Trays and blisters: protecting and displaying hard products

When opening a medicine box or a Tet gift box, what keeps everything in place is not the outer box but the inner part: the blister that holds each pill, the tray that keeps bottles and cakes from shifting. These two forms are often overlooked but significantly impact both the product experience and the longevity of the goods.

Trays and racks what are they

A tray is a positioning detail, usually made of molded plastic or cardboard, that keeps the product fixed inside the outer box. A tray is not a complete packaging solution but an inner layer, molded to the exact shape of the product to prevent impact and create a polished feel when opening the box. You often encounter trays in multi-layer Tet gift boxes, premium cosmetic boxes, watch boxes, and electronic devices.

A blister is a more independent type of packaging: plastic or aluminum film is thermally or cold-formed into separate compartments, each holding one tablet or unit of product. The blister backing (lidding foil) is a sheet of aluminum or composite that seals the compartment, where product information is printed. Users can access the tablet by pushing through the backing or peeling it off. A torn compartment is a clear indication that the blister has been opened.

Regarding the material of the blister, moisture barrier capability increases according to the structure: standard PVC blisters have the lowest moisture barrier, PVDC-coated PVC is better, Aclar (PCTFE) laminated PVC is even better, and cold-formed aluminum blisters (Alu-Alu cold form) achieve the highest moisture barrier, suitable for Vietnam's humid tropical climate. Specific technical specifications regarding the moisture and oxygen barrier capabilities of each material type need to be approved by pharmaceutical or material experts before being included in the registration file.

Notable variant: child-resistant blister packs according to ISO 8317 standards require a combination of peeling and pressing, making them impossible for children to open directly; blister packs with GS1 standard DataMatrix codes for unit identification (serialization) for traceability.

When to choose, when not to

Blisters are suitable when the product is a loose unit that needs individual protection and dosage control: tablets, functional food capsules, premium lozenges. Trays are suitable when the product already has its own hard shell (bottles, small boxes, cakes) but needs to maintain position and create a good unboxing experience.

Costs, time and quantity

The cost of trays largely depends on the type of material: standard PVC trays are lower in cost, while Alu-Alu cold form trays are significantly higher due to the material and slower production speed. The cost of trays depends on the mold: each tray shape requires a separate mold, with the mold cost calculated once and allocated to the unit price based on the order quantity.

The minimum quantity for pharmaceutical blisters typically follows the complete box specification (for example, 3 to 10 blisters per box, with multiple boxes per batch), and pharmaceutical manufacturers usually have their own minimum quantities based on their production lines. Gift trays and cosmetic trays are more flexible but still require sufficient quantities to distribute mold costs.

Design and production time depend on the complexity of the mold, the amount of information on the back of the tray, and the content approval process of each industry. Pharmaceutical trays require content approval for labeling before printing, extending the total time compared to standard gift trays.

Sinh Vũ handles the design of structure, graphics, and files for production handover, without committing to printing prices as the production cost is determined by the printer and packaging factory based on actual quantities and materials. For blister packs, Sinh Vũ collaborates with pharmacists and your manufacturers to ensure the design files meet labeling requirements, without unilaterally deciding on blister materials instead of consulting experts.

What does Sinh Vũ need from you to get started

For Sinh Vũ to start designing the tray or blister, you need to provide:

• Type of product and number of SKUs that need packaging (tablets, dietary supplements, gifts, cosmetics...).
• The size and shape of the product inside (actual measurements or physical samples for Sinh Vũ to measure again).
• Distribution market: domestic, export, or both, as it affects language requirements and compliance with labeling.
• Compliance request: pharmaceutical blisters need to confirm mandatory information according to the Department of Drug Administration's circular; functional foods need confirmation according to Decree 15/2018; food contact blisters must meet food contact material standards.
• The expected quantity for each batch and the timeline for when the products are needed, so Sinh Vũ can prioritize the design order and coordinate with your manufacturer.
• A framework budget for the design part, separate from actual production costs.

With the information above, Sinh Vũ can assess the design scope and propose suitable implementation directions. You can send your needs through the contact page or email to start the discussion.