REDESIGN FOR OPTIMUM SURFACE TO VOLUME RATIO AND SAVE MATERIALS.

This is a basic proposal for saving packaging materials by limiting the physical proportions of the package so that the surface is minimized for a given cubic content. The author uses simple geometric figures and omits the volume of material and weight of contents to simplify comparisons. He plots cylindrical, elliptical and rectangular forms and explains that from these shapes many others can be derived so that these analyses should prove applicable to a whole variety of forms. The actual dimensions are not important since the relationship between the surface area and the volume is dependent upon proportions rather than actual size. The conclusion is that packagers should reexamine their use of packaging materials in the context of changing government regulations, unit pricing, new packaging materials and cost relationship and improvements in the distribution system.