Caps and closures are an essential packaging element used for products in a broad range of markets, such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, health and wellness, cosmetics, and many others. As packaging solutions continually shift toward plastics, it is important to consider cap and closure performance as part of the overall packaging value proposition.
The right cap or closure ensures that customers have a positive experience when accessing the product while also maintaining the integrity of the packaging in accordance with stringent regulatory guidelines. Due largely to its versatility and low cost, plastic has widely replaced other materials previously used for caps and closures.
Plastic Caps, Closures & Packaging by Industry
Plastic is easily formed, shaped, and manipulated into any desired configuration. It is lightweight, durable, inexpensive, and recyclable. Given its many benefits, plastic has become the most commonly used material for caps and closures within a wide range of industries. To keep up with ever-changing packaging best practices, it is important to have a thorough understanding of the materials, processes, and benefits of plastic caps and closures.
Personal Care & Beauty Packaging
Packaging for cosmetics and personal care products is often highly specialized and requires versatile manufacturing processes. Caps and closures for the personal care and beauty industries vary widely depending on the type of product, consistency, and desired appearance.
Plastic injection molding is one of the most popular manufacturing methods for caps and closures, as it allows for large scale manufacturing of identical components with the utmost efficiency. With the advent of industrial 3D printing capabilities, some manufacturers are also turning to this method for speedy prototyping and sample production. Both manufacturing methods allow for the use of a variety of plastics to facilitate different overall appearances and configurations to make each product stand out.
Some of the most common caps and closures used for personal care and cosmetic products include:
Dispensing Closures
- Flapper top
- Poly top
- Press top
- Snap top
- Tube caps
- Yorkers
Non-Dispensing Closures
- Child-resistant caps
- Compression caps
- Dome caps
- Spice caps
- Tube caps
Food & Beverage Packaging
While ease of use and marketing are important considerations, food and beverage packaging must also adhere to strict safety and sanitation standards. All food and beverage packaging is subject to FDA guidelines and must be composed of non-toxic, BPA-free materials to ensure safe consumption. To ensure products that exceed industry standards, food and beverage packaging is often manufactured using plastic injection molding, which is both quick and versatile.
Packaging solutions for the food and beverage industry are required for everything from coffee pods to beverage bottles and plastic food containers. Depending on the product, caps and closures for food and beverage products may also need to withstand extreme temperatures and prevent leaks. Common food and beverage closures include:
- Threaded screw caps
- Plugs
- Snap tops
- Spice caps
Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Packaging
Caps and closures for pharmaceutical and biomedical products are highly regulated and specialized to ensure the integrity and safety of the product. Like food and beverage packaging, pharmaceutical products are subject to stringent regulations enforced by both U.S. and international agencies. Due to the highly sensitive nature of pharmaceutical products, variations on cap and closure designs have been created in both one-piece and two-piece styles.
As packaging technology advances, one-piece caps are becoming easier to produce while still meeting the secure design guidelines necessary for regulatory compliance. This is beneficial, as one-piece caps use less material and weigh less than two-piece caps. They also require less energy and are overall less expensive to produce.
Working With AdvanTech Plastics
AdvanTech Plastics is a premier provider of quality plastic caps and closures for pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and cosmetics products around the world. Our state-of-the-art facilities and team of industry experts keep us at the forefront of plastic manufacturing technology so our customers know they are getting the most advanced products on the market at competitive prices.
For more information on our comprehensive portfolio of plastic caps, closures, and other packaging solutions, contact us or request a quote today.