Polystyrene (PS / HIPS) and Polypropylene (PP) are the two most quoted options for food grade plastic containers in food and beverage projects. Both are widely available, but they behave very differently once they are in service.
Everything here can be checked on a real sample before you commit to a production order.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines food grade plastic containers by three things: the base resin, the format or dimension, and the performance or certification level it has to meet. Typical options in this category include in mould labelling; volume 50 ml to 30 L; tamper evident closures. Materials most often specified are Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polystyrene, High Density Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the food and beverage sector the decision is usually driven by food contact compliance and migration limits, with seal integrity as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include shrink sleeves, bulk totes, takeaway trays.
These figures are typical for commercial grades and should be confirmed against the supplier's certificate for your specific lot.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polypropylene | 0.90-0.91 g/cm³ | 25-40 MPa | -10°C to 100°C |
| High Density Polyethylene | 0.94-0.97 g/cm³ | 20-32 MPa | -50°C to 80°C |
| Polyethylene Terephthalate | 1.35-1.40 g/cm³ | 50-70 MPa | -40°C to 70°C |
Polystyrene is frequently the default selection here: HIPS is the default thermoforming sheet for food packaging and appliance liners.
Polystyrene grades offer rigid and glossy, while Polypropylene brings lowest density among commodity plastics. For food and beverage service the difference shows up in impact strength and in the long term behaviour under load.
The practical decision usually comes down to the service environment: temperature, chemical exposure and expected lifetime.
Beyond the base resin, most suppliers offer UV stabilised, food contact, flame retardant, anti-static and recycled content versions of the same product. Ask which additive package is included, because it is often the difference between a part that lasts three years and one that lasts ten.
Each step below has its own control points, and skipping one of them is where most defects start.
Secondary operations such as printing, welding, machining and assembly are often cheaper to do in the same factory, and they reduce the risk of mismatch between components.
These are the criteria that actually predict whether the part will perform in service.
Send this list to your supplier with the drawing and you will receive comparable quotations from every factory you contact.
Colour is controlled with a masterbatch reference approved by the customer, and every production lot is checked against the approved sample under standard lighting before shipment.
For standard sizes and colours the minimum is usually one pallet or one production run; for custom tooling the economic minimum depends on the tooling cost amortised over the expected volume. Send us your annual volume and we will calculate the break even point.
Yes. {mat1} is one of our regular materials for this item, and we can supply virgin, modified and certified grades with full traceability. Material certificates and test reports are issued per batch.
Standard packing is export cartons on fumigation-free pallets, with custom labelling, barcode and retail packing available. We also handle consolidated containers and door to door delivery.
Standard production tolerance follows the relevant ISO or DIN tolerance class for the process; tighter tolerances are possible after machining or grinding, but they add cost. Define the tolerance only on the functional dimensions.
Share your specification and quantity with us and we will recommend the most cost effective material, tooling route and packing method for your market.
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