UL is a member of the Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier (APASS) network, and an ISTA (International Safe Transit Association) certified test laboratory. That means we can perform testing and certification of product packaging used by suppliers and intermediaries to the ISTA 6 Amazon Test Protocol, which evaluates whether a package and product can withstand the distribution hazards typically encountered during handling and transportation.
APASS and ISTA 6 Amazon Testing
The Amazon APASS Network was created by Amazon to help vendors, sellers and manufacturers to obtain certification of their products as either Frustration Free Packaging (FFP), Ships-in-Own-Container (SIOC) or Prep-Free Packaging (PFP).
UL is a member of the APASS network, as a Packaging Test Laboratory, that serves vendors, sellers or manufacturers with testing and certification of products to Amazon’s Packaging Certification requirements, including the ISTA 6 Amazon SIOC test (Tier 1 or 2) or ISTA 6 Amazon Overbox (Tier 3) test with the appropriate ISTA certified equipment.
UL’s global network of laboratories in the U.S., Europe and China are all approved to provide APASS services to package testing in compliance with Amazon’s certification test methods.
How UL packaging testing helps your business
Driven by the growth of e-commerce, the complexity of global supply chains and changing consumer preferences, product packaging, for everything from consumer goods to food and medical supplies, has become critical to delivering quality, safe products to market.
According to Statista, a provider of global business data, in 2020, retail e-commerce sales worldwide amounted to $4.28 trillion dollars (USD) and e-retail revenues are projected to grow to $5.4 trillion dollars (USD) in 2022. However, maintaining the cost effectiveness of packaging while simultaneously ensuring the integrity and sustainability of packaging can be a challenge.
This makes packaging an even more essential element, because the correct packaging streamlines the fulfillment process, helps ensure that the product arrives to the consumer intact, builds brand trust and may encourage repeat purchases.
This is why more brands, manufacturers and suppliers are in search of global partners with the expertise, the knowledge and the network to provide them with the most suitable and the most convenient packaging solutions for their products.
UL has expertise in certifying packaging to ISTA standards. In addition to our Amazon package testing and ISTA package testing, we offer a wide portfolio of services and solutions for the quality, chemical safety and sustainability of your packaging and products
