Branded Water Activated Packaging Tape - Security & Style
, by Jo Hilton, 11 min reading time
In this article, we zero in on water activated tape (WAT) which is easy to use, strong and durable. We’ll take a closer look at why it's one of the lynchpins of e-commerce packaging. Indeed, it's so successful that industry insiders forecast demand will grow annually by 10.7% over the next seven years.
Tape is everywhere. It fulfils many of our everyday personal and professional requirements. It offers solutions to a host of minor snags or irritants. In fact, it’s hard to imagine what we did before it as invented.
In the packaging industry, tape’s a familiar tool of the trade. Relatively inexpensive, it’s a vital piece of equipment. It seals lightweight or heavy-duty boxes, secures pallets and means items can be bundled together for added stability.
In this article, we zero in on water activated tape (WAT) which is easy to use, strong and durable. We’ll take a closer look at why it's one of the lynchpins of e-commerce packaging. Indeed, it's so successful that industry insiders forecast demand will grow annually by 10.7% over the next seven years.
Part of WAT's popularity is down to its emergence as a powerful security mechanism that many online companies, including giants like Amazon, can’t do without. So, we'll also explain how and why it's so effective in this area.
Then we’ll focus on WAT’s versatility, particularly how useful it is when it comes to brand advertising. We’ll list the reasons why custom printed tape is an effective marketing tool and why it shouldn't be regarded as a purely functional piece of stationery.
Get stuck in and take five minutes to read about custom activated water activated packaging tape. (We promise, no more awful puns.)
What is water activated tape?
Water activated packaging tape looks like any other tape but without the sticky side. Sold in rolls, it's dry to the touch until water activated, whereupon, in a matter of seconds, the adhesive turns tacky and bonds irreversibly to the cardboard onto which it's applied.
Reinforced WAT
The reinforced variety is incredibly strong. It's been toughened by fibres made of fibreglass. Think of this tape as a sort of sandwich. Each slice of bread is 1ply paper and the filling is the reinforced fibreglass.
Non-reinforced WAT
Non-reinforced water activated tape has no fibreglass inner. Though still robust, it’s not quite as durable. On the plus side, it's cheaper and more environmentally friendly. Plus, it’s ideal for customisation and perfect for lightweight boxes and packages, especially those grouped together on pallets.
Why use water activated packaging tape?
In the packaging industry, tape is widely used to hold together and seal simple cardboard boxes. Applying it along seams and corners provides durability and reinforcement to already sturdy constructs. But why choose water activated tape?
Efficiency
Most traditional types of tape require pressure in order to create a seal. In warehouses where packers are sealing thousands of packages a day, having to press down on the tape makes maintaining work flow and efficiency difficult. It’s also a repetitive job in a highly pressurised environment which quickly gets tiring.
This is where using water activated packaging tape gives you an advantage. When applied with an automated tape dispenser, it requires no pressure to adhere and one single strip seals a carton successfully. These factors make it both easier and more efficient to use. What's more, a tape dispenser will generate exactly the right length of tape, thus ensuring uniformity and zero wastage.
WAT is a no-hassle packing station game changer offering speed, efficiency and consistency.
Strength
Water activated tape is extremely strong because it merges with the material it's sticking to. The reinforced variety is even stronger. This comes in especially handy for sealing boxes with heavier contents or boxes that are bound for shipping individually and not as part of a pallet.
Durability
Highly adhesive in nature, WAT is robust even in the most challenging environments. Humidity, temperature fluctuations and environmental factors like dust don't compromise its integrity. It keeps moisture out and doesn’t peel in the heat. It won’t matter where or how far a box is travelling, packaging and products will remain secure.
Tamperproof
When it comes to e-commerce, theft is a big problem. Indeed, both theft and tampering create huge financial repercussions for retailers who are duty bound to refund or resend. Additionally, among consumers there is an increased awareness of tampering and a demand for product safety and security.
There are several ways to get around this issue. One of them is to use water activated packaging tape. It's an excellent theft deterrent and has been shown to significantly decrease incidences of tampering. This is because adhesive seeps into the cardboard fibres creating a mono-material.
But how does this help with security? Well, with other types of tape, it's possible to slip a hand in between the tape and the box, then reseal the box, leaving behind no visible signs of disturbance. Not so when a box or envelope has been sealed with WAT. Any attempt, however discreet, to open a carton will be obvious because the cardboard or paper will be irreparably damaged and torn.
In short, WAT helps reinforce the integrity of a product’s warranty, particularly in the case of high-value goods. It’s a simple weapon, but one that’s effective in the fight against unwanted interference and the knock-on consequences of dissatisfied customers, invalidated guarantees and devalued products.
Sustainability
Unlike plastic or vinyl tapes, non-reinforced WAT is environmentally friendly. Made from paper and renewable natural resources, it can be recycled along with other forms of cardboard packaging. Compared to many other types of tape, it has very little if any negative environmental impact.
Reinforced WAT contains fibreglass and laminate adhesive meaning it cannot yet be recycled. However, reinforced tape's sustainability lies instead in the fact that it gives rise to far fewer instances of theft and tampering. This leads to a reduction in the overall amount of products that have to be re-packaged and re-shipped. Fewer packages means less carbon emissions.
Branding and Marketing Tool
It’s no mistake that the title of this article includes the words security and style. Tape has come a long way; it’s no longer purely practical. To paraphrase William Morris, it's both useful and beautiful.
Tape which has been customised provides an inexpensive way for companies to improve brand recognition whilst ensuring their packaging looks stylish. It helps establish a unique identity, attracts new customers and satisfies an existing customer base.
Nowadays, branding must extend to the box. In e-commerce after all, it’s the first experience a customer has with a product. How good does it feel to receive a package where attention to detail is second to none and unboxing a delight because of clever design both inside and out?
The good news is that water activated packaging tape is highly customisable. The possibilities are endless: slogans, promotions, new product details, warnings and messages of thanks. Yes, it's a brilliant way of keeping a package secure, but it also works hard at making a company visible, enriching consumer experience along the way.
Amazon: High Volume User
Customised water activated packaging tape has proved invaluable for the King of e-commerce, Amazon (so much so, there's even a reddit thread on it).
In recent years, Amazon has revolutionised its packaging. From lightweight, sustainable, adaptable boxes, to machines that dispense just the right amount of void fill, Amazon has upped its game following much on-line criticism and mockery for excessive packaging.
Amazon's Style
It’s water activated tape that has helped Amazon achieve packaging success. First, it's made an impact because of the customisation element: black with the Amazon logo in blue, the strong, dark colours popping against the plain brown (ecologically-sound) cardboard packaging. And although Amazon didn't get it right straight off the bat, now there's no doubt that it's deeply embedded in the collective subconscious.
Instant brand recognition isn't the only positive for Amazon. When the company plans a promotion like Amazon Prime Day, this tape can be re-customised to get the message out quickly. Far less expensive than having to reprint a variety of different packaging SKUs, the beauty of tape is also that it can be applied to a package of any shape or size.
Amazon's Efficiency
The fact that the tape is water activated fulfils several key functions. Firstly, it's enabled their packers to be more efficient because it requires no pressure to apply. Packaging stations can be equipped with automated tape dispensers that are easy and fast to use. Finally, there's the fact that because of the way the tape bonds to paper and cardboard, it's ideal for the typical Amazon environment. It stays firmly in place, whatever the conditions and wherever in the world warehouses are located.
Operationally, for a company the size of Amazon, this is a brilliant tactic. So great is the number of packages dispatched (1.6 million a day), that every second saved getting packages ready for shipment adds up to a lot to time overall.
Amazon's Security
But how has WAT helped Amazon with packaging security? Well, water activation tape is tamper-proof and if you're selling as much and as often as Amazon, it's imperative to minimise replacements and returns. Amazon is determined to combat the rising problem of parcels being pilfered (watch this video to see how, here). Admittedly, tape won't stop a package being stolen, but it is an excellent deterrent as far as tampering is concerned and it's one weapon in the arsenal currently deployed by online retailers.
For Amazon, the complexity and scale of its operation is underpinned by the simplicity, style and security of one of its packaging solutions: WAT.
Conclusion
It's not just Amazon who are reaping the rewards that come from using WAT. Many other e-commerce ventures are too, even if the products they sell are high-value, heavy or awkwardly shaped. Reinforced or not, WAT increases the efficiency and security of any operation. Simultaneously, it enhances the appearance of packaging, promoting a brand and showing it off to its best advantage. To cap it off, WAT is affordable. It's also reasonably priced to produce, cost-effective to tweak and simple to use.
Versatile, hardwearing and economical, it's worth considering what WAT can do for your company. In the vast ocean of brown cardboard boxes and cartons, it's customised water activated tape which is making products secure and businesses stand out.
Let The Packaging Club help you take your packaging options to the next level. Check out our water activated tape. Discover how customisation will make all the difference to your brand and your reputation. We promise that achieving security and style has never been easier.
