
Why PET, RPET, and PP? Not PVC?
At Santapress, we specialize in crafting customized plastic folding boxes, offering a range of materials including PET, RPET, PP, and PVC to meet our clients' versatile requirements.
With growing public concern for sustainability, selecting eco-friendly plastics for packaging boxes is imperative. Brands commonly opt for PET, RPET, PP, and PVC as primary substrates for their products. Each substrate possesses unique characteristics, detailed as follows:
Polyethylene terephthalate, abbreviated as PET,It has rigid and robust characteristics, high clarity, and is 100% recyclable, making it an ideal material for making plastic boxes. Many food manufacturers especially like choosing PET because it has the benefit of not transferring any chemicals to the foodstuffs packed inside while at the same time achieving an exquisite colorful printing finish with excellent clarity.
Driven by a commitment to ecologically responsible practices, we advocate for the production of clear packaging using RPET, also known as PCR PET. RPET stands out as an excellent choice due to its utilization of post-consumer waste content in manufacturing. Compared to traditional PET, RPET requires less energy in production and maximizes the recycling of PET waste, resulting in a more recyclable and sustainable solution. Although RPET may exhibit a slight gray or yellowish tint during production, our RPET provision incorporates approximately 30% post-consumer waste content, aiming to strike the optimal balance between transparency and the clarity required for high-quality box-grade packaging.
Polypropylene, in short PP, is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic frequently used in many applications such as plastic packaging and envelope folders. Compared to PET and PVC, PP material is lighter and relatively softer. Still, it has high impact resistance property that offers exceptional durability and structural integrity, making it an ideal solution as reusable packaging. Moreover, PP can be produced as semi-opaque, frosted, or even twill effect, offering great versatility to creative packaging or printing designs.
PVC
PVC is a plastic resin that has long been the most common and economical material for making transparent folding cartons or vacuum forms. As rigid as PET, the appearance of PVC has a little bluish, while it can provide an ideal printable surface and a lower-cost competitive advantage. Since PVC is not environmentally friendly and not recyclable, the increasing concerns about the negative impact of plastic packaging on the environment have lessened its demand in the market.