Packaging glossary

The words that come up in specifications, quotes and freight conversations — explained plainly, and linked to the formats they belong to.

B

Barrier

How well packaging resists the passage of oxygen, moisture, light or aroma.

Bulk box

A pallet-footprint corrugated container for dry bulk material or parts.

Bung

The threaded opening and plug in the head of a closed container.

C

Carton IBC

A bulk container built from a corrugated body, a liner and a pallet base.

Closed loop

A returnable system where containers travel between known, fixed points.

Collapsible

Folds down flat or into a smaller form when empty.

Conical drum

A tapered steel drum shaped so empty units nest inside each other.

D

Dunnage

Material used to fill voids and stop load movement in transit.

F

FIBC

Flexible intermediate bulk container — the woven bulk bag used for powders, granules and solids.

G

Gasket

The sealing element between a lid or plug and the container.

Gaylord

A common name for a large corrugated bulk box sized to a pallet.

I

IBC

Intermediate bulk container — a large reusable or single-trip container, usually around 275 or 330 gallons.

L

Liner

A bag or insert placed inside a container so the container never touches the product.

N

Nestable

Empty units sit inside each other, so empties take much less space than fulls.

O

Open-head drum

A drum with a fully removable lid, closed by a ring and clamp.

P

Pallet utilization

How much of the pallet footprint and legal height a load actually uses.

PCR

Post-consumer recycled content — material recovered after consumer use and put back into new packaging.

Primary packaging

The layer in contact with the product.

R

Recyclable

Able to be collected, sorted and processed into new material in practice, not just in theory.

Returnable packaging

Packaging designed to come back and be used again, usually within an agreed loop.

Reusable

Built to survive many use cycles, not just to be capable of a second one.

S

Secondary packaging

The layer that groups and protects primary packs.

Slip sheet

A thin sheet used in place of a pallet, moved with a push-pull attachment.

T

Tertiary packaging

The transport layer: pallets, stretch film, edge protection, dunnage.

Tight-head drum

A drum with a fixed top and threaded bungs.

U

UN-rated

Packaging tested and marked to a United Nations standard for dangerous goods.

Apply this to your own packaging

Educational content. Not engineering or regulatory advice — confirm ratings and specifications with your supplier and the applicable regulations.

Open the decision engine