Packaging and lamination materials, though different in form and composition, serve essentially the same purpose-to protect items from damage. Lamination is a process in which an item (i.e. document or photo) is covered in a thin plastic film; this process protects valuable documents from damage caused by handling as well as keeps paper from deteriorating with age.

The main material used for the laminating process is plastic (polyester, polypropylene, or nylon); determining factors in deciding what type of plastic film used to laminate a document or photograph are the type of paper, the type of ink on the document, and the reason the item is being laminated (i.e. preservation, commercial use, etc.). The two types of lamination film are “hot” film, which uses heat to bond the film to the paper and; cold film, which affixes to the document with a pressure sensitive adhesive. Laminating film comes in several thicknesses as well as finishes, each better suited for a particular document.

The most common product packaging material is plastic, which is used for holding much of the food and household products we use every day. Plastic, however, unless made of a very thick gauge, is not often used for shipping materials. Corrugated cardboard boxes are common shipping containers; the items inside are protected by different materials including bubble wrap, paper, or foam.

The disadvantage of some of these packaging and lamination materials is that some of those materials are not biodegradable. However, as environmental concerns come more and more to the forefront, scientists continue to look for ways to make these products more eco-friendly.