A sterile barrier packaging system includes a container configured to hold at least one object to be sterilized, and a respective mating component for the object. The container is configurable in an expanded configuration, wherein the object and the mating component are held spaced apart in mutual registration. The container is further configurable in a compressed configuration, wherein the object and mating component are mated. A method of sterilizing an object includes sterilizing the object in a container holding the object and a mating component spaced apart in mutual registration and subsequently compressing the container to mate the component with the object.
