A Sticky Situation: The Buzz About Organic Honey

Back in 2011, online publication Food Safety News released an article regarding a test they performed on over 60 different brands of honey. The test revealed that around 76 percent of the honey on store shelves has almost all of the pollen removed -- from which, they concluded that the majority of the honey being [...]

 

Back in 2011, online publication Food Safety News released an article regarding a test they performed on over 60 different brands of honey. The test revealed that around 76 percent of the honey on store shelves has almost all of the pollen removed — from which, they concluded that the majority of the honey being bought nationwide is not “real honey.” It stated that honey was being “ultra-filtered” so that it couldn’t be traced to its point of origin, which...
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Strength in Unity: An Overview of Hybrid Packaging M...

For millennia, humans have been combining elements and materials together to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. It’s no different in the packaging industry, where hybrid packaging and multi-layered materials are found nearly everywhere. Homer’s Iliad is the earliest description of the Chimera, a terrifying mythical beast. In the epic poem, it’s described as [...]

 

For millennia, humans have been combining elements and materials together to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. It’s no different in the packaging industry, where hybrid packaging and multi-layered materials are found nearly everywhere. Homer’s Iliad is the earliest description of the Chimera, a terrifying mythical beast. In the epic poem, it’s described as “a thing of immortal make, not human, lion-fronted and snake behind, a goat in the middle, and snorting out the breath of the terrible flame...
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Microtags: The Dust-Sized Future of Packaging Security

TruTag Technologies is making the tiniest anti-counterfeiting product to hit the market yet. Aptly called microtags, these dust-sized particles can be incorporated into almost anything and carry their own unique digital signature. It’s another miniature step towards a safer world for product and package alike. As we know, counterfeiting is a major worldwide problem, and [...]

 

TruTag Technologies is making the tiniest anti-counterfeiting product to hit the market yet. Aptly called microtags, these dust-sized particles can be incorporated into almost anything and carry their own unique digital signature. It’s another miniature step towards a safer world for product and package alike. As we know, counterfeiting is a major worldwide problem, and it’s extremely difficult for a large-scale business to detect these items before they reach the hands of the consumer. Be it clothing or pharmaceuticals, few...
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Sustainable Camping: How to Repurpose Junk into Usef...

Camping is a popular activity for people of all ages, but if done irresponsibly, it can inflict serious harm on the environment. Making an effort to enjoy the outdoors while minimizing your footprint can make a world of difference. You can help by doing anything from cleaning the site before you leave, to repurposing used [...]

 

Camping is a popular activity for people of all ages, but if done irresponsibly, it can inflict serious harm on the environment. Making an effort to enjoy the outdoors while minimizing your footprint can make a world of difference. You can help by doing anything from cleaning the site before you leave, to repurposing used packaging, straws, and other household waste into camping gear. Assuming that first part is straight forward enough, we’ll cover some tips and tricks dealing with...
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What is 360 Degree Packaging?

In our second issue of PAK'R Magazine, we talked about some innovations in packaging that are on 2017's radar, one of which being tactile packaging -- that is, packaging you can feel and interact with beyond a standard box or plastic wrap. A start-up in Chicago is using a minimalist approach for vacuum-sealed beef, giving [...]

In our second issue of PAK’R Magazine, we talked about some innovations in packaging that are on 2017’s radar, one of which being tactile packaging — that is, packaging you can feel and interact with beyond a standard box or plastic wrap. A start-up in Chicago is using a minimalist approach for vacuum-sealed beef, giving customers a 360 degree view of a product while guaranteeing protection and product quality. In the heart of the Midwest, PRE Brands is attempting to...
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Eating Green: Can You Trust the Terms?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade, you know that sustainable, organic agriculture and local food are growing trends worldwide. In your local grocery store, there are likely entire sections filled with produce plastered with “local” and “organic” stickers that proclaim their benefits to body, environment, and community. It’s more expensive, [...]

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade, you know that sustainable, organic agriculture and local food are growing trends worldwide. In your local grocery store, there are likely entire sections filled with produce plastered with “local” and “organic” stickers that proclaim their benefits to body, environment, and community. It’s more expensive, but it’s natural to assume that buying from this selection has benefits that outweigh the extra cost. Today’s consumers love the idea of food that...
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It Came from Inside the Package: How Smart Packaging...

In an increasingly interconnected world, we’re relying more and more on our devices and the way they communicate with the objects around us. We’re seeing the advent of a world where we’re not only getting information from other humans and our computers - we’re getting it from the objects and devices that make up our [...]

In an increasingly interconnected world, we’re relying more and more on our devices and the way they communicate with the objects around us. We’re seeing the advent of a world where we’re not only getting information from other humans and our computers – we’re getting it from the objects and devices that make up our daily lives. The world of packaging is no exception, as smart technology is becoming able to provide us with live data to enhance every aspect...
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What on Earth are Metallized Films?

When people think of packaging, it’s easy to think that most materials are homogeneous (that is, the same type of material throughout): you have plastic films, metal foils, and paper and cardboard packaging, all straightforward and rather basic on their own. However, this is the 21st century, an era of scientific innovation spurred on by [...]

 

When people think of packaging, it’s easy to think that most materials are homogeneous (that is, the same type of material throughout): you have plastic films, metal foils, and paper and cardboard packaging, all straightforward and rather basic on their own. However, this is the 21st century, an era of scientific innovation spurred on by efficiency and sustainability. One such hybrid packaging material comes in the form of metallized films, polymer products embedded with a layer of metal to grant an...
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Paper or Plastic: Which is the Greener Option?

While plastic has been demonized for its damaging effect on the environment, most people feel more comfortable with paper-based products like paper bags and cardboard. When one weighs out all the factors that go into the manufacturing, use, and recycling of both materials, however, paper isn't as green an option as people think. Don't [...]

While plastic has been demonized for its damaging effect on the environment, most people feel more comfortable with paper-based products like paper bags and cardboard. When one weighs out all the factors that go into the manufacturing, use, and recycling of both materials, however, paper isn’t as green an option as people think. Don’t get me wrong: plastics waste is a huge problem that needs to be reined in if we’re to preserve the planet we live on. Like we...
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Do You Know About Direct-Package Printing?

Hailed as the up-and-coming printing method, direct-package printing is primed to innovate the way we decorate packaging. By eliminating the need for labels, businesses can print directly on packages of any shape and size, opening limitless creative doors. But is it really all that it’s cracked up to be? You might have already heard about [...]

Hailed as the up-and-coming printing method, direct-package printing is primed to innovate the way we decorate packaging. By eliminating the need for labels, businesses can print directly on packages of any shape and size, opening limitless creative doors. But is it really all that it’s cracked up to be? You might have already heard about this method, though more than likely by a different name: digital direct-to-shape printing, direct object printing, and direct-to-container digital printing all refer to direct-package printing...
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The Benefits of Dimensional Weight Over Physical Wei...

As more and more shipping companies are switching over to dimensional weight pricing, a lot of people are wondering what the deal is. Why not stick with the traditional physical weight pricing model -- after all, the heavier the package, the more it should cost, right? It turns out physical weight might not actually be [...]

As more and more shipping companies are switching over to dimensional weight pricing, a lot of people are wondering what the deal is. Why not stick with the traditional physical weight pricing model — after all, the heavier the package, the more it should cost, right? It turns out physical weight might not actually be the best way for shipping companies to manage their cargo. Not to mention the complications it causes for both them and the businesses that rely...
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IKEA unveils its Plans for Mushroom-Based Packaging

There’s an increasing number of alternatives to plastic packaging as the market becomes more aware and concerned about sustainable practices. With that in mind, companies and researchers are looking high and low for innovative inspiration. In IKEA’s case, their answer to replacing polystyrene packaging might as well have been hiding under a log. No, we’re [...]

There’s an increasing number of alternatives to plastic packaging as the market becomes more aware and concerned about sustainable practices. With that in mind, companies and researchers are looking high and low for innovative inspiration. In IKEA’s case, their answer to replacing polystyrene packaging might as well have been hiding under a log. No, we’re not talking about wood, but mushroom fibers. The Swedish furniture company announced earlier this year that it remains committed to being a leader in reducing...
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