Packaging Glossary

EPE Foam

Expanded Polyethylene Foam · EPE

EPE foam (expanded polyethylene) is a lightweight, closed-cell, non-cross-linked foam used for protective packaging. It is flexible, water-resistant,...

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EVA Foam

Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Foam · EVA

EVA foam (ethylene vinyl acetate) is a dense, closed-cell foam that is firmer and more resilient than EPE. It holds a precise cut edge, so it is used...

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PU Foam

Polyurethane Foam · PU

PU foam (polyurethane) is an open-cell foam that is soft, highly compressible and easily contoured. In packaging it is used for delicate, irregularly...

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XLPE Foam

Cross-Linked Polyethylene Foam · XLPE

XLPE foam is cross-linked polyethylene foam with a much finer, more uniform cell structure than standard EPE. It is firmer, has a smooth skin and a pr...

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ESD Foam

Anti-Static Foam · Conductive Foam

ESD foam is packaging foam treated or compounded to safely dissipate static charge, protecting electronic components from electrostatic discharge dama...

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Thermocol (EPS)

Expanded Polystyrene · EPS

Thermocol is expanded polystyrene (EPS) — a rigid, very low-density foam moulded from steam-expanded beads. It is inexpensive and insulates well, but...

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EPP Foam

Expanded Polypropylene Foam · EPP

EPP foam (expanded polypropylene) is a moulded closed-cell foam known for exceptional energy absorption and near-total shape recovery after repeated i...

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Rebonded Foam

Bonded Foam · Chipfoam

Rebonded foam is made by shredding polyurethane offcuts and bonding the chips under pressure into a dense block. It is firmer and heavier than virgin...

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Memory Foam

Viscoelastic Foam · Slow-Recovery Foam

Memory foam is a viscoelastic polyurethane foam that softens with body heat and recovers its shape slowly after pressure is removed. It is a comfort m...

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Styrofoam

EPS · Expanded Polystyrene

"Styrofoam" is a trademarked brand of extruded polystyrene, but in everyday use worldwide it means expanded polystyrene (EPS) — the same rigid white b...

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Conductive Foam

Black Conductive Foam · ESD Conductive Foam

Conductive foam has carbon loaded through the polymer to give a surface resistivity below 10⁴ Ω/sq. It drains static charge fast and shields component...

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Closed-Cell Foam

Closed Cell Foam · Non-absorbent foam

Closed-cell foam is foam in which each gas cell is sealed by a polymer wall, so air and water cannot pass between cells. EPE, EVA, XLPE, EPP and EPS a...

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EVA Foam Sheet

EVA Sheet · Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Foam Sheet

EVA foam sheet is closed-cell ethylene-vinyl acetate foam supplied in flat sheets, standard 1000 × 2000 mm, from 2 mm to 50 mm thick at 60, 80, 100 an...

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IXPE Foam

Irradiation Cross-Linked Polyethylene Foam · IXPE

IXPE foam is polyethylene foam cross-linked by electron-beam irradiation rather than by a chemical agent. It has a very fine, uniform closed-cell stru...

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Open-Cell Foam

Open Cell Foam · Reticulated foam

Open-cell foam is foam whose cell walls are ruptured or absent, so the cells interconnect and air moves freely through the material. Flexible PU foam...

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PE Foam

Polyethylene Foam · Polythene foam

PE foam is the family of closed-cell foams made from polyethylene. It includes non-cross-linked extruded EPE sheet and plank (18–45 kg/m³) and cross-l...

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Foam Density

Density kg/m3 · Foam GSM

Foam density is the mass of foam per cubic metre, expressed in kg/m³. It is the primary indicator of how much energy a foam can absorb: higher density...

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Cushion Curve

Cushioning Curve · Dynamic Cushioning Curve

A cushion curve is a graph showing the peak deceleration (in G) a foam transmits at different static loadings and thicknesses for a given drop height....

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Foam Fitment

Foam Insert · Foam Tray

A foam fitment is a foam insert cut to the exact contour of a product so it is held in a fixed position inside its box. By locating the product away f...

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Die-Cut Foam

Die Cutting · Punched Foam

Die-cut foam is foam shaped by pressing a steel-rule die through sheet material, producing identical parts quickly. It is the most economical fabricat...

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Convoluted Foam

Egg-Crate Foam · Profile Foam

Convoluted foam is cut on a profiling machine into a peaked egg-crate surface. The peaks compress independently, so it conforms to irregular shapes an...

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Shadow Foam

Tool Control Foam · Kaizen Foam

Shadow foam is a foam tray CNC-cut with a cavity matching each tool's outline, so a missing item is visible instantly. It is used for tool control in...

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Foam Lamination

Foam Bonding · Laminated Foam Block

Foam lamination bonds thin foam sheets into a thicker block using heat or adhesive. It is how foam thicker than the extrusion limit is produced, and i...

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Void Fill

Dunnage · Fill Material

Void fill is loose material used to occupy empty space in a carton so contents cannot move. It stops movement but provides little impact protection —...

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Corner Block

Foam corner block · Corner cushion

A corner block is a three-sided foam piece that caps one corner of a product, holding it off three box walls at once. Eight blocks locate a rectangula...

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Foam Tube

EPE foam tube · Foam sleeve

A foam tube is an extruded hollow EPE section that slides over a cylindrical product — a pipe, rod, shaft, bottle or chair leg — and protects its full...

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Insulated Shipping Box

Insulated shipper · Thermal box

An insulated shipping box is a container with foam or panel walls that slows heat transfer so temperature-sensitive goods — pharmaceuticals, vaccines,...

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U-Profile (Foam Edge Guard)

Foam U-channel · U-section

A U-profile is an extruded EPE channel that slides over an exposed edge and grips it, protecting the edge and both adjacent faces along its length. Ch...

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Corrugated Box

Corrugated Carton · CFB Box

A corrugated box is a carton made from fibreboard consisting of fluted paper sandwiched between flat liners. The flutes act as arched columns that giv...

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Flute Types

A Flute · B Flute

Flute type describes the size and frequency of the corrugations in fibreboard. Larger flutes (A, C) give greater cushioning and stacking strength; sma...

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GSM

Grams per Square Metre · Grammage

GSM (grams per square metre) is the weight of one square metre of paper. In corrugated packaging it specifies each liner and the fluting medium — high...

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Bursting Strength

Burst Factor · BF

Bursting strength is the pressure required to rupture corrugated board, measured with a Mullen tester and expressed in kg/cm². It indicates resistance...

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Edge Crush Test

ECT · Edgewise Compression Test

The edge crush test (ECT) measures the force a corrugated board edge withstands before crushing, expressed in kN/m or lb/in. Because it tests vertical...

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Kraft Paper

Kraft Liner · Virgin Kraft

Kraft paper is strong paper made by the kraft (sulphate) pulping process, used as the liner and fluting medium in corrugated board. Virgin kraft has l...

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Moulded Pulp

Moulded Fibre · Pulp Packaging

Moulded pulp is packaging formed by pressing recycled paper slurry into a shaped mould and drying it. It produces rigid, contoured trays that cushion...

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Ply (Corrugated)

Ply Count · Wall Count

Ply is the number of paper layers in a corrugated board. 3-ply is two liners with one flute between them, 5-ply adds a second flute and liner, 7-ply a...

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RSC Carton

Regular Slotted Container · RSC Box

A Regular Slotted Container (RSC) is the standard corrugated box style where all flaps are the same length and the two outer flaps meet at the centre....

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Die-Cut Carton

Die-Cut Box · Custom Cut Carton

A die-cut carton is cut and creased with a custom steel-rule die rather than standard slotting, allowing any shape, integrated locking tabs, handles,...

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Honeycomb Board

Paper Honeycomb · Honeycomb Panel

Honeycomb board is a paper panel with a hexagonal-cell core between two liners. The geometry gives very high compression strength for its weight, maki...

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Burst Factor (BF)

Bursting Factor · BF

Burst factor (BF) is the bursting strength of a paper in grams-force per square centimetre divided by its grammage in GSM. It expresses fibre quality...

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CFB Box

Corrugated Fibre Board Box · CFB Carton

CFB stands for corrugated fibre board — paperboard made from one or more fluted mediums glued between flat liners. A CFB box is therefore simply a cor...

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FEFCO Codes

FEFCO Box Styles · FEFCO/ESBO Code

FEFCO codes are four-digit numbers from the International Fibreboard Case Code that identify a corrugated box style independent of language or supplie...

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Fluting Medium

Corrugating Medium · Fluting Paper

Fluting medium is the paper that is corrugated into the wave shape between the liners of corrugated board. In India it is typically 100–140 GSM semi-c...

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Liner Paper (Linerboard)

Linerboard · Kraft Liner

Liner paper (linerboard) is the flat facing paper glued to one or both sides of the fluting medium to make corrugated board. Kraft liner is virgin fib...

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Partition / Divider

Cell Divider · Corrugated Partition

A partition (divider) is a set of interlocking corrugated or paperboard strips slotted together to split a carton into cells, so bottles, jars, tiles...

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Stacking Strength

Stack Strength · Compression Strength

Stacking strength is the vertical load a corrugated box can carry from the boxes above it, for the full storage period, without collapsing. It starts...

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Stretch Film

Stretch Wrap · Pallet Wrap

Stretch film is a highly stretchable LLDPE plastic film wrapped around palletised loads. Its elastic recovery pulls the load together, holding cartons...

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BOPP Tape

Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene Tape · Cello Tape

BOPP tape is self-adhesive tape made from biaxially oriented polypropylene film coated with adhesive. It is the standard carton-sealing tape — strong,...

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Air Bubble Film

Bubble Wrap · Air Bubble Sheet

Air bubble film is polyethylene film formed with regularly spaced air pockets that cushion light impacts and surface abrasion. It is inexpensive and v...

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Corner Protector

Edge Protector · Edge Board

A corner protector is an L-shaped foam or laminated-paper profile fitted to the edges of a product or pallet load. It spreads strapping and stretch-fi...

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Palletizing

Palletisation · Unitisation

Palletizing is arranging cartons onto a pallet and securing them into a single stable unit for handling and transport. Correct stacking patterns, corn...

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Shrink Film

Shrink Wrap · Heat Shrink Film

Shrink film is wrapped loosely and then heated so it contracts tightly around the product. Unlike stretch film, which holds by elastic tension, shrink...

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Pre-Stretch

Film Pre-Stretch · Pre-Stretched Film

Pre-stretch is elongating stretch film before it reaches the load, typically by 150–300%. It converts one metre of film into two-and-a-half or more, s...

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VCI Packaging

Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor · VCI Film

VCI packaging releases a vapour that settles on metal surfaces and forms a molecular layer blocking corrosion. Unlike oils or desiccants it protects r...

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Desiccant

Silica Gel · Moisture Absorber

A desiccant absorbs water vapour from the air inside a sealed pack, lowering humidity so condensation and corrosion cannot occur. Silica gel and clay...

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Anti-Static Bag

ESD bag · Pink anti-static bag

An anti-static bag is a polyethylene or laminated film bag that stops static charge building on its surface, used to pack PCBs, components and electro...

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Dunnage

Bracing · Dunnage Bags

Dunnage is any material used to brace, block or cushion cargo inside a truck, container or crate so it cannot shift in transit — inflatable air bags,...

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Interleaving

Interleaf · Interleaving Sheet

Interleaving is placing a thin protective sheet between stacked or nested items so surfaces cannot scratch, stick or corrode against each other. Typic...

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Pallet Sizes

Standard Pallet Dimensions · ISO 6780 Pallet Sizes

Standard pallet sizes under ISO 6780 are 1200 × 1000 mm, 1200 × 800 mm (EUR/Euro pallet), 1219 × 1016 mm (48 × 40 in, North American GMA), 1067 × 1067...

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Silica Gel

Silica gel desiccant · Silica gel sachet

Silica gel is porous, amorphous silicon dioxide used as a desiccant. Its 700–800 m²/g internal surface adsorbs up to 35–40% of its own weight in water...

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Strapping

Strapping Tape · Banding

Strapping is a flat band of polypropylene (PP), polyester (PET) or steel tensioned around a carton, bundle or pallet and joined with a buckle, metal s...

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Unit Load

Unitised Load · Pallet Load

A unit load is a group of packages assembled on a pallet, slip sheet or in a crate and secured so it is handled as a single item by forklift or crane....

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Blister Packaging

Blister Pack · Thermoformed Pack

Blister packaging is a thermoformed plastic cavity holding a product against a printed backing card or lidding film. It displays the product clearly,...

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Clamshell Packaging

Clamshell Pack · Hinged Container

Clamshell packaging is a single piece of thermoformed plastic folded over a hinge so both halves enclose the product. It needs no backing card, offers...

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PET Blister

APET blister · RPET blister

A PET blister is a thermoformed cavity made from polyethylene terephthalate sheet — APET, recycled RPET or glycol-modified PETG — instead of PVC. PET...

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Skin Packaging

Skin pack · Skin card packaging

Skin packaging places a product on a printed, heat-seal-coated card, then draws a heated 75–200 micron film over it by vacuum so the film follows the...

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Thermoforming

Vacuum forming · Pressure forming

Thermoforming heats a plastic sheet — PVC, PET, RPET, PETG or PP at 0.25–0.5 mm for packaging — until it softens, then draws it over or into a mould w...

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Drop Test

Transit Test · Package Drop Testing

A drop test evaluates packaging by dropping a packed product from a specified height onto its corners, edges and faces. It verifies that cushioning an...

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ISTA Standards

ISTA Testing · ISTA 1A

ISTA standards are internationally recognised transit test protocols published by the International Safe Transit Association. They subject a packaged...

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ISPM-15

Wood Packaging Standard · Fumigation Certificate

ISPM-15 is the international standard requiring solid wood packaging in export consignments to be heat-treated or fumigated and stamped with an IPPC m...

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Dimensional Weight

Volumetric Weight · DIM Weight

Dimensional weight is a freight pricing method that charges by the space a parcel occupies rather than its actual mass. Carriers bill whichever is hig...

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EPR (Packaging)

Extended Producer Responsibility · EPR Registration

Extended Producer Responsibility makes producers, importers and brand owners legally responsible for collecting and recycling the plastic packaging th...

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Box Compression Test (BCT)

BCT · Box Compression Strength

The box compression test (BCT) loads an empty, closed corrugated box between two platens until it collapses, recording the peak force in kgf or newton...

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Cobb Test

Cobb Value · Cobb 60

The Cobb test measures how much water a paper or board surface absorbs in a fixed time, reported in grams per square metre. In Cobb 60 a 100 cm² area...

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Compression Set

Permanent set · Compression deformation

Compression set is the permanent loss of thickness a foam shows after being held compressed for a set time and released. It is expressed as a percenta...

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Puncture Resistance

Puncture Test · Beach Puncture Test

Puncture resistance is the energy a material absorbs before a pointed object breaks through it. For corrugated board it is measured by the Beach pendu...

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Surface Resistivity

Surface resistance · Ohms per square

Surface resistivity is the electrical resistance across a material surface, expressed in ohms per square (Ω/sq). It classifies ESD packaging: conducti...

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