What Are Tin Cans Made Of?

Tin containers are considered to be among the most popular packaging materials in the world. These small tin cans are easy and cheap to produce and can be crafted into any color, shape, and design. Although its name might suggest differently, these tins are, in fact, not made from tin. So, what are tin cans made of?

Tin Cans – What Are They Made Of?

Although empty tins are generally called ‘’Tin Cans’’, there are almost no modern tins that are produced solely from tin. The main reason why people call these empty cans ‘’Tins’’ can be dated back to the late 20th century. Back then, cans were created out of tin-plated steel in order to combine the strength and affordability of steel with the corrosion resistance of tin.

Nowadays, empty tin cans are, generally speaking, crafted out of any thin metal. This can range from aluminum to steel or iron. Although not always, these small tin cans often come with a tin-plating. Ever since the 1960s, aluminum has by far become the number one choice for producing small tin cans. The reason behind this lies in the fact that it is cheaper and easier to form. Thanks to this, the manufacturing process has become less costly and less time-consuming compared to before. Aluminum is known to offer the same resistance to corrosion which makes it a perfect replacement. For more information on why the industry has changed to aluminum, please check out this blog post on the difference between tin cans and aluminum cans.

The reason why empty cans are not crafted entirely out of tin lies in the fact that tin is, in fact, quite a rare material. Although it is considered to be a ‘’common metal’’ instead of a ‘’precious metal’’ like gold or platinum, it is still less available than you may think. In fact, tin may as well be one of the least available ‘’common’’ metals out there. It is true that in the world there are only a limited number of mines that produce tin. Scientists are even going as far as predicting that, in the future, there will be a high chance that we are running out of tin completely.

Due to the above-stated reasons, it would be extremely expensive and difficult to create anything out of pure tin. This is especially the case for everyday objects such as packaging materials. As of today (August 2017), the price of tin amounts to US$20.61 per kilogram whereas aluminum only costs US$2.1 per kilogram. (LME, 2017) As you can imagine, this major price difference has led to the fact that manufacturers rather produce their tins out of different metals. Most empty cans that are nowadays produced are either made out of aluminum or another cheap alloy.

Traditional Tin-Plated Cans

The only product that is produced purely out of tin is tinfoil. This material is often used for scientific experiences but also for wrapping other objects such as chocolate bars. Because tin can be flattened in an extremely thin sheet, it allows us to create a large amount of ‘’plating’’ out of only a little bit tin. Besides being used to make tinfoil, this plating also often gets applied to traditional containers. It is estimated that one pound of pure tin can produce up to 130 square feet of tinfoil or plating. (Sciencing, 2018) Thanks to this, tin has become highly popular for plating purposes and is often applied to pure metal cans.

Besides the fact that tin can be easily flattened, there is another reason why it is used as a plating material. Tin does not interact with oxygen – thanks to this, it does not rust or tarnish and is highly resistant to corrosion.

Nowadays, we use most tin in the world for the production of tinplate cans. These empty cans mainly consist out of steel or iron that has been finished off with a tin-plating. Due to this, the entire can only consist out of 1 or 2% tin. This forms a coating over the metal in order to protect it from the elements. Because of its protective features, this plating is used for a vast number of commercial objects such as wrappings like tin cans.

Tin cans mainly serve the purpose of canning foods, holding cosmetics, medicine storage, and for keeping candles in the form of candle tins. Regular metals normally react with the acids that are present in these substances after which they begin to corrode. Once this happens, the cans release molecules that can contaminate the content of your packaging while simultaneously destroying the can itself. This has especially caused problems in the past with wrappings made out of lead. These cans were known to leach dangerous toxins into its content. Tin-plated metal cans, however, are entirely safe for holding food, cosmetics, and medicines for a longer period of time thanks to the fact that it’s resistant to acidic combinations. The only downside about traditional tin-plated cans is the fact that they are significantly heavier than aluminium tins. This makes them less convenient and more expensive to transport.

Modern Tin Cans

Generally speaking, tin-plated cans are considered to be the ‘’traditional’’ way to produce cans. In today’s world, the vast majority of small tin containers for sale are made out of aluminum or different types of treat metal. Any material is suitable as long as it is easy to shape and is resistant to rust and corrosion. Both the traditional tins and modern versions are great for canning purposes and are furthermore recyclable. Thanks to this, manufacturers can strip away the tinplate layer and re-use the iron or steel for scrap metal.

All tin cans found in the webshop of uCan-Packaging are crafted out of high-end aluminum. We do, however, also offer the possibility for our customers to order traditional tin-plated metal cans on request. No matter the type of packaging you choose, all our tins are 100% food-safe and BPA-free. They furthermore come equipped with EPE liners inside their lids and feature rolled edges for safe handling. Whether you’re looking for screw tops, slipcovers, or window lid tins – in your webshop you’ll find them all.