Packaging Testing Services
Comply with international quality packaging standards when packaging and shipping consumer products, furniture, food, medicine and pharmaceuticals or other packaged goods.
With a full spectrum of testing capabilities, our experienced team of packaging specialists can help assure packaging quality with testing of primary, secondary and transit packaging. SGS can assess the properties and performance of a wide range of packaging materials, including paper and paperboard, corrugated materials, plastics, textiles, glass, ceramics and more. We also offer chemical/analytical testing of food contact materials, validation of medical packaging and testing for heavy metals and other harmful chemicals in packaging to comply with regulations.
The packaging you employ plays an essential role in protecting, transporting and promoting your products. Packaging that is not up to standard can contribute to costly damage, result in penalties for non-compliance and tarnish your brand’s reputation.
We are certified to test your packaging for compliance with the following regulatory and quality standards:
- ISTA
- TAPPI
- ASTM
- ISO
- ANSI
- UN/DOT, IATA, ICAO, IMDG
Benefits
- Reduce package development time
- Prevent damage
- Avoid delays and fines
- Increase customer trust
- Enhance your brand’s reputation
What we offer
We help you develop and assess primary, secondary and transit packaging with quality control testing of packaging design and materials as well as transit testing.
Some of our most commonly requested tests are:
- Bursting strength, ECT, absorption
- Basis weight and thickness
- Atmospheric conditioning, UV, corrosion
- Toxic elements in packaging (TPCH)
- Shelf life and accelerated aging
- Vacuum leakage and altitude testing
- Compression strength
- Food contact materials
- Sustainability in packaging
- Medical and pharmaceutical packaging
Transit Testing
Avoid product damage during transit of consumer goods, food and medical products and increase confidence in your brand.
Packaging has multiple roles. It is used to:
- Ensure that your product is transported safely
- Make sure your product is intact and functional when it arrives
- Promote your product by sending a desired message
During transit, packaged products can be damaged. Transit testing will determine the ability of your packaging to avoid damage and protect its contents from distribution hazards.
We can evaluate your packaging performance under various transporting conditions to ensure your packaging and your products arrive at their destination undamaged. Our transit testing services will help you ensure compliance with ISTA, UNDOT, USPS and ASTM packaging standards and procedures, as well as retailer specific requirements.
With transit testing from SGS, you reduce the risk of damage to your packaging during transport – from factory to warehouse to store to consumer – so you can avoid losses and damage to your reputation.
Types of Packaging That We Test
- Unit packs
- Shipping boxes
- Pallets
- Displays
- Mailers
- Sharps containers
Types of Tests We Execute
- Vibration during truck, train or air delivery
- Shock from manual handling, drops and impact
- Compression during vehicle stacking, warehousing and clamping
- Environmental exposures such as UV and and low pressure
- Atmospheric exposures
Amazon Packaging Certification
Optimize your Amazon packaging and avoid chargebacks for non-compliance.
Our packaging labs in Fairfield, New Jersey and Appleton, Wisconsin execute ISTA-6 Amazon.com SIOC and Overbox tests in accordance with the Amazon Frustration Free package (FFP) certification program developed by Amazon and the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA).
The ISTA-6 Amazon packaging certification program addresses the risks of damage throughout Amazon’s distribution channel – from the supply chain to the customer’s door. It helps Amazon sellers and vendors achieve success with their e-commerce businesses by reducing costs and new product registration time when shipping consumer goods by ensuring that packaging is easy to open, designed to be recycled and protects the product from damage without the need for additional packaging or prep by Amazon.
Products that are packaged in non-compliant packaging could be subject to a $1.99 chargeback per unit.
What are the certification tiers?
ISTA-6 Amazon certification consists of three tiers:
Tier 1: Frustration Free Packaging (FFP) – no Overbox required
Tier 2: Ships in Its Own Container (SIOC) – no Overbox required
Tier 3: Prep-Free Packaging (PFP) – requires Amazon Overbox
What happens if my packaging is not ISTA-6 certified?
Not only do your products risk damage, Amazon may apply a $1.99 chargeback per unit for packaging that is non-compliant.
How can we help?
As a leading member of the Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier Network (APASS), SGS is approved for ISTA 6-Amazon SIOC and Overbox tests. We offer ISTA-6 Amazon certification in our Appleton, Wisconsin and Fairfield, New Jersey laboratories.
- We evaluate your packaging and guide you through Amazon’s certification process
- Explain the process and help you determine if consolidated testing is possible for similar products
- Confirm which level of certification applies
- Test your products per the appropriate ISTA 6-Amazon.com transit test procedure
- Provide the required Amazon test report and help to interpret the results
- Recommend options to reduce waste and costs while improving sustainability and the customer experience
SGS Amazon Self-Certification Solution
Amazon vendors of qualified non-fragile products weighing less than 50 pounds can self-certify Amazon Standard Identification Numbers (ASINs) against specific criteria.
To help you save time, costs and labor and focus on your core business, SGS has developed a self-certification solution. Our specialist teams will test your packaging using high precision, state-of-the-art equipment. They will prepare your package for testing, conduct the self-certification procedure and provide the appropriate reporting and certification. In addition, they will provide you with feedback to help you improve your packaging.
Benefits:
- Time and cost savings
- Experienced staff and high precision equipment
- Feedback to improve packaging design
- FFP assessments for recyclable and easy to open materials
- Potential financial incentives for certified units shipped between October 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022
Why choose SGS?
We are the world leader in testing and certification, with an extensive global network of laboratories and expertise in all types of consumer products and packaging. Our comprehensive range of services covers the entire supply chain.