PET has nothing to do with pets. The letters stand for polyethylene terephthalate, and you will also see it written PETE. When the same polymer is spun into fiber it is called polyester, which is why the bottle in your hand and the fleece on your back can be made of the same material.
Properties that make PET popular in packaging
- Clarity. PET can be made almost as clear as glass, so the product inside does the selling.
- Light weight. A PET container weighs a fraction of a glass one of the same size, which matters for freight.
- Shatter resistance. PET can crack or dent under abuse, but it does not shatter into shards the way glass does.
- Gas barrier. Compared with many other common plastics, PET is good at holding in carbon dioxide and keeping out oxygen, which is why carbonated drinks use it.
- Stiffness in thin gauges. As sheet or film, PET holds a crease and keeps its shape.
Limits to know
Standard PET softens at relatively low temperatures compared with polypropylene, so hot products can distort a regular PET container. Hot-fill bottles use specially heat-set PET, and polypropylene is the usual choice for containers that need to handle heat. PET is also stiffer than polyethylene, so it suits squeeze formats only when the wall is designed for it.
The forms PET takes
- Bottles and many jars are made by molding a small test-tube-shaped preform, then stretching and blowing it into a mold.
- Sheet is thermoformed into clamshells, trays and blister packs.
- Film, usually biaxially oriented PET, is used for box windows and as one layer in laminated pouch and sachet films.
How PET applies to custom packaging at iBox
PET appears in iBox products in three ways: as the container, as the window, and as a layer inside flexible film.
- Custom PET bottles for food, beverage, sauce, honey, spice and personal care brands, in multiple capacities and neck sizes with full label customization.
- Custom PET jars for cosmetic, specialty food and personal care products, chosen for a glass-like gloss without glass breakage.
- Custom PET squeeze bottles for sauces and condiments, where the product color shows through the wall.
- Custom plastic jars offered in PET, HDPE and PP, so the material can be matched to the product.
- Gift boxes with a window, where PET window film is one of the listed film choices.
The iBox custom plastic packaging page compares the clear films used on boxes and describes PET as high clarity, crisp and glassy, holding a fold well and resisting cracking at creases, which is why it is the usual default for retail.
PET compared with other common packaging plastics
HDPE is opaque or milky, tough and chemically resistant, and is common for supplements and household products. PP handles heat better and is used for caps, tubs and microwave containers. PVC film is clear and creases easily but is avoided by some brands. Choose PET when clarity and a premium look come first.
Related terms
- What is mono material packaging: why mixing PET with other plastics in one pack matters.
- What is a window patch: how PET film is fixed into a carton.
- Custom sachets use PET as one layer of a barrier film, alongside PE and aluminum foil.
FAQ
Is PET the same as polyester?
Chemically, yes. Polyester is the common name for PET when it is used as fiber or fabric.
What does the number 1 on a container mean?
It is the resin identification code for PET, a sorting mark that tells recyclers and buyers which plastic the item is made from.
Getting PET packaging quoted
Tell us the product, the fill volume, whether it is filled hot or cold, and the closure you need, plus any outer box. Design support and US shipping are free, and artwork is proofed digitally before production. Start on the quote form.
