Packaging encompasses the science, art, and technology of enclosing or safeguarding products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. It involves the design, assessment, and production of packages and represents a coordinated system for preparing goods for transport, warehousing, logistics, sale, and end-use.

 

Packaging serves to contain, protect, preserve, transport, inform, and sell. It is fully integrated into government, business, institutional, industrial, and personal use in many countries.

 

Packaging comes in various forms to meet different needs. For example, a transport or distribution package acts as the shipping container, facilitating the shipment, storage, and handling of the product or inner packages. On the other hand, a consumer package is specifically designed for the end consumer or household, highlighting the versatility of packaging types.

 

Custom packaging, a result of the evolution of modern materials, showcases the innovative and adaptable nature of the packaging industry. Techniques such as thermoforming and vacuum forming have revolutionized the field, allowing for expanded capabilities in creating large trays, displays, and meeting specialty needs. Thermoforming, a method that uses vacuum, heat, and pressure to shape the desired material as determined by its mold, is a prime example of this innovation. It's a type of packaging widely used in industries like cosmetics and medicine, demonstrating the dynamic nature of custom packaging.

 

Packaging is categorized by the type of product being packaged, such as medical device packaging, bulk chemical packaging, over-the-counter drug packaging, retail food packaging, military materiel packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, and more.