+1-786-628-7980
Sign Up/Sign In 
The packaging comes in different forms with respect to their particular use. You can find various options in the market, and sometimes even a single product has many different packaging styles, that it becomes overwhelming to choose the most suitable design. However, the two most prominent classes you will find are flexible packaging and rigid packaging. But what makes them different from each other and what are their pros and cons? The fundamental disparities between both involve environmental effect, sustainability, prices and several things to be considered.
It depends on the application what type of packaging it supports. Some are packed best with flexible packaging, whereas others are packed best with rigid ones. We will discuss all the differences, advantages and disadvantages of both packaging styles.
This category involves bendable and flexible aspects and has shrink film, stretch film, pliable pouches, seal bands, skin packs, and several ductile materials. They are also sturdy and protective as their layers are made with materials like plastic, paperboard, Kraft, foil, and wax-coated paperboard, etc. You can use any of them or combine two or more to get additional safety on your packaging.
In the aforementioned styles, the Kraft material is the best as they are cheap and eco-friendly, so you are not only saving your budget but also nature. A printing and packaging solutions provider known as Impressionville is now offering small Kraft boxes to cater products of all sizes and shapes.
This type of packaging has stormed the global market in the last five to ten years and continues to do so. Flexible packaging has found more prominence than rigid boxes due to its reasonable prices and eco-friendliness.
Coffee, meat, fish, poultry, beverages, food powder, gadgets are just a few products that use flexible packaging due to its malleability. The number is not limited to the products mentioned above and takes care of thousands of items. It has become very common and can be easily seen in every mart worldwide.
Eco-Friendly: It has the minimum carbon footprint and takes less space in landfills, making it quite a preferable choice for those looking for a material that also preserves the Earth.
Friendly Usage: Its friendliness makes it a loveable product as it does not support the rage people show when unwrapping a box and has easy-to-open quality with tear-away lids and such openings and closings.
Affordable: Flexible packaging is relatively cheaper than rigid boxes, giving it an edge over the latter. It also uses less material as it is made with soft plastics.
Attractiveness & Branding: It supports all types of printing and gives the entire room to the designer. You can use flexible packaging to your advantage with eye-catching artwork.
It might affect your food’s or beverage’s flavors and has a little resistance against extreme temperatures. Another con of flexible packaging is that it is hard to recycle due to lack of infrastructure and takes more than a thousand years to completely degrade it in a landfill.
As its name suggests, it has more robust and heavier material compared to the flexible boxes. You can find rigid boxes in the form of glass, hard, plastics, cardboard and even metal, etc. Its supply is expensive and has a higher carbon footprint than its flexible alternative.
Rigid packaging comprises whip cream cases, pickle jars, yogurt boxes, wine bottles and such products. It is excellent for those edibles which are fragile and need extra protection against bumps, fall damage and spilling. It does not mean that your glass pickle jar will not break with an accidental drop.
Rigid packaging is sometimes used to give a vibe of luxury to the customer. For instance, if you are gifting a fine bottle of wine, you need rigid packaging, like a cardboard box, to give your present an unreal look.
Brands who are looking for additional and high-quality protection go with rigid material. It is a famous option because of its heavy-duty nature and safety properties.
Greater Strength: Rigid packaging is crafted with hard plastics and other similar materials, making it a material of superior strength.
Surreal Quality: It gives a sense of luxury, like glass packaging and other rigid fancy styles. That is why it also easier to recycle.
Organic Touch: Unlike flexible packaging, it does not affect the flavor of your food.
Due to its given advantages, it is an expensive material and also has a higher carbon footprint. Its delivery cost is higher as well as it can take a lot of room in landfills if not recycled.
All of these characteristics will make it easy to differentiate between both and choose the perfect style. It all comes to the nature of your particular product.
