The need for packing objects, goods, and products arose for people many millennia ago, the reason for this was the need to store or transport something.
Packaging is a material or object designed to store or protect a product or product during transportation. The original concept of packaging was very different from the modern one – it was earthenware vessels or jugs. Later, glass containers appeared – small bottles (vials), that were used by doctors to store medicines or cosmetics. It took another five hundred years, and they began to make wooden barrels for storing and transporting food or wine.
Up to our time, the production of packaging materials is constantly developing, replenishing the market with new modern types: aluminum tubes, foil, plastic and cardboard boxes, and plastic and paper bags.
Pros
The increased consumer demand for using the paper bag is due to the good performance characteristics of such packaging:
- Ease of production, low cost, recyclability, affordable price for the consumer.
- Environmental friendliness – the composition includes natural raw materials.
- Breathability is a quality that is indispensable when storing vegetables or fruits.
- Ease of disposal – decomposition occurs in natural conditions without harm to the environment.
- A huge range of types, many options for printing and drawing, logos, and embossing.
- Opaque packaging allows the consumer to hide the contents of the package from prying eyes.
- A presentable look is good when creating an original style, gift wrapping, cosmetics, and souvenirs.
Cons
Paper bags, in comparison, for example, with polyethylene, as the main competitor in packaging, have a number of weaknesses:
- Higher price in contrast to budget plastic packaging.
- The limited reusability of the paper bag makes it less cost-effective.
- Damage to structure or strength caused by heat and moisture that cannot be repaired.
- The shape of the packaging has sharp corners and a high coefficient of rigidity.
- Risk of tearing on contact with sharp objects.
- They have a significant weight limit.
- Destroyed under the influence of chemicals, absorb oils, retain foreign odors.
Conclusion
With the extensive use of paper bags as packaging in the market of goods and services, the demand for them is constantly growing. There is a logical explanation for this phenomenon:
- The need to improve the environment forces the manufacturer to produce packaging materials from natural components, the decomposition of which will not harm nature and humans. A plastic bag after use will decompose for more than 100 years, a paper bag – from several months to 5 years. The difference is significant, the choice of paper containers will reduce the amount of garbage that needs to be stored somewhere.
- Stylish and designer packaging of gifts, souvenirs, books, stationery, cosmetics, and perfumes look more expensive, bright, and original, indicating the presence of taste, it has long supplanted budget polyethylene options.
- The porous paper surface allows the contents of the bag to “breathe” and prevents the spread of bacteria, mold, and decay. Such qualities are successfully used for the storage of food, fruits, berries, and vegetables.
The saturation of the market with packaging products with a paper and polyethylene base is currently at a fifty-fifty ratio. The trend of abandoning long-decomposing plastic, polyethylene, undoubtedly, leads to even greater popularity of paper bags, increasing consumer demand for them, improving quality characteristics, and creating and producing new forms, types, and textured finishes.
