Product Description
Plastic blister packaging is a pre-formed packaging method featuring a transparent, thermoformed plastic cavity (or "bubble") attached to a backing material like paperboard, aluminum foil, or another plastic layer. It is widely used to provide tamper evidence, physical protection, and high retail visibility for consumer goods and pharmaceuticals. [
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Types of Blister Packaging
- Face Seal Blister: The plastic pocket is molded to the product shape and heat-sealed directly onto a printed cardboard backing sheet. [1, 2, 3, 4]
- Trap Blister: The plastic cavity is sandwiched ("trapped") between two pieces of cardboard, exposing only the clear bubble through a die-cut front opening. [1, 2, 3]
- Slide Blister: The plastic blister features folded edges that wrap around a cardboard backer sheet, allowing the card to slide in and out for easy opening and closing. [1, 2]
- Clamshell Packaging: A single piece of hard plastic folded onto itself with a hinge, closing tightly via a snap-lock mechanism or an automated edge-fusion seal. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Common Materials Used
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): The most cost-effective and rigid plastic film used as a structural backbone for consumer goods, retail items, and medicine trays. [1, 2]
- Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET): A lightweight, impact-resistant, and crystal-clear alternative preferred for eco-friendly or recyclable packaging requirements. [1, 2]
- High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS): A rigid, easily molded material typically used for opaque internal trays rather than transparent display windows. [1, 2]
- Polyvinylidene Chloride (PVDC): Applied as an additional barrier layer over standard PVC to protect highly sensitive pharmaceutical products from moisture and oxygen. [1, 2]