Clamshell Tray.

It's a thin flexible band formed between base and lid, so the whole pack is one part with no separate hinge. On PP, a living hinge flexes through thousands of open-and-close cycles. PET hinges are stiffer and suit packs that are opened only a few times.

The hinge is where a clamshell usually fails, so we set its width and thickness to how often your pack will be opened.

Formed snap buttons or tab-and-slot catches in the rim lock the lid to the base. A button is a raised bump on one half that presses into a matching recess on the other, and it clicks when it engages.

For retail security we can add a tamper-evident seal or heat-seal the clam shut. We always fit-test with real contents, because an overfilled pack pushes the catches open.

Plastic when the product needs to be seen from every side, board for hot food or a plastic-free brief. Thermoformed PET or RPET gives clarity and a positive snap. Coated board clamshells fold from a flat blank and are the food-service standard.

Board hinges are creases, so they tolerate fewer openings than a plastic hinge. Hot-food versions need vents so steam doesn't soften the board.

Clear clamshells are usually left unprinted and branded with a label or a printed card inside. We design label zones into flat areas of the lid, away from curves and catches, so the label lies flat.

Board clamshells print directly in CMYK. On either, we mark the recycling stream clearly so shoppers know which bin the pack goes in.

Common hinged formats run from 6 x 4 x 2 inches up to 12 x 9 x 4 inches. Depth is split between base and lid, and the lid can be shallow or match the base, depending on the product's shape.

We size from the item with the closure engaged. A pack that only shuts under pressure tends to spring open on the shelf, so we check for that at sample stage.

Clamshell orders begin at 500 units. A single thermoforming tool makes base, lid and hinge in one go, so there's no second part to buy or match up.

Food-service board clamshells and plastic retail clams are quoted separately, since they're made on different equipment.

A standard clamshell run takes 7 to 10 business days after sign-off, and rush brings it down to 5 to 7. We'll send a sample in 5 to 7 business days so you can close it on real contents and check the snap.

The sample fee is credited if you move to production. Closure fit is the thing most worth testing before a full run.

RPET clamshells go into PET recycling where it's collected, and moulded fibre clams are the plastic-free option for food. PP living-hinge packs are recyclable in areas that accept PP, which is less common than PET.

Because a clamshell is a single material with no separate lid, nobody has to take it apart before it goes in the bin. Labels should use an adhesive that's compatible with the recycling process.