Vacuum forming is an incredibly useful way of making bespoke packaging out of rigid plastic. It’s ideal for trays and inserts designed to go inside a box. Custom thermoformed packaging is great for protecting your product on its way to customers hands.
Vacuum Formed Packaging
Vacuum Formed Packaging
Give your product an extra layer of protection with our vacuum formed inserts.
How Does it Work?
Vacuum forming involves heating a sheet of plastic until it’s soft and using a vacuum to pull it tight against a mould. The plastic then cools and holds its new shape. This is ideal if you want a custom insert that fits perfectly around your product.
Vacuum formed packaging is a really cost-effective packaging solution. The plastic trays can be made from a wide range of materials such as High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), PVC or greener alternatives such as APET or RPET.
We design and manufacture any thermoformed packaging you need. We’ll start by discussing your requirements and ideas. We can provide spec sheets if you need information about strength, fire resistance or conductivity. We then create CAD drawings and prototypes for approval before manufacturing.
Why Use Vacuum Formed?
Vacuum formed inserts are perfect for keeping products still and displaying them attractively. They’re used for everything from chocolate boxes and toys to packaging for toiletries, cosmetics and perfumes.
Using a plastic insert inside a box with a window works especially well for gifts – particularly if you want to combine multiple items in a set. The candles below are a great example.
Thermoformed plastic trays and inserts can be designed to be stackable for ease of shipping and storage. We can also add other features such as handles or embossing.
Vacuum Forming and Sustainability
Vacuum forms made from APET and RPET materials contain high recycled content and are also 100% recyclable themselves. This makes them suitable for disposal in standard kerbside recycling bins, where they can be recycled multiple times. APET, in particular, can be fully recycled into new food-grade trays without compromising on quality. As public awareness of the environmental impact of food packaging reaches new levels, governments worldwide are focusing on reducing single-use plastics and promoting recyclable packaging, ensuring a truly circular lifecycle.
Sustainability is now a key priority for consumers, retailers, and brands alike. Our APET solutions offer genuine circularity, helping you achieve your sustainability goals. Leveraging our expertise as an integrated recycler, we work with you to develop sustainable practices that align with your brand’s values.
Made with up to 100% recycled content and fully recyclable, APET is specifically designed for tray-to-tray recycling, meeting the highest standards of quality. Similarly, RPET offers the same benefits as APET but includes at least 50% post-consumer recycled material and 30% industry-recycled waste. The product also includes 10% virgin fibre to complete its structure.
Colours and Designs
Vacuum formed inserts are often made using transparent plastics, but we also provide full colour plastics. We can even colour-match the materials to your branding down to a specific Pantone® number.
Make your thermoformed packaging even more unique using a flock covered insert or by embossing your logo onto it. As well as adding visual impact, these techniques make your products more difficult to counterfeit.
Any Questions? Just Let Us Know
If you have a design in mind, or even if you have no idea where to start, we’d love to hear from you. We can start working with you at any stage of the process – from the initial designs to the final printing. Feel free to call our friendly office team, or fill out a contact form to get a quote.