How to Choose the Best Packaging Tape
4 Factors To Consider For Your Shipping Needs
Choosing the right packaging tape is essential to ensure your shipments are securely sealed, protected, and ready for delivery. At Gilmores, we understand how critical it is to find the perfect tape that sticks – literally – and supports your entire shipping process. Here are the four key factors to consider when selecting the best packaging tape for your business.
1. Adhesive strength matters
The type of adhesive on packaging tapes are more important than you think. They determine the strength, longevity and compatibility of tapes on different surfaces and environments.
For versatile use, opt for tapes made with natural rubber adhesive. It offers high initial tack and ensures durable sealing on cardboard packaging, even on challenging surfaces like recycled carton.
For all-purpose, light-duty packing, tapes made with water-based acrylic adhesives offer good adhesion across a wide variety of surfaces. A bonus? They’re a cost-effective option for your general packing needs.
Other adhesives include synthetic rubber, commonly known as hot melt. Hot melt tapes provide very high initial tack and fast grab, making them ideal for quick sealing and high-speed packing lines. They bond well to recycled cardboard, plastics and other smooth or hard surfaces. Hot melt tapes perform best at normal room temperatures.
2. Compatibility with surfaces and environments
This is where choosing the right adhesive strength for your application comes into play.
Stronger adhesives are better suited for sturdier cardboard and heavy-duty packages.
Lighter adhesives perform well on smaller, lightweight shipments.
Consider where your package will be stored or shipped — extreme temperatures or humidity levels can affect tape performance.
3. Packer and Customer Experience
Optimising usability, security and satisfaction involves balancing the needs of you (the packer) and the customer or receiver of the package.
As the packer, look for tapes that are easy to apply, durable, produce minimal noise, and are compatible with your dispensers or automated packing systems.
On the other hand, you also may want to take into consideration the below for your receiver:
The security of the package – How securely sealed is it and how is the risk or damage or tampering reduced?
Unboxing experience – This is especially important for eCommerce shippers as the frustrating difficulty of removing tapes or the residue of adhesives can negatively impact the brand experience
- Brand impact – How does the tape contributes to the overall visual appeal of the package? Again, an important factor to consider for eComm as this can elevate brand identity and quality.
4. Specialised use and Industry Requirements
Different industries and package types demand specific packaging tape features to suit operational challenges.
Heavy or bulky item handlers require high-strength tapes.
- Perishable goods need tapes resistant to temperature, humidity, and contaminants.
- The e-commerce sector demands strong adhesion and tamper-evident features to protect and secure shipments.
Which Tape is Best For My Application?
At Gilmores, we offer an extensive range of packaging and specialty tapes from trusted brands to suit various types of applications.
Check out the full range here.
| Product | Industry |
|---|---|
| Packaging Tape | Logistics & Warehousing, E-commerce, Manufacturing, Food & Beverage (FMCG), Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics |
| Machine Tape | Many high-volume packaging lines such as Manufacturing, Warehousing, Food Processing and Retail |
| Printed Message Tapes | Logistics & Warehousing, E-commerce, Manufacturing, Food & Beverage (FMCG), Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics |
| Duct, Joining & Sealing Tape | Construction, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), General Maintenance, Emergency Repairs, Industrial |
| Electrical Tape | Electrical, Electronics, Automotive, Manufacturing |
| Double-Sided Tape | Retail Displays, Automotive, Electronics, Packaging, Arts & Crafts |
| Strapping Tape | Logistics, Warehousing, Manufacturing, Heavy Equipment Shipping |
| Masking Tape | Painting, Automotive, Construction, Packaging, Arts & Crafts |
| Filament Tape | Logistics, Heavy-Duty Packaging, Manufacturing, Palletising |
| Cloth Tape | Theatre/Film, Medical, Military, Industrial, Electrical |
| Anti-Slip & Safety | Manufacturing, Warehousing, Construction, Transportation |
| Bag Sealers | Food Processing, Retail, Packaging |
| Hook & Loop | Medical, Sports, Packaging, Automotive, Textile Industry |
| Custom Printed Tapes | E-commerce, Retail, Brand Packaging, Security-Sensitive Industries |
Ready to pack and send?
Whether you’re shipping across Australia or around the globe, invest in quality packaging tapes from trusted brands to ensure your goods arrive safely and intact.
Get in touch with us today to get tailored advice and explore your options.
