Display boxes can be a key detail when planning out your retail space. While exceedingly simple, these units provide an unmatched level of diverse utility. They can showcase your products beautifully, protecting them from overly curious onlookers. When not being used for displays, boxes are an excellent choice for secure and sturdy storage. Glass is a traditional choice for such a product but it is expensive, heavy and extremely fragile. This makes acrylic an ideal and preferred alternative as it is 10x stronger and significantly lighter then glass! Those two advantages also allow for this material to last for a longer period of time, making acrylic also very cost effective.
It is vital to take into consideration all the details and requirements to ensure that your product is perfect for your project. To make a more educated decision, read our quick but informative article about all the reasons why acrylic is the best choice material for your display box needs!
Acrylic is steadily becoming the superior alternative to glass. More and more people are substituting glass with acrylic for many different projects such as window replacements, table tops, and ,of course, display boxes.
Here are the attributes that make acrylic an ideal product:
Shatter Resistance – Overall, acrylic is 10 times stronger then glass but much lighter in weight. It's strength makes it a much more impact resistant material which is excellent for protective displays for your collectibles and other valuables. Acrylic can break but it will crack and fracture in whole pieces where as glass will shatter into small and dangerous shards. This alone makes acrylic a much safer material for both your displayed object and onlookers. With acrylic breaking off in bigger pieces, clean up time is significantly shorter.
Optically Pure – You would assume nothing can be clearer then glass. That is not so necessarily true. Acrylic can be manufactured to obtain superb optical clarity. Glass often has a blue or green tint to it that clear acrylic does not. Acrylic also has the added bonus of reducing shadows and reflections. This is an important feature, especially if your are shinning a spot light onto the display. You will not need to worry about any sort of distortion that will distract your audience.
UV Resistance – Acrylic has the innate property of canceling out and blocking UV light, which is why many retailers use the material for their window displays. This will help prevent your collection, products, advertisements, and other products from potential sun damage such as fading. Acrylic itself is resistant to UV damage and will not yellow or lose any of its clarity with extensive exposure.
Lightweight – Glass is not only fragile, its also very heavy and extremely cumbersome when in larger sizes. Acrylic is not only much stronger, it's also lighter and easier to maneuver. This means that you can hang this material or mount it on a wall without putting too much strain on the wires, screws, nails, and other fixture supports.
Cost Effective – Clear acrylic display boxes are a lot less costly and much simpler to manufacture then glass. They require less specialized tools and less labor and because the material is so light, shipping costs are lower!
Easy to Repair – You can't do anything about shattered glass. Acrylic is a whole different story. There are tools available to easily repair your acrylic. We offer adhesives such as Weldon to glue pieces back together. These glues dry quickly and clearly, making the appearance of the initial fissure nearly impossible to see. To remove minor scratches, buffing with sandpaper and topping it with an acrylic polish will restore your product to top condition!
Versatile – Acrylic allows you to explore more creative possibilities for your custom display. It's easy to shape and mold into the form you need it to take, where as with glass there are more limitations. Also, acrylic is much easier to engrave then glass. Engraving can help enhance your display with designs, phrases, or your logo!
Insulating – Not only does acrylic protect objects from UV damage but with it's insulating properties, it can also protect your items from heat or cold environments!
In Conclusion: Acrylic is truly an excellent material for a variety of purposes, including custom displays. These display boxes will be long lasting, sturdy, lightweight, and offer stunning optical clarity. You can display items in direct light without fear of UV damage or store items away in basements or attics knowing that the cold or heat won't destroy your items. In case the display breaks, it won't be overly hazardous and clean up will be quick and easy. As a final bonus on top of all of the fantastic attributes of acrylic, this material is also very cost effective for any budget!