How its Made: Packaging

The information provided in these videos was very informative. I didn't realise that recycled paper is more malleable than new paper and that paper and plastic deteriorate in properties, giving them a limit of recycle times. I also found it interesting how there are so many different types of product manufacturing techniques available. The video clearly shows the extremely efficient manufacturing processes which are being utilised in every type of packaging which is exactly what i expected from products that end up being so cheap to the consumer. 

Through the cardboard box video, I would have liked to know if waxing a box changes its recycling ability which I later found out to be false and has no impact on it. I did not think that in packaging products, so many layers were used. It is amazing to see how layers of different materials are used within the same item of packaging to add a different property to the final product. 

These videos have shown me how much thinking needs to occur before anything goes into the manufacturing world as everything is made with such speed and on such a massive scale. It is also incredible to see how much energy is used to make such simple products, differently a place of improvement to make products more environmentally friendly (like the use of using cullet in glass).

The most important thing that I heard in these videos was that plastic has a recycle limit. Furthermore, reprocessed plastic can not exceed 10 percent when making a new bottle due to the loss of some physical properties. Which I used to believe was like metal and could be constantly recycled. It is because of this new knowledge that lead me to believe that if I was in charge, more money would be spent on developing a more efficient manufacturing processes and more efficient materials to make the same end product.

This new knowledge absolutely changes how I know look at plastics and how I will use current plastics through my industrial design career. I do understand how fast technology progresses and hopefully within the next few years there are massive improvements within materials and manufacturing processes that allow better quality products with less energy consumption and equal or less cost to the manufacturer.