Key Elements of Plastic Medical Packaging
When designing your plastic medical packaging, here are a few choices to keep top-of-mind when you’re starting to reach out to manufacturing partners.
Creating a medical package for your device, insert, or tool is vital for patient safety and ease-of-use for providers. It can also help reduce breakage or damage during shipping. But there’s a lot more to keep in mind when you’re starting the design process for your plastic medical packaging solution. Here’s a few of the questions you should be considering when starting your custom medical package.
Material Selection
Choosing the right material is foundational to a successful medical package, whether it’s a thermoformed tray, multi-layer component package or simple pouch or tip protector. PETG is recyclable and easily thermoformed, meaning your trays can be customized to fit your parts or inserts. PETG is also recyclable, helping you and your medical facilities reach sustainability goals. There are other types of PET, like APET and RPET, that may suit your sustainability initiatives or fit your use case better. PP or HIPS are other material types you can use for medical packaging. For a smart alternative to foam or vinyl materials, BargerGard TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) is a safe, secure packaging material that protects rough or sharp components and is also sterilization friendly.
You don’t need to know exactly what type of material to use (that’s what our material engineers and designers are for) but knowing that there are plenty of options and some of the pros and cons for each can be beneficial as you start the process.
Sterile or Non-Sterile?
The next thing to keep in mind is sterilization (which may also guide you to a certain material over another). The first step is knowing whether or not you need sterilization in your whole package or only in certain elements.
Secondly, what kind of sterilization are you planning to use? Are you choosing EtO, gamma, or eBeam sterilization, or are you choosing steam autoclaving? Knowing which form of sterilization your organization is planning on using can help guide material decisions, lidding or seals, and even what facilities can package your components.
Lidding and Seals
Choosing lid material that fits your plastic medical packaging solution is just as important as the base itself. Placon offers Tyvek lidding, a durable and sterilization-friendly option that can even include three-color printing capabilities. Tyvek lidding can fit any tray and adheres strongly for a secure seal.
You may opt for foil lidding, which is ideal if you need an oxygen barrier to protect delicate components or for applications holding a liquid component. These can keep elements secure and protected from outside air and can be incorporated into multi-compartment designs.
Certifications
When selecting a packaging partner, keep an eye out for certifications, experience, and quality. Make sure you know what ISO standards your package needs to follow, and vet your partner to ensure they’re up to standard. Ask for a tour of facilities or arrange a meeting with quality to cover any questions you have about the manufacturing process.
Stock Medical Packaging
If you’re on a time crunch, or have limited tooling budget, opting for a stock medical packaging solution may be the best fit. Placon’s VPAK is a pre-validated medical package that requires no tooling or design fees and can be ready in a few weeks. Visit the VPAK page or reach out to our sales team for more information. For tip protectors or to keep sharp or rough components safe during packing and shipping, our in-stock lineup of BargerGard TPU protectors are an ideal choice. These products are ready to ship and cost-effective. You can view our lineup of stock BargerGard products here, or reach out to create your custom version.
If that seems like a lot to keep track of, it is! That’s why choosing a partner that knows the ins and outs of plastic medical packaging is key. Placon has over 60 years of experience in thermoforming, and we have the ISO accredited manufacturing facilities to help you with smaller production runs to high-volume scale. Our in-house design and engineering teams will help walk you through the process, and all of our tooling and manufacturing is done in the USA to exacting standards. We can help you through this list, and many other questions, during your design process. Reach out to our team with any questions you have, or to get started on your custom plastic medical packaging.
ABOUT PLACON
Since 1966, Placon has been a leading designer and manufacturer of innovative and sustainable plastic packaging for medical, food, and consumer goods markets. Placon has manufacturing operations in Madison, WI; West Springfield, MA; Elkhart, IN; and Plymouth, MN, and is currently ranked in the Top 20 in Plastics News 2025 Thermoformers Rankings. Placon delivers packaging breakthroughs that inspire better engagement between people and products.