CPS | Blog

Creating the perfect package

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 15:02:00 +0000

You've spent months even years developing your product and now you've got to bottle it and sell it. Here's what you need to do to create the perfect package for your product:

Study the competition. Look around and see what kind of packaging your competitors are using. You want to be unique, but you need to use packaging that makes sense. You wouldn't put Whiteout in an economy-sized lotion bottle with a pump. First off, that's enough Whiteout for a lifetime! Secondly, what are you going to do with the whiteout once you've pumped it? Rub it all over your hands? And thirdly, consumers have expectations on how Whiteout is packaged and that's what they look for on the shelf.

Know HOW your product will be used. Before you can choose a container and a closure for your product you need to think through where your customer will store it and how they will use it. Again, you wouldn't put eye drops in a milk jug. I don't know of a gallon of anything that I'd want to dump in my eyes. Make sure that the cap you choose creates the most positive experience for your customer. This needs to be positive in aesthetics and well as usage.

Know WHO your product is for. This is HUGE. Is your product for a car mechanic or a pre-teen obsessed with makeup? If it isn't obvious you've got a problem. If your product is for everyone, you have an even bigger problem. You have to drill it down. Think of what a terrifying world this would be if pantyhose, denture glue, and preperation H were for everyone. For example: Green Works™ cleaners (from Clorox) are targeted toward female homemakers wanting to live a more balanced, natural life. This person will be interested in green, biodegradable ingredients, recyclable packaging, no animal testing, natural, no harsh chemicals, etc. And you know what? These people buy this stuff because Clorox makes it obvious that it's for them.

Know WHY your product is unique and SELL that. Chances are EVERYTHING about your product isn't unique. But there is SOMETHING that makes it unique. This is WHY someone will buy your product and not the one next to it. Be sure that this unique quality is obvious. Don't shout it at your customers (although Billy Mays the OxyClean guy seems to make a lot of money doing this) but be sure they get it.

Hire a designer. Freelancer or agency. It doesn't matter as long as they're good. I can't stress this one enough. Let me put it this way. Your chain store barber/stylist can give you a great cut/color/perm but it is HIGHLY unlikely that they can also counsel you through the differences between a c-corp, s-corp, and an LLC. Now this part is really hard to hear for a lot of people ... if you didn't go to college to get a design degree, chances are you aren't a designer. So, keep your fortes in house, and outsource everything else. Hiring a designer forces you to communicate the HOW, WHO, and WHY (see 2, 3 and 4) so the designer can create a package design that will sing to your potential customers' souls. This is a valuable exercise for you, and you'll get a professional design out of it, because ...

DESIGN MATTERS. The average consumer spends less than three seconds making up their minds whether or not to buy a product. The fact that you have all the greatest ingredients or a truly revolutionary formula won't mean a thing unless the customer SEES your product. Customers SEE things they need. They need: unique, engaging, colorful, exciting, intriguing, different, soothing, and a host of other adjectives. These adjectives must be consistent with your product. Again ... you wouldn't put a soothing massage oil in a squeezable mustard bottle and call it SHAZAMY! Yellow is energy, excitement, happiness, manic, sunshine, bipolar, crazy, fresh, citrus. Don't even get me started on the name. These aren't the right kinds of reactions you want to solicit if your product is a calming massage oil. Your designer is an experienced professional in THIS arena. Use them to help you create packaging that makes sense.

Five packaging must-knows

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:57:00 +0000

Here are 5 vital things you need to know as you start on your journey that packages your product to sell:

You can't have a product without a package. Just think about potato chips and eggs for example. How could you sell them unbroken and undamaged without a package?
The package could cost more than what is inside. The rule of thumb is that the package should be 8-15% of the total cost on average. 10% of every dollar spent at retail is directly attributable to packaging.
Your package has to sell the product not just protect it. The average consumer spends just 2.6 seconds making a decision whether to pick up your product or not. So your packaging better be on target to the right audience with the right message.
Most packaging materials suppliers like large quantity orders. It's hard to find a supplier for small quantities. The double edged sword is that you don't have large orders when getting started.
Packaging trends and innovations can influence whether your product will ever get onto the store's shelf. The secret is in knowing what is going to be the "issue" of the future or what might be mandated as a "must have" in your product packaging.

Adapted and Condensed from:
5 Things Every Business Needs To Know About Packaging
JoAnn Hines, The Packaging Diva
www.packagingdiva.com

Logo: To Refresh Or To Not?

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:23:00 +0000

A customer wasn't sure if they should keep the same label they started with 10 years ago. I recommended a refresh. Ten year old kitchen appliances are rust and avocado colored. If I was wearing the same clothes I had from 10 years ago, I'd be wearing acid-washed jeans with pegged cuffs, high-top sneakers, a baggy fluorescent orange t-shirt with my sleeves rolled up, and poofy hair. I'd look like Screech from Saved By the Bell. It is good to update. It is imperative to update.

A company should always look for ways to improve the customer experience and polish its image. A company that does not always seek improvement becomes stagnant, sluggish and irrelevant. Some brands are "classic" because they have withstood the test of time: Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Chevron, Walmart, etc. They have withstood that test of time by walking the razor's edge: adapting to remain relevant to their consumers without compromising their fundamental identity.

Things trend: clothing, counter tops, hairstyles, music, news, light bulbs, and more. There is huge value to updating your label and logo ... It needs to be relevant and current. Yet, this too is a razor's edge because if you're too trendy, you risk having to refine more often. If you go too far, you risk alienating your existing base of customers. The goal is to find an image for your product or company that is relatable, current, yet transcends trendy and can become "classic."

The same kinds of trends happen in packaging.

Container & Packaging Supply has updated. Look at our new website, envelopes, calendars, logo layout, logotype, colors, business cards, flyers, signs, brochures, on hold messaging system, dress code, and more. All of these things contribute to creating an image.

Maybe it's time for you to update?

Natural Trend: ALL ABOARD!

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:22:00 +0000

Small and mid-sized companies have jumped on board the natural trend bandwagon. The large multinational companies seem to only be entering the category via acquisitions. Estee Lauder jump started the trend in 1993 by acquiring Aveda. L'Oreal has acquired The Body shop, Kiehl's, Garnier, and Sanoflore to its portfolio in the last decade. Burt's Bees is now under the ownership of Clorox, a child of the P&G mega-family, and it has proven it can compete with the larger brands.

Multinationals acquire existing natural brands instead of launching their own because it makes more strategic sense to invest in products that have been tested and proved to be successful. These multinational mega-companies are now only responsible for marketing and promoting the brand. Let someone else pay for the research and development, right?

Adapted from Happi Magazine
Are Multinationals Missing the Natural Movement
Imogen Matthews

Decorating your package

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:31:00 +0000

Creating the perfect package for your product is absolutely essential to marketing your business. Once you have found the plastic container, jar or glass bottle that truly accents and compliments your product, you are well on your way to that perfect package. Without appropriate and artistic labeling, however, you will never sell your creation.

Let Container & Packaging Supply help you find and create your perfect package. After selecting the plastic container you want out of our large inventory, allow us to decorate your package. We have a variety of methods for providing your custom decoration, from the widely used silk screen process, to the new heat transfer process.

Take time to familiarize yourself with our decoration processes. In the links below, we describe what each process does and when we would recommend its use.

Silk screen printing
Hot stamping
Pad printing
Custom labels
Sample prints

Big Brother is Watching (or smelling)

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:16:00 +0000

Well ... smelling, actually. Just when you thought your fingerprints, DNA, exceptionally good looks, and fashion sense made you truly unique ... science comes out with research that says individuals also have a unique odoriferous signature. That means that no one else in the whole world smells like you. See? You're even more unique than you thought.

Odorprints, as they call it, are transmitted through body fluids that contain airborne volatile compounds. So how does this help us, the packaging industry (beyond the obvious security applications and new CSI episodes that this technology will generate)?

Findings could result in developing sensors for early detection and diagnosis of various disorders ... even skin disorders. Some cosmetics counters already have visual analyzers ... imagine the potential for an electronic "sniffer" that can match your smell with the most appropriate lotion, cover up, or skin treatment system.

Defining "Green"

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 00:19:00 +0000

As the sustainability, organic, and natural products movements continue to grow, so does the list of vocabulary terms. Read below for definitions on related terminology:

Biodegradable: The ability of a material to be broken down by natural processes and then absorbed by the ecosystem.

Downcycled: Refers to materials that lose viability or value after they've been recycled.

Energy efficient: Products and systems that use less energy than their conventional counterparts to perform the same tasks.

Greenwashing: The practice of making misleading or unsubstantiated claims about the environmental benefits of a product or service.

Organic: Refers to foods and fibers that are grown and processed without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Organic livestock is reared without the use of antibiotics or hormones.

Pre-consumer: Refers to a material that is being reused or recycled before it goes to market, such as waste left over from manufacturing.

Post-consumer: Refers to an end product generated by a consumer that is being diverted from the solid waste stream for recycling.

Recycling: The process of converting materials that are no longer useful in their current condition and turning them into a brand-new product.

Sustainable: The use of natural resources to meet present needs, without compromising those of future generations.

Upcycled: Refers to waste materials that are recycled into something of greater value or use.

Source:
The Language of Going Green
By Jasmine Malik Chua, Special to LiveScience
http://www.livescience.com/environment/080714-green-terms.html

How does the FDA define aromatherapy

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 18:03:00 +0000

Traditionally, perfumes have been considered cosmetics by FDA. The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) defines cosmetics in part as articles intended to be applied to or introduced into the human body "for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance" (FD&C Act, Section 201).

On the other hand, articles intended for use in the diagnosis, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, and intended to affect the structure or any function of the body, are considered to be drugs -- with all "new drugs" requiring FDA's premarket approval.

While cosmetics and drugs both are under FDA's jurisdiction, the legal requirements applying to them differ. A claim that a perfume's aroma makes a person feel more attractive, in general, is a cosmetic claim not requiring FDA approval before a product is sold. But if someone tries to market a scent suggesting effectiveness as an aid in quitting smoking, as a sleeping aid, or to treat or prevent any other condition or disease, or otherwise affect the body's structure or function, such a claim may cause the product to be regulated as a drug, requiring premarket approval. The agency will make judgments on a case-by-case basis.

Source: fda.org

Containers for essential oils

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:23:00 +0000

Essential oils are a natural way to infuse your products with aromatic and medicinal uniqueness. Essential oils are concentrated compounds extracted from plants and can pack a punch not only in aromatic intensity, but in your container. To prevent deterioration and permeation, it's imperative that products containing essential oils are packaged in the right kind of container.

Use glass or aluminum for storing "pure" essential oils. Pure essential oils are very potent. Care should be taken to ensure they are stored in an airtight container. All oils have different properties and caution and experimentation should be used in determining what kind of container will work best. Most sources recommend a glass bottle with an airtight lid. Rubber and plastic containers and cap components can be damaged and deteriorated by pure essential oils.

Take care to prolong the life of your pure essential oils by storing in a cool, dark, dry place. Sunlight can accelerate the expiration of your essential oils. Some sources recommend using dark amber or cobalt blue colored glass bottles.

Use plastic or aluminum for products containing "diluted" essential oils. Plastic containers, specifically PET, have been shown to store some products containing essential oils remarkably well. In many cases, essential oils are added to lotions or other products. When mixed with a lotion, for example, the essential oil's potency is diluted. Its capacity to infuse the lotion with aroma is not diminished, but its capacity to damage plastic and rubber is. Aluminum containers may also be good options for products containing both pure and diluted essential oils.

PET may also be an excellent alternative to glass for some products. It is less expensive than a comparable glass container, weighs less than glass, and recycles well. PET bottles and jars may be a good option for storing products containing essential oils because it has a high permeability resistance rating.

Please test your product/container compatibility. Essential oils are powerful substances with a myriad of properties and potencies. We strongly recommend you test the effect your product will have on your container. We offer free samples of most of our products so that you can test your product with our containers and closures. We cannot guarantee that any container will function properly with your particular product.

Container & Packaging Supply assumes no responsibility for suitability of any container or closure for customer's particular use. It is the customer's responsibility to do product compatibility testing with container and closure selected by customer. We are not responsible for consequential damages arising from customer's selection and use of containers and closures supplied by us.

Why we need packaging

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:14:00 +0000

Packaging and labeling have several objectives:

Physical protection - The product may require protection from shock, temperature, or compression. Bodyguards are not a cost effective way to go.

Barrier protection - The product may require protection from oxygen, water vapor or dust. Some packages contain oxygen desiccants to extend shelf-life.

Containment or agglomeration (isn't that a great word?) - Small products are typically grouped together (think of those small army men figures, or marshmallows, or pencils). It is not cost-effective to individually package each item. Imagine trying to make Rice-Krispie® treats with individually wrapped marshmallows.

Information transmission - Packaging also communicates how the product should be used, transmitted, or disposed. Believe it or not, some people don't know how to use a marshmallow. Step 1, unwrap your marshmallow. Step 2, raise marshmallow to your mouth. Step 3, open your mouth ...

Marketing - (My favorite part, and arguably the MOST important of all) Packaging is often the first part of the product a customer will see and is overwhelmingly influential in whether or not the product gets purchased. In the picture above, can you actually SEE the ramen in the pack, or the pineapple in the can, or the yogurt in the tub, or the Pringles® chips in the ... tall cardboard tube thingy with a tub lid? Not always ... the packaging helps with that. Packaging is where you get to make your sales pitch.

Security - Packaging can be made to be tamper-evident, or prevent pilferage. Some packaging can also show whether or not a product is counterfeit. Think of medicines, drugs and Microsoft products.

Convenience - Packaging can be designed to make shipping, handling, stacking, use, and storage easier. Would you rather lug around a 50 pound bag of sugar on your shoulder at the grocery store, or carry 50 pounds of sugar with a nifty and "convenient" handle? (This is not a trick question).

All of these purposes should be considered when developing a package for a product. Packaging dry pasta in a tin can (like you would package pineapple) would be overkill. Pasta doesn't need the same kind of physical and barrier protection that pineapple does.

So, how are you going to remember these 8 packaging purposes? Don't worry, I made up a few mnemonics for it. Ahem ...

Peanut Butter Cracker Is My Susan's Catastrophe.
Please Beat Carpets In My Shoe Closet.
Packages Bearing Countless Infants Make Serious Cacophony.
Parakeets Bite Children In My Shopping Cart.

Color psychology: Picking the right color

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:47:00 +0000

Color is everywhere and it impacts decisions you make everyday. What does it mean? How can you maximize impact? Why are people more relaxed in green rooms? Why do weightlifters do their best in blue gyms? What colors in which constructs can maximize impact?

Color psychology is the study of how color affects you. And when you've only got 3 seconds to catch a shopper's eye, picking the right colors is imperative.

Yellow is the most noticeable color. It is also the hardest color for the human eye to process. If you're wanting your product to catch consumers' eyes, yellow seems like a good idea; and if you are selling a citrus-based product, then yellow makes sense. However, using yellow to catch the eye for a calming lavendar-scented lotion may not be the best idea. Yellow is energy. Blues and purples are soothing and calming. Read more about the psychology of color below:

Black is the color of power and authority. Black is popular in clothing and fashion because it has a slimming effect. It can also denote submission (priests showing submission to God), evil (in the case of villains), decay and death. It is also the "go to" color for almost everything because, like white, it is the ultimate neutral.

White symbolizes purity, innocence and simplicity. White can be partnered with any color because, like black, it is the ultimate neutral. White clears the mind, and enables a fresh start (think of a blank piece of paper). It is the antithesis of clutter and chaos. White can also be seen as sterile ... clean yet lacking life. Think hospitals.

Red is the most powerful color. Red represents aggression, appetite, activity, and love. Red is an extreme color and is easily noticed. It is used a lot in restaurants and dining to stimulate appetite. Red increases enthusiasm, energy, and confidence. Pink (which is red with more white) has almost an opposite affect. Pink is a tranquilizer.

Orange is one of the most controversial colors. Orange evokes a "love it/hate it" response in a lot of people. Orange, like red, stimulates activity, appetite, socialization, and creativity. It is bright and cheerful, getting the notice that red does without the aggressive undertones. Some shades of orange have broader appeal: peach, rust, tera cotta for example.

Yellow is a cheerful color, yet it should be used with caution. Yellow is the most difficult color for the eye to process. People lose their tempers and babies cry more in yellow rooms (time to repaint the nursery). Yellow aids concentration and speeds metabolism. Yellow symbolizes happiness, cheerfulness, optimism, but also illness and decay.

Green is the most visible color to the human eye and is second only to blue as a favorite color. Natural greens are calming and refreshing. Green represents nature, peace, relaxation, health, harmony, wealth, and fertility. Some greens, however can seem institutional (money, government), or have undertones of illness, slime, or envy.

Blue is the most popular color, and the most gender generic. It is the color of the ocean and sky. Blue is calming and relaxing but can also be seen as cold, uncaring or depressing. Blue is an appetite suppressant, historically blue foods were poisonous. Not all blues are sedate, however, bright blues can be seen as electric and exhilarating.

Purple is the combination of red and blue. It is a dichotomy of aggression and calm. This can create a sense of uneasiness unless the undertone (is it more red or more blue) is clear. Purple connotes luxury, royalty, wealth and sophistication. It is also a feminine color and romantic. It can also appear artificial since it is rarely found in nature.

Brown is the color of reliability and stability. It is the color of our earth and evokes feelings of wholesomeness, nature, order, health and vitality. Brown can also be somber or wistful. This effect can be reduced by partnering it with oranges and reds. Light brown can be lighthearted, whereas dark browns like wood or leather are more hearty and somber.

CPS: A Safe and Secure Place to Shop

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 00:13:00 +0000

Our website is a safe and secure place to shop. We partner with three different organizations to reassure our customers that we are a legitimate business, that we are a safe place to shop, and that we have a secure system for handling their personal information. Those partners are (1) The Better Business Bureau, (2) McAfee SECURE, and (3) thawte (pronounced "thought").

The Better Business Bureau Seal
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a private nonprofit organization that promotes an ethical marketplace and encouraging honest advertising and selling practices. Container & Packaging Supply has been a BBB "accredited business" since December of 1986 (that's 23 years). This means that the BBB has determined that CPS has committed to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. The BBB Seal resides on every page of our website.

Tell our customers: "We have been a highly rated Better Business Bureau accredited business for 23 years."

Learn more about BBB ratings
See our BBB certificate

The McAfee SECURE Trustmark
Every day, McAfee runs a comprehensive scan on our website for more than 10,000 vulnerabilities. McAfee essentially makes sure that no one can hack into our website, steal information, compromise our data, or gather information on our customers. Customers who see the McAfee trustmark view our site as a safer and more secure place to shop. The McAfee SECURE Trustmark resides at the top of every page of our website.

Tell our customers: "Our website undergoes daily testing by McAfee SECURE to make sure your information is safe."

The thawte Trusted Site Seal
The thawte Trusted Site Seal tells visitors that they can trust us, that our website is validated and that they can transact safely and securely with you. A validated website is a website that has taken the necessary steps to protect customer's private and personal information. The thawte seal resides on only our shopping cart pages where personal, private, and credit card information is entered.

Tell our customers: "Our shopping cart is validated by thawte. This means that your personal information is secure."

We reuse boxes

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:05:00 +0000

In order to do our part to keep landfills as ecologically friendly as possible, we often order misprinted corrugated boxes from a local box manufacturer. These boxes would end up in landfills without ever being used, so we buy these boxes to ensure they are used at least once before being disposed of.

In a small way, this is how we help reduce waste. Use of these packages also help keep the cost of shipping and handling down, allowing us to pass these savings on to our customers.

This means that you may receive product from Container & Packaging Supply in a box that isn't printed with our logo, meanwhile knowing that you, too, are helping to reduce needless waste.

How are plastics made?

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:48:00 +0000

Plastics consist of building blocks called hydrocarbons, typically derived from petroleum or natural gas. These monomers (small molecules) are bonded into chains called polymers or plastic resins. Different combinations of monomers yield resins with special properties and characteristics.

Why are plastics used in packaging?
Packaging serves many purposes, but one of its primary functions is to help protect the quality of goods - ranging from sensitive electronics to fresh and prepared foods - during shipping, handling and merchandising. Plastics are a versatile family of materials that are suitable for a wide range of packaging applications. In many cases, plastics offer the best protection while using minimal resources and creating less waste than alternative materials. In fact, 400 percent more material by weight would be needed to make packaging if there were no plastics, while the volume of packaging would more than double.

Why are plastics used in durable goods?
Manufactured items with a useful life of more than three years - cars, appliances, computers, etc. - are called durable goods. Manufacturers of durable goods choose plastics for the following reasons:

The automotive industry chooses plastic for its durability, corrosion resistance, ease of coloring and finishing, resiliency, energy efficiency and light weight. Light weight, for instance, translates into lowered handling and transportation costs all down the line. Where a plastic film (as in stretch wrap) can replace a heavy shipping crate or carton, the weight savings can be an order of magnitude or more.
Major appliance manufacturers use plastics because of their ease of fabrication and outstanding thermal insulation characteristics, that significantly reduce energy consumption.
The building and construction industry uses vinyl siding for homes because of its appearance, durability, ease of installation and energy efficiency. Plastics can reduce energy consumption for the auto, appliance, and building and construction industries, providing a substantial savings in production costs.

Why do we need different kinds of plastics?
A: Copper, silver and aluminum are all metals, yet each has unique properties. You wouldn't make a car out of silver or a beer can out of copper because the properties of these metals are not chemically or physically able to create the most effective final product. Likewise, while plastics are all related, each resin has attributes that make it best suited to a particular application. Plastics make this possible because as a material family they are so versatile.

Six resins account for nearly all of the plastics used in packaging: PET, HDPE, LDPE, PVC, PP, and PS.

What about CFCs?
Most (nearly 70 percent) of polystyrene foam products never were made with chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). In the late 1980s, those few polystyrene manufacturers that used them announced the voluntary phaseout of CFCs.

Source
The Society of the Plastics Industry
www.plasticsindustry.org/outreach/environment/2106.htm
© Copyright 2003 The Society of the Plastics Industry

How can I decorate my package?

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:41:00 +0000

Silk screen printing is the most common form of bottle decoration in the industry. Please read our post on screen printing.

In addition to silk screen printing, pad printing, hot stamping and custom labels are other ways to decorate a package.

Pad Printing. In this process a flexible, rubber pad pulls ink off a preformed template and applies the template design to a container or package. Typically, pad printing is used for printing lids or flat, ovular bottles. Also, pad printing is used to do many custom, promotional jobs.
Hat Stamping. In this process, a metal foil is melted onto a container's plastic surface, leaving a metalic impression of your logo or artwork on the bottle. Typically, a gold foil is used, giving the package, a shiny golden design. Often containers are both silk-screened and hot stamped, providing a general package design enhanced by a golden or metallic gleam.
Custom Labels. Custom labels are perhaps as common a form of decoration as silk screening. We have a local label supplier that can print and supply your labels. We have the capabilities of applying your label here in our print shop, or, if you are cost-conscious, you may apply your own labels. Labeling is recommended if you are interested in a multiple color design. Silk screening is very effective for one and two color designs. Beyond that, silk screening becomes very difficult and expensive. If you are looking at multiple colors, definitely contact us for a quote for labels.

Canning 101: The Cold Pack Method

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 22:55:00 +0000

Raw pack normally refers to placing uncooked meat or fish into a canning jar, while a cold pack normally refers to fruits and vegetables. In some recipes the raw or cold pack methods are recommended and for others the hot-pack method is more appropriate.

The cold, or uncooked food is packed into jars, heated liquid may be added, and then the jars are sealed and processed. There are certain recipes where the food is entirely cooked in the canning jar and is, therefore, cold or raw packed.

Canning 101: The Hot Pack Method

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:53:00 +0000

For hot pack method, the product is cooked in advance and, while still hot, is packed into hot jars. The contents and the jars remain at a high temperature throughout the entire process. Remember that processing adds to the cooking time! You may think that something is undercooked when canning it, but the food does indeed cook longer during processing.

Always select blemish-free produce, or cut off any blemishes during preparation. Before canning, inspect your jars to insure there are no nicks or fissures then make certain that the jars you plan to use will fit properly into your water bath processor. Try test-loading before cleaning and preparing the jars for filling. It may be necessary to process in smaller batches.

What is thermosetting?

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 22:47:00 +0000

A thermoset is a polymer that solidifies irreversibly when heated. Similar to the relationship between a raw and a cooked egg, once heated, a thermoset polymer can't be softened again; the egg can't reverts back to its original form. During the initial processing, thermosetting resins undergo a chemical reaction that results in an insoluble network. Essentially, the entire heated, finished article becomes one large molecule. For example, the polymer used in making a fiber-reinforced laminate for a golf club undergoes a cross-linking reaction when it is molded at a high temperature.

Any amount of heat does not soften the material to the point where it can be reworked and indeed may serve only to break it down. Hence, thermosetting substances must have sufficient cross-linking of their chains to prevent molecular motion on heating. Thermosets are therefore valued for their durability and strength and are primarily used in vehicles and construction.

Polyurethanes: mattresses, insulation, toys

Unsaturated Polyesters: varnishes, furniture, boat hulls

Epoxies: glues, coating for electrical circuits, helicopter blades.

What is a thermoplastic?

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:45:00 +0000

The term, thermoplastics mean that once the polymer is formed, it can be heated and reformed over and over again. The molecules are held together by weak secondary bonding forces that causes the plastic to soften when exposed to light and return back to its original shape, when cooled back down to room temperature. The structure associated with thermoplastics is that of individual molecules that are separate from one another and flow past one another.

The molecules may have low or extremely high molecular weight, and they may be branched or linear in structure, but the essential feature is that of separability and consequent mobility. It should also be noted that these substances also have little cross-linking. Since extrusion, molding or pressing when exposed to heat can shape thermoplastics; it therefore offers versatility and a large range of applications.

This property of plastics allows for easy processing and facilitates recycling; the majority of polymers are therefore thermoplastics.

Polyethylene: packaging, electrical insulation, milk and water bottles, packaging film, house wrap, agricultural film

Polypropylene: carpet fibers, car bumpers, microwave containers

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): floor and wall coverings, siding, credit cards, car instrument panels.

The history of plastic

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:43:00 +0000

In today's world, life without plastics is incomprehensible. Whether you are aware of it or not, plastics have become a familiar part of our lives, where these organic polymeric materials play a vital role in the modern society. Plastic's versatility allows it to be used in everything from car parts to doll parts, and from soft drink bottles to the fridges that they are stored in.

Such variations in its applications contribute to our health, safety and peace of mind. Though the growth of such synthetic plastics has virtually reshaped our environment since World War II, there is a challenge to retain the benefits that the use of plastics can offer, while at the same time ensuring that they do not cause environmental harm.

Despite the popularity and suitability of plastics, it has constantly been subjected to trenchant criticisms. Hence the role and the chemistry of plastics, and its impact on the society and the environment becomes an apparent issue. POLYMERS: THE BASICS: As defined by Webster's Dictionary, plastic are any of various complex organic compounds produced by polymerization, capable of being molded, extruded, cast into various shapes and films, or drawn into filaments used as textile fibers. Plastics have a very unique chemical structure, as they are composed of long-chain molecules, which contain small groups of recurring atoms linked together.

Chemically speaking, such giant molecule chains are called polymers, where these long polymer molecules become entangled with each other. The word, polymer, refers to something made of many units. Each link of this long chain is a basic unit or a monomer, encompassed with organic materials, such as the elements; carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, chlorine and sulphur. In order to form the polymer chain, many monomers are hooked or polymerized together.

This process of polymerization is a chemical reaction usually in the presence of a catalyst, which combines single molecules into long-chain molecules. Though a considerable amount of force is required to disentangle the polymer chains, but when subjected to heat these chains move apart to permit one to slide over the other yet still retain their cohesiveness. Since polymers are very large and very complex molecules, the chemistry of their formation remains very complex.

Does the FDA require animal testing?

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:40:00 +0000

Although the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act does not require animal testing for cosmetic safety, FDA strongly urges cosmetic manufacturers to conduct whatever tests are appropriate to establish that their cosmetics are safe.

Cosmetic products that have not been tested for safety must have a warning statement on the front label which reads, "WARNING -- The safety of this product has not been determined."

FDA is currently working with various government and private organizations to develop alternatives to animal testing in assessing cosmetic safety. Until such methods are proven to be reliable and accepted by the scientific community, FDA believes that the use of animals is necessary to ensure the safety of cosmetic products.

Source: fda.org

Candles FYI

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:02:00 +0000

Did you know that retail sales of candles in the US are estimated at $2 billion annually? Or that 7 out of 10 US households use candles? Did you know there is an estimated 10,000 different candles scents available to US consumers?

Plastics: Landfills and Incineration

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 21:01:00 +0000

How do modern landfills protect the environment?
The purpose of solid waste management is to remove wastes from living areas in a way that protects human health and the environment. Landfills fulfill this mission by sealing wastes away from the surrounding environment with liners and keeping them covered by more than six inches of dirt.

By sealing in wastes, landfills also control biodegradation, limiting the risk of explosive methane emissions. Uncontrolled biodegradation could also result in a toxic sludge that, if leaked, would endanger groundwater supplies. Modern landfills almost "mummify" waste. Recent landfill excavations have turned up 35-year-old newspapers that were still perfectly legible and 15-year-old corn that was still recognizable.

Can degradable plastics solve the solid waste problem?
Because landfills are designed to limit degradation, degradable materials of any type are not likely to affect the amount of landfill space available. Likewise, degradability provides no benefit in the areas of recycling and waste-to-energy incineration.

In areas where composting or wastewater treatment is available as a solid waste disposal option, however, new degradable plastics may prove effective. Composting plastics and paper waste with other organic compostable materials like yard waste, food and agricultural waste creates a valuable soil supplement and contributes to improved farming and gardening efficiency. Flushable, biodegradable products are readily treated in a regulated wastewater and sewage treatment facility, reducing the impact on other disposal systems.

Are we running out of safe places to put landfills?
No. While the total number of landfills is decreasing, total landfill capacity is actually increasing. It appears that the trend in solid waste management is to operate fewer, but larger and safer, landfills. For example, in 1988, 70 percent of the country's landfills (the smaller ones) handled less than 5 percent of the MSW that was landfilled nationwide. Fewer than 500 landfills (the bigger ones), or 8 percent of the total, handled about 75 percent of the landfilled MSW.

Why are so many landfills being closed?
Landfills are closed when they fail to meet strict regulatory requirements or simply because they are full. Many of the "landfills" most recently shut down were small, poorly run and inefficient or were actually open dumps closed for environmental reasons.

Contrary to popular belief, landfills are designed to minimize and control biodegradation. If they weren't, the uncontrolled biodegradation of such large quantities of waste could create explosive gases and toxic leachate, a threat to our groundwater supplies.

What happens inside a modern waste-to-energy facility?
The energy value of municipal solid waste (MSW) can be recovered through waste-to-energy incineration. Modern energy recovery facilities burn MSW in special combustion chambers, then use the resulting heat energy to generate steam or electricity. This process reduces the volume of MSW to be landfilled by as much as 90 percent.

Energy recovery facilities are designed to achieve high combustion temperatures, which help MSW burn cleaner and create less ash for disposal. Modern air pollution control devices - electrostatic precipitators, dry and wet scrubbers, and/or fabric filters - are used to remove potentially harmful particulates and gases from incinerator emissions.

Is waste-to-energy incineration safe?
Yes. In 1989, the U.S. Conference of Mayors convened an international blue-ribbon panel of experts to discuss the health and safety impacts of waste-to-energy incineration. The symposium participants concluded that a properly equipped, operated and maintained energy recovery facility can operate within existing regulatory standards for human health and safety. The Clean Air Act of 1991 provided for an additional margin of security with tightened emissions standards. Furthermore, many communities are recognizing the importance of removing recyclables, as well as items such as batteries and household hazardous wastes, before incineration to reduce toxic components in incinerator ash.

The symposium participants found that, contrary to popular misconception, there is no evidence to link the incineration of PVC with increased dioxin emissions. Similar conclusions have been reached in a number of sources, including a 1987 study for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. Generally speaking, electricity is generated as safely through waste-to-energy incineration as it is through a power plant.

How much waste-to-energy capacity is there?
There are 121 energy recovery facilities operating in the United States, with a designed capacity of nearly 97,000 tons per day. An additional five facilities are under construction and 31 are in the planning stages. If all of these facilities come on line as planned, 19 percent of the nation's MSW will be processed by energy recovery facilities by the year 2000.

How do plastics contribute to waste-to-energy incineration?
Plastics are derived from petroleum or natural gas, giving them a stored energy value higher than any other material commonly found in the waste stream. In fact, one pound of plastics can generate twice as much energy as Wyoming coal and almost as much energy as fuel oil. When plastics are processed in modern waste-to-energy facilities, they can help other waste combust more completely, leaving less ash for disposal in landfills.

We're always adding new items

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:50:00 +0000

Visit our site often, to see our fast changing inventory. We add bottles, plastic and glass, nearly every week. The quantities of these plastic bottles and other cosmetic containers are very limited-so act fast! Don't forget to check New Items section for new, quality packaging at unbelievably low prices.

Plastics and Energy Efficiency

noreply@blogger.com (CPS) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:59:00 +0000

Can plastics actually save energy?
Yes. And they use less energy than you might think: the raw materials that go into the production of plastics account for only 1.5 percent of total U.S. energy consumption. In addition, it often takes less energy to convert plastics from a raw material into a finished product than comparable products made of other materials:

Plastic grocery bags require 40 percent less energy to make than paper bags.
Foam polystyrene containers require 30 percent less total energy than paperboard containers.
Fifty-three billion kilowatt hours of electricity are saved annually by improvement in major appliance energy efficiency made possible by plastic applications. Without plastics, these appliances would use 30 percent more energy.

Would more energy be conserved if plastic packaging were replaced by non-plastic alternatives?
No. In fact, the total energy used in manufacturing plastic packaging is considerably less than the energy used to produce non-plastic alternatives -- even when the inherent energy value of plastics' raw materials is factored in. This means that without plastics, the equivalent of an additional 58 million barrels of oil or 325 billion cubic feet of natural gas would have been required to meet America's packaging needs in 1990. That's enough to meet the energy needs of 100,000 homes for 35 years.

Source
The Society of the Plastics Industry
www.plasticsindustry.org/outreach/environment/2107.htm
© Copyright 2003 The Society of the Plastics Industry