Glass and plastic bottles have been widely used in the industrial and manufacturing industry for packaging of consumables and medical products. However, these two materials vary significantly regarding their features, and choosing the better of the two can help in increasing convenience and cost savings during product handling and transportation. Read on for a detailed comparison of these materials based on various factors that will help you choose the ideal one for your manufacturing needs.

Handling and transportation costs

Every business owner endeavors to cut down production, handling, and shipping costs as much as possible. This is why the cost of both glass and plastic bottles tops the list when choosing between the two. Plastic is lighter than glass, and over the years, manufacturers have come up with ways to use thinner plastic bottles with smaller necks without compromising their strength. This allows more bottles to be shipped at once. Handling of plastic bottles is also easy as they are not fragile or breakable.

On the other hand, glass is heavier than plastic, and it is fragile as well. The number of glass bottles that you can ship at once is reduced due to their weight. Also, extreme care should be taken when loading and offloading them, and this can lead to time wastage and increased handling costs.

Branding and advertising

If you intend to market your business through product packaging, you need a material that you can easily print on. This makes plastic the ideal material for packaging as it is easy to print on. You can choose a design that allows direct printing on the bottle instead of paper, and this will significantly reduce the branding and advertising costs. Glass bottles are limiting when it comes to promoting your brand. Since it may be hard to print directly on a glass bottle, you will end up using other channels to market your brand.

Sustainability

Plastic and glass are both recyclable materials, but this does not mean that they are sustainable. During their creation, plastics release toxic emissions into the air, and if not properly managed, these emissions can find their way into the environment. This makes it less popular as far as environmental conservation and sustainability are concerned.

Glass does not emit any harmful fumes or substances during its manufacture, and this gives it the upper hand when it comes to sustainability. Unlike plastic which degrades in value over time, glass can be recycled over and over again to obtain more glass, and this makes it ideal for a business that deals in large-scale production. You can use and recycle the same glass over many years without affecting its quality.

Assess your business needs as you go through this comparison so that you can make the ideal choice between plastic and glass bottle packaging for your business.