While small containers may not need a handle, some plastic bottles containers do. Whether it’s because of a product’s intended purpose, its overall size and weight, or some other reason, a good handle plays a major role in the overall packaging experience. As such, it’s important to weigh a few different considerations to invest in the perfect plastic bottles for your products.
Plastic Bottle Handle Considerations
Identifying the right handle comes down to a few different factors:
- Intended usage
- Your end user
- Aesthetic
- Cost
A major factor in handle selection and design involves finding a solution that matches product intent. Pouring a glass of orange juice is different than pouring oil into a car, so certain handle styles provide a more comfortable dispensing experience than others depending on your product. In addition, you also want to factor in your typical end user. Details like typical hand size or age can play a part in handle design to cater your containers to your customers.
Of course, packaging is about more than just performance. Certain handles provide a very different visual experience than others, so you may want to invest in a flashier handle or an exciting design to accommodate your preferred aesthetic. Finally, budget is always a major influence. Certain handles may involve more manufacturing costs than others, so a less expensive option can be attractive if you’re focusing on the bottom line.
Types of Plastic Bottle Handles
Each type of plastic bottle handle offers certain advantages, so it’s all a matter of finding a solution that’s right for you and your customers. Those potential solutions include:
- Blow molded handled
- Pinched handles
- Secondary handles
- In-mold handles
Blow molded handles
Blow molded handles are a common option for plastic bottles. These handles are blown along with the rest of the bottle and allow fluid to flow through the handle. In addition, these can be molded vertically, horizontally, or at an angle to accommodate your handling and dispensing requirements. However, certain materials, such as PET, cannot be stretch blown. As such, there may be instances where you’ll need to identify a different manufacturing method to accommodate your material preferences.
Pinched handles
Like blow molded handles, pinch handles are blown along with the rest of the container. However, these handles don’t allow people to completely slide their hands through a gap in the container. Instead, they provide indentations for people to pinch during use. One benefit of this design is that is requires a simpler mold and an easier blow molding process than something with a complete handle. However, the tradeoff is that a pinch grip may not be as easy on the user for larger, heftier containers that can benefit from a complete grip.
Secondary handles
While some handles are part of the mold, certain containers may need a secondary handle that’s attached to the plastic bottle at a later time. These separate handles come in many forms, such as a vertical handle that’s clipped around the neck of the bottle or a slant handle attached to the side of a container. These handles are common for juice and other food containers made with PET. Since PET can’t be stretch blown, secondary handles allow you to take advantage of the clarity and flavor retention qualities of the material and still include a handle for your customers.
In-mold handles
Like secondary handles, in-mold handles are a separate piece from the container. However, in-mold handles are placed in your plastic bottle mold and then the bottle is blown to the handle, creating a single container. This process can create a sleek design with different coloring options that results in a higher-tech look than a typical blow molded bottle with big, tube-like handles. As a result, in-mold handles can give you a visual edge against the competition in retail settings.
Get the Perfect Plastic Bottles for Your Products
Whether you need a classic F-style plastic bottle or a special design, it’s important to work with the right packaging distributor to help you identify a quality, cost-effective solution for your business. At Pipeline Packaging, our experts can work with you to find the right plastic bottles. Between our extensive sourcing network and packaging design capabilities, we can work with you to get the right containers for your exact needs.
Ready to make streamline your search for plastic bottles? Check out our available packaging products online or contact us today to talk to us about your packaging needs.
