Packaging tape is a product mostly everyone needs if they are in the business of shipping products. Self-adhesive tapes are the easiest to use since they are very versatile and can be customized with different colors and prints. Not every piece of tape is made the same, therefore it is important to do your research on choosing the right tape for the proper application.
Types of Adhesives
Natural rubber is considered to be the best kind of tape on the market. It is an all-round great choice for a wide range of applications since it gives the user an increased peace of mind. Since their package will arrive to its intended location the same way it left, it is a reliable choice for companies. This is because the strength of the adhesive ensures the permanent closure of cardboard boxes even on critical surfaces such as a highly recycled box or in extreme conditions.
Hotmelt is synthetic rubber in granular form. It is first melted and applied to the backing material while it is hot. It sticks with good immediate tack and high transparency.
Acrylic is another kind of adhesive that can be applied to a backing material. There are two kinds of acrylic adhesives such as water-soluble and solvent-based. Both are great options if transparency, good UV and ageing resistance is what you are looking for. If you are comparing their performance on the surface, natural rubber would be rated the best followed by hotmelt and then acrylic.
Backing Materials
PVC, which stands for polyvinyl chloride, is usually backed with natural rubber adhesive. This combination allows the product to be one of the best on the market.
BOPP or MOPP are mainly used for the production of classic self-adhesive packaging tapes. It is the most commonly used backing since it is the most affordable and can perform relatively well.
Paper backing has made a comeback since Amazon started using it to seal their packages. It seals packages very well but it is a hassle to activate the adhesive since water would need to be applied. Since it is made of paper, it can be recycled with the box.