oil bottles, peanut butter jars, products containing essential oils, some fruit juices, alcohol beverage bottles, space blankets.


High-density polyethelene (HDPE)
HPDE is made from petroleum. HDPE has a stronger intermolecular force and tensile strength than low density polyethylene (LDPE). It is also harder and more opaque and can withstand somewhat higher temperatures: 120 °C for short periods, 110 °C continuously.

Common uses: milk jugs, distilled water, large vinegar bottles, grocery bags, liquid laundry and dish detergent, fabric softener, motor oil, antifreeze, bleach and lotion.


Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Nearly 57% of PVC is chlorine, requiring less petroleum than other plastics. PVC is biologically and chemically resistant. It is the third most widely used plastic after PET and PP. PVC is ideal for storing shampoos, oils, and other chemicals. PVC plastic bottles are durable for long periods of time and can withstand various environmental demands.

Common uses: chemical spray bottles, pipes, electrical wire insulation, clothing, bags, upholstery, tubing, flooring, waterbeds, pool toys, bottles.


Low-density polyethelene (LDPE)
LDPE is made from oil. Its tensile strength and density is lower, but its resilience is higher than high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It can withstand temperatures of 80 °C continuously and 95 °C for a short time. It can be translucent or opaque, is flexible, tough, and almost unbreakable.

Common uses: dry-cleaning bags, produce bags, trash can liners, food storage containers, bread bags, squeezable containers, six pack soda can rings, food storage.


Polypropylene (PP)
PP is often used for food packaging. It's not as tough as HDPE, but it is less brittle. PP is less flexible than LDPE, somewhat stiffer than other plastics, reasonably economical, and can be translucent, opaque, or of any color. PP has very good resistance to fatigue. PP has a melting point of 320 °F (160 °C). Food containers will not melt in the dishwasher nor during industrial hot filling processes.

Common uses: bottle caps, drinking straws, hinged containers, battery cases, dairy tubs (e.g. sour cream, cottage cheese), cereal box liners.


Polystyrene (PS)
PS is made from petroleum. Pure solid polystyrene is a colorless, hard plastic with limited flexibility. It can be cast into molds with fine detail. Polystyrene can be transparent or can be made to take on various colors.

Common uses: bottle caps, drinking straws, yogurt cups, clear carryout containers, vitamin bottles, fast food, spoons, knives and forks, hot cups, meat and produce trays, egg cartons, clamshell carryout food containers.


Other
This is the catch all category of all other plastics. Many biodegradable, photo-sensitive, and plant-based plastics fit in this category. Basically any plastic that is not HDPE, LDPE, PET, PVC, PS or PP are put into this category. Additionally, any plastic resin type that has been developed since the original 6 resin types were established in 1988, are marked with the 7 or Other resin identification code. As such, listing common uses for these kinds of plastics is nearly impossible since their applications and characteristics are so diverse.

Creating the perfect package

You've spent months even years developing your product and now you've got to bottle it and sell it. Here's what you need to do to create the perfect package for your product:

Study the competition. Look around and see what kind of packaging your competitors are using. You want to be unique, but you need to use packaging that makes sense. You wouldn't put Whiteout in an economy-sized lotion bottle with a pump. First off, that's enough Whiteout for a lifetime! Secondly, what are you going to do with the whiteout once you've pumped it? Rub it all over your hands? And thirdly, consumers have expectations on how Whiteout is packaged and that's what they look for on the shelf.

Know HOW your product will be used. Before you can choose a container and a closure for your product you need to think through where your customer will store it and how they will use it. Again, you wouldn't put eye drops in a milk jug. I don't know of a gallon of anything that I'd want to dump in my eyes. Make sure that the cap you choose creates the most positive experience for your customer. This needs to be positive in aesthetics and well as usage.

Know WHO your product is for. This is HUGE. Is your product for a car mechanic or a pre-teen obsessed with makeup? If it isn't obvious you've got a problem. If your product is for everyone, you have an even bigger problem. You have to drill it down. Think of what a terrifying world this would be if pantyhose, denture glue, and preperation H were for everyone. For example: Green Works™ cleaners (from Clorox) are targeted toward female homemakers wanting to live a more balanced, natural life. This person will be interested in green, biodegradable ingredients, recyclable packaging, no animal testing, natural, no harsh chemicals, etc. And you know what? These people buy this stuff because Clorox makes it obvious that it's for them.

Know WHY your product is unique and SELL that. Chances are EVERYTHING about your product isn't unique. But there is SOMETHING that makes it unique. This is WHY someone will buy your product and not the one next to it. Be sure that this unique quality is obvious. Don't shout it at your customers (although Billy Mays the OxyClean guy seems to make a lot of money doing this) but be sure they get it.

Hire a designer. Freelancer or agency. It doesn't matter as long as they're good. I can't stress this one enough. Let me put it this way. Your chain store barber/stylist can give you a great cut/color/perm but it is HIGHLY unlikely that they can also counsel you through the differences between a c-corp, s-corp, and an LLC. Now this part is really hard to hear for a lot of people ... if you didn't go to college to get a design degree, chances are you aren't a designer. So, keep your fortes in house, and outsource everything else. Hiring a designer forces you to communicate the HOW, WHO, and WHY (see 2, 3 and 4) so the designer can create a package design that will sing to your potential customers' souls. This is a valuable exercise for you, and you'll get a professional design out of it, because ...

DESIGN MATTERS. The average consumer spends less than three seconds making up their minds whether or not to buy a product. The fact that you have all the greatest ingredients or a truly revolutionary formula won't mean a thing unless the customer SEES your product. Customers SEE things they need. They need: unique, engaging, colorful, exciting, intriguing, different, soothing, and a host of other adjectives. These adjectives must be consistent with your product. Again ... you wouldn't put a soothing massage oil in a squeezable mustard bottle and call it SHAZAMY! Yellow is energy, excitement, happiness, manic, sunshine, bipolar, crazy, fresh, citrus. Don't even get me started on the name. These aren't the right kinds of reactions you want to solicit if your product is a calming massage oil. Your designer is an experienced professional in THIS arena. Use them to help you create packaging that makes sense.

Five packaging must-knows

Here are 5 vital things you need to know as you start on your journey that packages your product to sell:

1. You can't have a product without a package. Just think about potato chips and eggs for example. How could you sell them unbroken and undamaged without a package?
2. The package could cost more than what is inside. The rule of thumb is that the package should be 8-15% of the total cost on average. 10% of every dollar spent at retail is directly attributable to packaging.
3. Your package has to sell the product not just protect it. The average consumer spends just 2.6 seconds making a decision whether to pick up your product or not. So your packaging better be on target to the right audience with the right message.
4. Most packaging materials suppliers like large quantity orders. It's hard to find a supplier for small quantities. The double edged sword is that you don't have large orders when getting started.
5. Packaging trends and innovations can influence whether your product will ever get onto the store's shelf. The secret is in knowing what is going to be the "issue" of the future or what might be mandated as a "must have" in your product packaging.
   

Adapted and Condensed from (used with permission):
5 Things Every Business Needs To Know About Packaging
JoAnn Hines, The Packaging Diva
www.packagingdiva.com