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What Is the Meaning of Protective Packaging?

Protective packaging is a security measure preserving the integrity of an item within. For example, mail shipped in a protective container guards against damage in transit, or medicine may be sold in secure protective packaging to guard against tampering.

  1. Transit

    • Items to be shipped are rarely sent without some kind of protective container, whether in a box or securely taped paper. Protective packaging such as plastic wrap or inflated air bags cushion the surface of items from damage from weather elements and as a result of jostling or handling by many people.

    Security

    • Protective packaging secures an item internally, but may also be intended to prevent external tampering or theft. Food and medicine items are sold in protective packaging to preserve the contents, but also to indicate to consumers that no one has contaminated the product. Retailers sell items in protective packaging to protect inventory and with magnetic security devices to track items and keep items from being stolen from stores.

    Industry

    • Certain industries, such as military and medical fields, have standards of protective packaging for items to be sold or shipped. Companies that manufacture protective packaging for these industries, such as Protective Packaging Corporation and Sealed Air North America, advertise products and services that block air, moisture and static; this protects package contents from corrosion and contamination.

    Items

    • Any size or type of object may require protective packaging or containment. Tiny amounts of materials such as medical samples and chemicals may be shipped in protective packaging. Large industrial machinery and parts may also have some kind of protective packaging warning against tampering or damage.

    Materials

    • Protective packaging is made from many types of materials. Plastic, cardboard, tape and air-pillows are common. Protective packaging may also refer to containers which completely encapsulate the item, magnetic tags or fields to protect electronics or for tracking inventory, or to warning stickers or seals that warn people about the contents of a package and how it should be handled.

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