Our star product for this month is our N95 Facemask. Also called the FFP2 and FFP3, this is the choice for our team throughout our warehouses and offices, as we firmly believe it’s the best protection for our team and visitors from the COVID-19 virus and related aerosols. 

There is an increasing volume of choice about which kind of face mask to wear, the information can be somewhat of a minefield and based on speculation as much as fact. In some countries the advice is changing on a regular basis. 

In his video, the BBC’s Science Editor David Shukman explains the difference between the different masks available, and of all sources, we would agree he’s pretty credible! 

The N95 facemask is the best grade of mask available. They have filters inside them to screen out aerosols, and some countries like Austria are making them a legal requirement in busy areas and on public transport. In Germany, the elderly have been handed them out to go shopping. 

The N95 facemasks provide a closer fit than cloth or surgical masks. There are no gaps through which aerosols could sneak, which means the wearer and those around them should be safer. Although they are a lot more expensive, at Simply Packaging we believe that anything that keeps staff and guests from being at risk of this cruel disease has got to be worth it, so we are literally putting our money where our mouths are, and suggest our customers do the same. 

View more of the BBC’s video on face coverings here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/health-55877540 

Tapes often look very similar to each other, but they all have unique properties that make them ideally suited to many specific types of applications. But how do you determine which tape is best for your job?

Much depends on three questions: what is the tape being used for, what is inside the box and will the tape be used outdoors? The answers to these three questions will go a long way to deciding the best tape for you.

What is the tape being used for?

The beauty of tape is that it can be used for so many different applications, from wrapping presents to reinforcing broken goods. If your job requires a tough, rigid tape which will need to withstand a bit of wear and tear, then we’d always recommend our reinforced cross weave tape. The incredible tear resistance of this tape makes it perfect for jobs where that bit of extra strength is required. Cross weave tapes are extremely strong, durable packing tapes that can be used as an alternative to polypropylene strapping.

What is inside the box?

Similar to the above, if there’s heavy contents in your package then you’ll need a strong tape to keep it all in place. However, on the opposite end of the scale, if you’re worried that your goods may get damaged in transit then always ensure you’ve wrapped it in fragile tape as well as your usual packaging tape. This will make the courier aware that they should take more care during delivery.

Will the tape be used outdoors?

Unfortunately, not all tape will be able to endure the outdoors. Some will come loose when wet, while others will struggle to grip to their boxes when conditions reach a certain temperature. For peace of mind during your journey we’d recommend using our waterproof cloth tape, which is a heavy duty, water resistant tape for interior and exterior use. It is durable and tear resistant and will bond to virtually any surface. This tape is ideal for indoor and outdoor applications thanks to its strong waterproof specification.

Need further advice for your packaging needs? Get in touch!

Please note that we will be closing for Christmas on the 19^th December and will be re-opening on the 2^nd January. As such, no orders will be processed between these dates.

From everyone at Simply Packaging, we hope you have a lovely Christmas and a lovely New Year!

When wrapping your Christmas gifts every year, making sure you’re doing it the most environmentally friendly way probably isn’t at the top of your list. It’s estimated that in Britain we throw out 108 million rolls of Christmas wrapping paper per year, which is a lot of waste.

That’s why below we’ve looked at how you can keep your presents looking aesthetically pleasing, and eco-friendly:

Paper Products

Our paper products, such as our White News Offcuts are 100% recyclable and can be used to wrap multiple items, or just fill the void when packaging goods.  With its low cost, white news cut-offs are ideal to be bought in bulk to protect valuable goods from any damage when in transit. Although our White News Offcuts are relatively cheap, they have the potential to look impressive – depending how crafty you get! They can be decorated with festive stickers and finished off with brown string to add decoration.

Recycle

Unfortunately, not all types of wrapping paper can be recycled, so it’s important to look out for a few things before you throw them into your recycling bin:

• Wrapping paper is often dyed, laminated and/or contains non-paper additives such as gold and silver coloured shapes, glitter, plastics etc which cannot be recycled
• Some wrapping paper is very thin and contains few good quality fibres for recycling
• A lot of wrapping paper has sticky tape attached to it which makes it very difficult to recycle.

Embossed Straw Paper

Do you tend to create luxury hampers or package large presents for your loved ones? Believe it or not, a lot of filling products aren’t 100% recyclable, meaning they can’t be reused once they’ve been opened. This is where our embossed straw paper comes in, the embossed rolls and sheets are the original paper bubble design, using textured paper to offer the shock absorbing effect of traditional bubble wrap, and single faced corrugated and filla paper are used for void fill and product protection. Our straw paper will ensure that your products make their way to the destination in-tact and ready to be opened come Christmas Day.

To discuss any of our products further or talk through your requirements, contact us.

Enjoy 15% off your order this Black Friday on us.

Don’t forget to use the discount code ‘blackfriday15’ at checkout. The code applies to all products site wide, and will last until the 2nd December, so don’t miss it!

Much has been made of the increasing impact on the environment that we create through our energy consumption, the materials we use, and our sustainability. This is where the 3 R’s – reduce, reuse, recycle – come in, offering a simple, yet incredibly effective strategy used in counteracting the impact we have on the environment.

 Reduce

We are always looking to ensure that we are using the smallest amounts of packaging possible to protect our client’s goods, so they reach their destination in the perfect condition. It’s important to evaluate your whole production and distribution process, to make the best use of available resources. You should be looking to not only to reduce the volume of packaging, but also the amount of virgin materials used.

Reuse

Due to many of our products being 100% recyclable, our customers can have peace of mind that once they place them in their recycling, they can be used for generations to come. However, we also encourage our clients to reuse our products themselves, whether that be saving boxes for a future move, or using our embossed straw paper for more than one of its many applications.

Recycle

As many of our products as possible are recyclable, and we will advise our clients on the best way to do this. We are also constantly looking at ways to improve the amount of recycled content within the products we sell.

To view our full range of products, click here.

This is a 150K/t single wall cardboard box that was damaged in transit.

Now, it may be quite apparent that the box needs upgrading – but that is only one solution. Upgrading every type of box that leaves the factory can be a very expensive plan of action.

However, the best thing to do would be to look at the journey from the product being created to its point of use.  The key is to get the goods to the customer with the minimum effective packaging required, and this is where Simply Packaging come in. Our team of highly trained packaging consultants will help the customer find best practice, with the aim of avoiding scenarios like the above.

How can you avoid the above happening?

It’s happened to everyone; you’ve moved to a new house and misjudged the weight of certain boxes when they’ve been in transit, so they’ve come out the other side damaged. This can be happen for many reasons, but one of the key to avoiding the above is to make sure you have the correct size box for its contents. Ideally, you want it so that it fits snugly up to the sides and top or using some kind of void fill to fill any space. Whichever solution you want to go for – and that will generally depend on how sturdy the contents are – we can help.

You can take all the precautions in the world before sending your box to its destination but making sure it’s handled with care is just as important. Stacking your boxes in an efficient manner so that the heaviest contents is at the bottom of the pallet is a good place to start, and handle each box individually when going into transit to ensure  you’ve done all you can to avoid any damage.

www.simplypackaging.co.uk  0113 387 2119

The biggest risk when moving large quantities of goods long distance is that they may be damaged in transit. This is most commonly the case when loads are transported on flatbeds, such as timber, steel I-beams, and heavy building materials.

Quite simply, the answer to all your problems is strapping. Strapping plays a huge part in the transportation business, and the only thing left to decide is; should you use Polypropylene or Steel strapping?

There are may factors that go into making such a decision, firstly, you must look at the load that you’re delivering. Being the cheaper and weaker of the two, Polypropylene is best used for short journeys when your goods aren’t incredibly valuable and can easily be replaced.

However, there are many situations where Polypropylene strapping won’t be up to the task. As journeys increase in length and time, the likelihood that Polyopropylene strapping will be able to keep your goods in place decreases. Nobody wants to be worrying about that during a long journey, do they? Polypropylene strapping may not prove to be the best option for your business as it has low retained tension, potential to split, susceptible to environmental factors, and a higher rate of failure when used on “solid” products.

Now, let’s talk about Steel Strapping. The beauty of them is that their tension is maintained for a long period time, meaning that you can have peace of mind that 99% of the time, your valuables won’t move in transit. Therefore, if you plan on making long journeys with your load and can’t afford for it to get buffed or damaged, it’s the right option for you. Steel straps are the oldest, strongest, and highest tensile strength strapping available. It is available in a variety of widths and thicknesses, as well as variations in the grade of steel. Although Steel Strapping may come at a slightly higher cost than its Polypropylene counterpart, you’re paying for quality.

Our advisors at Simply Packaging will assess your requirements and use their years of expertise in the field to guide you into securing the best product for you, at the best price. This will give you the confidence that you’ve secured the best product for your business, and at a price that will save you money in the long run without having to worry about the costs of replacing damaged cargo.

You can find out more about Steel Strapping from the biggest packaging suppliers in the UK here.