Guide to International Printed Packaging Symbols
![Guide to International Printed Packaging Symbols]()
The brick-and-mortar business entities that deal in local and international deliveries and the online businesses know the importance of well-labeled packaging boxes. They realize never to underestimate the significance of packaging symbols that are recognized internationally. These symbols and images are a universal language that provides vital information about the products concise and clear. The best part is that they are understood by even those who cannot read language. The labor tackling the shipping boxes can see the images and symbols and understand the packaged products’ type without further guidance. Symbols such as notifications are in use since ancient times, as evident from the pyramid walls. There are several benefits of using packaging symbols and labels on the cardboard-based packaging boxes used in shipping and deliveries. Some of them include;
1) Providing Product Information
The internationally recognized packaging symbols provide valuable information related to the product type to the target audience. Once sealed and cleared, these boxes are not opened till they reach their final destination. Customized information and symbol must be provided with every box and order so that shipping companies can handle them in the same manner. Products that are prone to damage or include food and beverages need to be identified from the rest for extra care during shipping. It is an excellent way of forwarding information as is to the warehouses without providing manuals about handling and storing, saving time, effort, and money.
2) Makes Shipping Efficient
The business entities using symbols of international packaging on their boxes can demand a settlement against their loss in case of damages due to ignorance. They can claim to provide all required information regarding tacking the orders during shipping. Incidents related to mishandling, damages, and missing orders can be reduced significantly using these symbols. These globally recognized symbols augment the success rate of final deliveries for any business entity provided complete information is provided via them.
3) Better E-commerce Returns
Most e-commerce business entities need to package their products to far and broad areas depending on the location of their customers. They can manage such geographically widespread deliveries because they save from the overhead costs related to their businesses. These deliveries are made safe by packaging the products in boxes appropriately labeled with international packaging symbols and images. These symbols help the shipping companies understand the nature of products inside and manage them accordingly. A well-labeled packaging box will not be ignored or lost in the warehouse.
4) Protection of Products
Every business involved with the production of goods wants the security of its products. According to customer demands, there is a lot of money, effort, and resources involved in developing the final product. Various labels notify about the product type. These range from security against humidity, impacts, lifting correctly, best before dates, and so on. Many companies are now using the labels to reveal how shipping companies handled their boxes. Some of these include;
- Impact labels: Most companies operating in the pharmaceutical segment use this label for medicines and other medical items. These labels turn red when the boxes are mishandled.
- Temperature labels: The goods in these packaging boxes include indicators, which expose the data related to tampering when the temperature-controlled box is fiddled with during shipping.
- Adhesive security labels: These peel and stick labels, notify the client companies of tampering during transit and shipping as they leave traces when taken off.
This article informs its readers about the several packaging symbols that are used internationally during shipping and transit; let us explore a few of them;
1) Fragility
In most cases, this is notified by printing a ‘broken glass image’ on the cardboard packaging boxes carrying the delicate items that are prone to damage due to impacts and other related factors. Sometimes, the client companies also have their boxes printed with words like;
On these boxes. Notifications like these help the labor store handle and transfer the packages appropriately.
2) Handle with Care
The image depicts a box between two palms. It immediately conveys the message to the audience of the special care required for the products packaged inside them. The laborers handling these boxes know that shaking them unnecessarily or leaving them unguarded can damage the products inside. Such packages often include sensitive medical products, glass vials, electronic items, etc. Therefore, once received, these boxes are immediately sorted out. It is advised not to stock these boxes on top of another.
3) Upright Arrows
Often two arrows are printed on cardboard-based packaging boxes, and a line as a surface is printed under these arrows in another variation. It clarifies which side should be facing up when handling these boxes during shipping, transit, storage, etc. If the boxes are not helpful in the notified position, they can most definitely damage the products inside.
4) Umbrella
A small umbrella with or without raindrops or a simple drop of water is printed on the shipping boxes. It notifies the chipping company staff, the warehouse labor, and other professionals involved in keeping the boxes away from the source of water or humidity. The products inside can get damaged when exposed to moisture as the boxes are not waterproof. If the products are shipped via sea, shipping companies must store these packages in dry areas. Moreover, these boxes must be kept safe from rain as well. In another variation, the instruction “Keep Dray” is printed on the boxes with more printing space.
5) Recyclable Packaging Symbol
The symbol for recyclable packaging has a name called Mobius Loop in the packaging and printing companies. It tells the audience that the packaging boxes are recyclable and reusable again. It was created in the 1970s, and many variations of this symbol have formed over a period.
6) Temperature Controlled Goods
Hundreds of companies ship temperature-controlled products to their clients worldwide. The image notifying this includes a small thermometer with temperature marks. These boxes are kept away from the sources where extreme temperature fluctuation can occur. They are also kept from sources of heat, cold and moisture, and sunlight.
7) Flammable Materials
The symbol for packaged products prone to catch fire because of negligence shows a burning flame on cardboard boxes. It is the responsibility of all the professionals involved in shipping, transit, transporting, storing, and delivering these products to ensure their safety and other items stored in the warehouse or the shipping vessel. Even minor blunders can lead to the loss of lives and capital in such cases. Therefore, these boxes are kept away from the source of fuel, open fire, heat, sparks, etc. The packaging boxes carrying reactive chemicals and paper products include such symbols.
8) Sunlight Protection
When food and other items that get spoiled under UV, sunlight, and oxygen are packed in cardboard-based packaging boxes, they are printed with the sunlight protection symbol. It is self-explanatory and depicts a cube (package) under a roof, protected from sunlight. It shows how shipping companies must keep the products from sources away from direct sunlight to prevent the loss of nutrients, fragrance, colors, etc. Products like beverages, cosmetics, food, and dairy products are specially packaged in these boxes to notify the labor of keeping these boxes away from; windows, retail light sources, and other locations. It prevents the rapid disintegration of the items and prolongs their shelf lives. Sometimes the cardboard packaging boxes may contain chemicals, which are prone to exploding under heat and sunlight. Therefore, it is essential to be very clear and specific when printing these symbols. Incorrect selection of these symbols can lead to loss of lives and finances.
9) Warning Against the use of Sharp Objects for Opening
In the cases, the packaging boxes contain fabric or other items that can get damaged by the sharp object used for opening the business entities print the warning “Do not open with a knife” if they have enough space on the boxes. The symbol used for it is self-explanatory, depicting a crossed-out knife.
10) Keep Away from Magnets
The packaging boxes in cardboard printed packaging boxes that contain electronic items, mobiles, and other such items often come bearing the warning in the form of a symbol that shows a u-shaped magnet with a cross.
11) Stacking Notification
The taller packaging boxes come with their height printed on their boxes. The numerical on top of horizontal bars represent the height of these boxes. The numerical signifies the number of exact box types that can be stacked on each other. Sometimes, the box quality is inferior, and labor can stack only one or two. In another case, the thicker and more durable boxes allow multiple boxes to be placed. The other factors that influence the number of stackable boxes include;
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- Weight of the products
- Dimensions of the products
- Size of the shelves
- Storage capacity, etc.
12) Do not Stack Warning
The boxes that are forbidden from stacking on each other are printed with a symbol showing horizontal bars with a red line across them. The shipping companies and warehouse staff have to be extra vigilant to identify this to prevent loss of goods. In most cases, these boxes are made from
fragile material and get damaged due to weight and pressure.
13) Warning Against Hooking
To prevent any mishap when loading and unloading the goods at the ports and other stations, the printed custom cardboard packaging boxes come with the sign of a hook. When only the hook is printed, the boxes are okay to be lifted using this means. However, if a cross is printed on the hook symbol, the boxes cannot be raised using this means. If such packages are hooked and lifted, there is always the danger of the boxes opening from the bottom and goods falling to the ground. Most unsealed cardboard boxes with heavy items bear this symbol.
14) Warning Against Lifting
The symbol showing a person facing difficulty lifting the box is a warning trying to convey to the target audience that the package is heavy. It represents that lifting this box is not a one-person job instead, it requires a trolley or more help. In another variation of this symbol, two people are shown lifting the box, which signifies that this box will require more than a person to lift the package due to weight. Sometimes this symbol is substituted with the one that shows a trolley with loaded boxes on it. It represents that the appropriate way of transporting the packaged good is through trolleys that allow a bump-free ride. The weight of the packages can be distributed evenly using the trolley, and they can be carried off efficiently to their final destination.
15) Disposing Instructions
The renowned symbol of a tidy man is recognized globally. This character is always disposing of trash in its various printed versions. It reminds the target audience of getting rid of their waste responsibly. It subtly reminds them not to litter the streets or their surrounding areas and look for trashcans. Almost all individual SKUs, including the packaging boxes, include this instruction as a reminder.
16) Sustainable Symbols
- FSC sign – This certification clarifies that business entities and their vendors are using a sustainable resource channel. It also authenticates that the boxes and their materials are approved.
- Recycling PET or PETE – It stands for (polyethylene terephthalate) and, when printed on the boxes, depicts that the bottles of the beverages inside are composed with the intention of single-use only.
- Recycling HDPE – This stands for (High-Density Polyethylene) and signifies that the products inside are crafted from sturdier plastic like those used in lotions, detergent bottles, etc.
- PVC – (Vinyl or Polyvinyl Chloride) plastic is a rigid form of plastic used for crafting pipes and other accessories and used in the construction industry.
- PP – signifies that the package goods are made from Polypropylene and have a high melting point making them ideal for making utensils.
